On 8^th March a group of children’s representatives (child task force members) marched to the Gram Sansad meeting to demand disaster preparedness measures as identified by them. The consciousness and enthusiasm of children moved the Panchayat Pradhan and the Panchayat Secretary to take up the demands in the Zila Parishad and Gram Sansad for consideration and immediate action. On March 20, the panchayat officials shared with the CLDRR team about the action taken by them on children’s demands.

Children’s participation in disaster preparedness and resilience development is often ignored. They are perceived as passive victims than active agents with the eagerness to ideate and participate in disaster preparedness. In the last decade, due to climate change, the Sundarbans have become highly susceptible to extreme weather events and hydrological disasters. Children make up a sizable proportion of the population in these areas, and by having them play a passive role in the disaster preparedness has increased their vulnerability to disaster risks.

Caritas India’s Child Led Disaster Risk Reduction (CLDRR) Programme, in the Sundarbans region, implemented by the Palli Unnayan Samiti, helped children identify the hazards and risk under during participatory risk assessment activities in the village. The nine demands presented to the Gram Panchayat by children on March 8, were also shared with School Management Committee, peer groups, ICDS workers, Mothers and SHG groups in the villages accompanied by their parents.

“It was a pleasant surprise to see that the children collectively identify the issues that affect the entire village, and present them to us,” said the Panchayat secretary. Among the demands that are now being considered are the sanctioning of approaching roads with concrete cementing, mass plantation drives involving children, forest department, and schools, especially in the embankment areas; and Rs. 16 lakhs have been sanctioned for acquiring land to build an Eco Park/Playground for the children.

The Pradhan also pointed out that children demanded more flood shelters as Pathankali, which has only 2 shelters with facilities, but it is not equally accessible to all. This has also been taken into consideration and the GP has planned to build flood shelters in each village to accommodate more people. This demand was well appreciated in the Zila Parishad, and Zila Sabhapati noted a priority for allocating the fund. To encourage more participation and ensure that children have an active role in the village development planning, the Panchayat Secretary informed that the Zila Parishad will also try to enable children’s representation in the Gram Sabha.

On hearing the good news, the children of the government aided High School in Pathankali were happy to learn about the positive outcomes of their efforts. Rubaiya, a student of class 9 said, “This entire episode feels like a dream. For the first time, I feel like I am also responsible for our village development and not just the adults.”

The impact of this programme is not limited to children. In many families, these children are the first generation to receive an education. And not many reach the Sundarbans to hear of their issues and needs. Through the children, their parents and community adults are benefiting from the active knowledge-sharing by their children.

Arpita Das, mother of a child in chidlren’s task force, shared that recently when a warning was issued for strong winds, her daughter Prithi Das immediately told her to start gathering dry food and other items to prepare a Family Survival Kit. She also instructed her mother to store all their important documents in a plastic cover to protect them from getting wet, and to finally start moving to the safety shelter in the village. The residents of Pathankali hope that DRR becomes part of the school curriculum in West Bengal so that all the children in the State can be prepared to face disaster in their area.

Read related news- Sundarbans’ Children Raise Demands for Disaster Resilient Measures