Bridging the divide between studies on disaster risk reduction education and child-centred disaster risk reduction: a critical review

ABSTRACT

There has been a recent increase in the body of knowledge related to children and disasters. These studies converge into three main fields of research: the impact of disasters on children and their psychological recovery, the integration of disaster risk reduction (DRR) into the education sectors and children’s participation in DRR. This article provides a literature review of the two latter fields of research where the focus is on reducing disaster losses and building resilience prior to a disaster. Overall, 48 studies are critically reviewed and compared in relation to the strengths and weaknesses of their aims, methods, locations of research, impact, and outcomes. The review identified a number of differences between the two fields and significant opportunities for linking the two approaches, sharing lessons and knowledge. Based on the review, recommendations for further research are outlined.

KEYWORDS:

• Disaster risk reduction
• children
• education
• participation
• child-centred
• methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 As defined by United Nations, a child is a person under the age of 18.

2 The children in a CCC was formed ‘to lead child-focused research, development and humanitarian organisations, each with a commitment to share knowledge, co-ordinate their actions and to work with children as protagonists rather than just as victims’ (Gautam and Oswald 2008, 7). The coalition includes the Institute of Development Studies, Plan International, Save the Children, UNICEF, and World Vision.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).