Children and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asia Pacific · Children and Disaster Risk Reduction: ... capacity for disaster preparedness and risk reduction. All these have been reflected

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Children and Disaster Risk Reduction: Background Paper by Bangladesh 2010

Children and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asia Pacific

Background Paper by Bangladesh

High Level Meeting on International Cooperation for Child Rights (ICCR)

in the Asia Pacific Region (Beijing Nov. 2010)

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

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List of Acronyms

CDMP Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme

CFSs Child Friendly Spaces

CPC Child Protection Cluster

CRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

DM Disaster Management

DMB Disaster Management Bureau

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

HFA Hyogo Framework for Action

IPCC Inter‐Governmental Panel on Climate Change

MoFDM Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

MoWCA Ministry of Women and Children Affairs

NDMC National Disaster Management Council

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation

NPDM National Plan for Disaster Management

NSAPR II National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction II (Revised)

PLW Pregnant and Lactating women

PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper

SAARC South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation

VGD Vulnerable Group Development

VGF Vulnerable Group Feeding

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Executive Summary:

For geographical location and geological configuration Bangladesh is prone to various types

of disasters and vulnerabilities caused by climate change. Among others, disasters like flood

and cyclones have devastating impacts on livelihoods and economy which adversely affect

every aspect of children’s daily life, life chances and protection provided for in the CRC.

Children’s rights to survival, protection, clean water, sanitation, food, health and education

remain in serious threat due to disasters. With the experience in risk mitigation, sharing of

knowledge and country to country, regional and international cooperation, Bangladesh

acquired unique capabilities in reducing risks, casualties and destruction in the course of

disasters. Through continuous efforts, Bangladesh’s disaster management strategy has been

shifted from response to risk management and resilience which have secured prominent

space in every development planning. Bangladesh’s PRSP secures provisions for

strengthening disaster management and risk mitigation, mainstreaming DRR into national

policies, planning, institutional development and development processes, and ensuring

community, NGO and civil society participation in disaster management and enhancing their

capacity for disaster preparedness and risk reduction. All these have been reflected in the

draft National Disaster Management Policy, draft Children’s Policy (revised) and

institutional, structural or non-structural disaster management strategies as well as the

draft Disaster Management Act providing the legal basis of and obligations for the activities

and actions directed to this end.

For a strong and sustainable disaster management system, Bangladesh has constituted fund

in different levels with donations from home and abroad and is developing an insurance

system to cover losses of property with public- private partnership. Within these initiatives,

issues surrounding children’s vulnerabilities are being given emphasis. Special provisions are

being incorporated in preparedness and resilience strategies to address different

components of vulnerabilities of women and children. As part of initial preparedness

initiatives provisions are there to ensure social safety net protection for women and

children. Programmes to give support of food and nutrition, healthcare and neonatal care to

the poor have been included within the development planning and ongoing budget

framework. During the disasters, particular strategies have been introduced to protect lives

of women and children. To address children’s traumatic situation and to help them in

resuming their institutional study within the shortest possible time after the disasters

several efforts have been made by the Government along with other development partners.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Child protection partners such as UN

Agencies (e.g. UNICEF), NGOs and other civil society and humanitarian organisations have

agreed to establish the Child Protection Cluster (CPC) network in Bangladesh at National and

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sub-national/local levels on the basis of the guiding cluster principles and concrete

emergency as well as disaster experience in Bangladesh. The CPC initiatives will support

harmonized, concerted and timely capacities to prepare, respond to the protection needs of

children during natural disaster and emergency.

Within the CPC initiatives, Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) are designed to establish effective

protection mechanism to meet children’s immediate and special needs with a view to help

children to cope with the changed (and often adverse) situations. Support of food, clean

drinking water, recreation, education and other related supports are provided within the

framework of such CFSs so that children can overcome the immediate trauma and threat.

Short‐run programmes are there to resume academic activities of children in the

disaster‐torn institutions by erecting temporary structures, providing books and study

materials often free of cost, waiving examination fees and rescheduling public examinations.

Local School Managing Committees (SMCs) are actively involved in rehabilitation of such

institutions, for constructing temporary structures and procuring furniture and for

distribution of books and study materials. For long turn mitigation, the Government plans to

construct academic building‐cum‐cyclone shelters in the cyclone affected coastal areas. The

Government also plans to provide water resistant book bags and some stationery to

students in severely affected areas. Chapters on issues of DRR and disaster management

have already been included in the text books of class V to XII which help in focussing on

knowledge and education within the HFA and provide the useful vehicles for incorporation,

promotion and protection of child rights in all the DRR activities.

Devastation of disasters and the impacts thereof are so vast and pervasive that huge efforts

and resource mobilisation are needed to address those crises. At the same time both inter-

and intra-generational contribution and country to country, regional and international

cooperation are necessary in providing resources for fulfilling children’s particular needs,

upholding their rights and ensuring child protection during the disasters and the aftermath.

Bangladesh has built a strong regional and international cooperation for enhancing

comprehensive disaster management system and addressing hazards caused by climate

change. For intensive, fruitful and effective intervention in the course of disasters, the

following recommendations are being made on behalf of Bangladesh-

(a) A knowledge sharing platform can be created within this region with a view to

dissemination of knowledge to policy makers, local authorities, communities and

practitioners in mainstreaming child centred DRR within relevant policies,

development planning and guidelines in regular basis.

(b) Country to country, regional and international cooperation in the form of arranging

meetings, workshops or study tours can develop a common understanding of child

centred DRR and explore possible replication of effective approaches in the contexts

of experiences in different countries.

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(c) Children’s vulnerability issues surrounding disasters and child centred DRR should be

given proper place in the regional and international treaties, conventions and

declarations. Inclusion of this issue in the reporting guidelines from the Committee

on Rights of the Child within the purview of the CRC would yield benefits.

(d) For overcoming immediate risk and help children resuming their normal lives within

the shortest possible time, regional funds may be created. This fund may provide

assistance for addressing children’s vulnerability issues as well as contribute to the

funds constituted in different aspects in different countries in this regard.

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01. Introduction:

Bangladesh is a low-lying deltaic country in South Asia. Geological configuration of

Bangladesh is formed by the three big rivers such as the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the

Meghna. Along with these, more than 230 rivers, waterways and tributaries flow through

this country for which this country is called a land of rivers. Around 145 million people live

within its 147,570 sq. km territory. This densely populated country is characterized by a

young age structure. Children under 18 years of age constitute about 45% of the population.

Because of geographical location, configuration, plenty of rivers and tributaries and

monsoon weather, Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and

diverse exposure of natural disasters. Impacts of global warming, like other parts in the

world, are being increasingly observed in the gradual change of climatic behaviour in

Bangladesh. As a result Bangladesh frequently experiences multiple hazards like floods,

cyclones, droughts, salinity, water-logging, river and coastal erosion, hailstorms, tornados,

tidal surge, earthquake, landslides, tsunami and fire. Particularly, other than regular flooding

which has traditionally been beneficial in Bangladesh, low frequency but high magnitude

floods have devastating impacts on livelihoods and the economy. Besides, the country

remains as one of the worst sufferers of cyclone casualties in the world. Riverbank erosion

causes the loss of productive land areas annually. Droughts are also the common

occurrences resulting in less or no yield of crops. Because of the high vulnerability and

occurrences of the worst sufferings, Bangladesh is currently ranked as the most

climate‐vulnerable country in the world1. According to the projection of the

Inter‐Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), both the frequency and intensity of

cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are likely to increase and the depth and spatial extent of

flooding in the Ganges‐Brahmaputra‐Meghna Basin are likely to alter because of climate

change. This has significant implications across all sectors (such as agriculture, housing,

transport) and consequently on economic development and poverty. Additionally, the likely

consequences of sea level rise can cause economic losses of an unprecedented magnitude

in low‐lying Bangladesh. There are also the human induced disasters like road accidents,

drowning, ferry tragedies and building collapse. Repeated Building collapse in Dhaka reflects

our increasing urban vulnerability.

02. Damage of disasters and the impacts on children:

Disasters adversely affect all aspects of children’s daily life and life chances covered by the

CRC. Children’s rights to survival, to protection, to clean water, sanitation, food, health and

1 Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh: Damage, Loss, and Needs Assessment for Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction,

A Report Prepared by the Government of Bangladesh Assisted by the International Development Community with Financial Support from the European Commission, April 2008.

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education remain in serious threat due to disasters. In the course of every disaster people

have to suffer as they frequently lose the sustainability of their livelihoods, their everyday

needs like food stock, seeds, tools, livestock, shelter and employment. Increase of disasters

in frequency and intensity further undermines people’s resilience and increases poverty and

this situation diminishes particularly life chances of children as a dependent and vulnerable

group. Under these circumstances, infants, young children, and pregnant and lactating

women (PLW) are vulnerable to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, especially since

their nutritional requirements are relatively high, but they are less able to negotiate their

fair share of food within the household. Where the nutritional status of children is already

poor, it is exacerbated in a disaster situation. Analysis of the damage and loss assessment of

different disasters explains children’s more vulnerable situation due to every disaster.

Damage by floods:

During the rainy season every year an average of 15% of the total geographical area is

inundated by floods. Floods in 1988, 1998 and 2004 caused huge damage of resources

amounting 10.6 billion dollars which affected almost every aspect of chances and

opportunities for children. Only in 2007 flood a total of 46 districts were affected to varying

degrees. The flood inundated about 32000 Sq Km including the char areas of 6000 sq km

affecting almost 16 million people in around 3 million households. Thousands of people also

suffered from flood related health hazards. 85,000 houses were completely damaged, while

almost one million suffered partial damages. 649 persons were reported to have perished

either as a direct impact of the flood or through flood related causes including bridge

collapse or boat capsizing. A number of children drowned as a result of swimming in flood

areas. A number, in addition to this, perished as a result of diseases caused by contaminated

water and poor sanitation2.

Damage by Cyclones:

The frequency of cyclones over the years has increased significantly. Major cyclones in 1970,

1991 and 1997 caused over 500,000 deaths. The 2007 cyclone Sidr, which hit Bangladesh’s

offshore islands, affected 2,064,026 households and 8,923,259 people. The Tropical Cyclone

AILA hit Bangladesh on May 25, 2009 which affected more than 3 million people in Khulna,

Barisal and Chittagong divisions. Due to the Government preparedness strategies more than

500,000 people could be evacuated to the shelters. This Cyclone affected 14 districts,

damaged or destroyed more than 520,886 houses and 400,689 acres of agricultural crops in

the affected areas. Significant damage of infrastructure and livestock loss was recorded3.

(Details of such damage and loss is cited in Annexure 1).

2Source: Executive Summary: Consolidated Damage and Loss Assessment, Lessons Learnt from the Flood 2007,

CDMP, 2007. 3Source: Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MoFDM), Relief Control Cell (RCC): Updated on 21

January 2008.

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Most of the people who died and/or injured during those Cyclones were women and

children. This happens because of children, particularly girl children’s close attachment

with their mothers in household work. As the home managers and care givers, women,

along with their children, are the last to leave their houses and take shelter in safer places.

03. Disaster Management Strategy in Bangladesh - From Response to risk Management,

Mitigation and Resilience:

In Bangladesh the ability to manage disaster risks, particularly floods and cyclones, has

considerably improved, especially since the 1991 cyclone that claimed nearly 140,000 lives.

Evidence shows that the cyclones that hit in the recent years, although devastated large

areas, the human casualties were relatively low4. This has been the result of a gradual shift

from an approach of response after the disaster to a strategy incorporating elements of

disaster risk management along with risk mitigation. Bangladesh’s Poverty Reduction

Strategy Paper5 secures provisions for strengthening disaster management and risk

mitigation, mainstreaming DRR into national policies, planning, institutional development

and development processes, and ensuring community, NGO and civil society participation in

disaster management and enhancing their capacity for disaster preparedness and risk

reduction. The NSAPR II provides for inclusion of the following measures into DM:

(a) Improving the cyclone signal system and flood forecasting and making it simpler and

clearer to common people

(b) Strengthening coordination among Government agencies, NGOs and civil society

institutions as well as coordination and management at grassroots level

(c) Creating a disaster relief fund to support the victims of hazards

(d) Developing an insurance system to cover losses of property in the course of disasters

(e) Avoiding overlapping in relief distribution and rehabilitation initiatives

(f) Providing adequate health facilities and ensuring rescue, evacuation and treatment

of the victims

(g) Improving capacity for adequate and quick response to the emerging disasters like

sea-level rise or bird flow.

The proposed Risk Mitigation Strategic Framework and Action Plan:

The Draft National Plan for Disaster Management (NPDM, 2010–15) is based on three key

elements including:

First: Involving the management of both risks and consequences of disasters within

disaster management which would include prevention of emergency response and

post-disaster recovery.

4 In November 2007 cyclone (Sidr), 3,406 people died and in May 2009 cyclone (Aila) only 190 people died.

5 Steps Towards Change, National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction II (Revised), FY 2009-11.

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Second: Major focus on community involvement in preparedness programmes for

protecting lives and properties and involvement of local government bodies would

be the essential part of the strategy for DM. Ensuring self-reliance will be the key for

preparedness, response and recovery.

Third: A high priority must be given on non-structural mitigation measures such as

community disaster preparedness training advocacy and public awareness which

would require an integration of structural mitigation with non-structural measures.

Within the proposed disaster risk reduction framework there is a combination of the broad

strategic priorities and goals which are contained in the NPDM (2010‐15) and contemporary

strategic elements for disaster risk mitigation in the international arena. This framework can

essentially be distributed across the following five strategic pillars:

(a) risk identification and assessment;

(b) strengthening and enhancing emergency preparedness;

(c) institutional capacity building;

(d) risk mitigation investments; and

(e) introducing catastrophic risk financing in the longer term.

The underlying principles of this framework demonstrate that both loss of life and the

economic impact of disasters can be reduced through advance planning and investment.

Disaster Management Act

A Disaster Management Act is on the way to enactment. This Act will provide the legislative

tool to undertake disaster risk and emergency management in Bangladesh and the legal

basis of the activities and actions directed for this end. It will also create mandatory

obligations and responsibilities for Ministries, committees and appointments to incorporate

proper disaster management strategy within the related planning and work plan.

Financing the Response and Resilience Processes:

To effectively finance the NPDM, the Government will constitute the following funds in

different levels with its own resources and donations from home and abroad:

(a) National Disaster Management Fund: The fund shall have two windows a) Pre

Disaster, which shall fund risk reduction activities and b) Post disaster, which shall fund

through two sub windows namely i) Quick response and ii) Recovery and Rehabilitation.

The allocation and utilization of the fund shall be governed as per rules and guidelines

laid down by the Government. Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, in

consultation with Ministry of Finance, will take initiative to establish the fund by

consolidating the existing relief funds.

(b) National Risk Reduction Fund

The Government will constitute this fund for projects which are designed for the

purpose of prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The allocation and utilization of

the fund shall be governed as per rules and guidelines laid down by the Government.

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Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, in consultation with Ministry of Finance, will

take initiative to establish the fund by consolidating the existing risk reduction funds.

(c) Local Disaster Management Fund

Disaster Management Committees at the district, upazila, union, and city corporation

and paurashava levels will constitute their own funds to implement programmes and

activities as set out in Disaster Management Plans. This fund will make up of the

following: a) contribution from the government through budgetary allocation b)

contribution from local government and c) local donation. The government will

formulate guideline for operating the fund.

A Climate Change Trust Fund has been created within the Ministry of Environment and

Forest for the following purposes:

(a) capacitating the Climate Change Cell within the Ministry of Environment and Forest;

(b) financing programmes and projects directed to adaptation and minimization of risk

and hazards in the course of climatic disasters

(c) strengthening knowledge on climate change and precipitation impacts as well as

identifying climate change adaptation options through action research;

(d) incorporating climate change impact components in DRR programs and strategies.

In this regard, Bangladesh is rendering efforts for exploring options for a more harmonized

approach in launching projects and programmes with coordination amongst a range of

sectors, development partners and stake holders.

The National Disaster Management Council (NDMC), headed by the Prime Minister, is the

highest forum for the formulation and review of disaster management policies. The

Inter‐Ministerial Disaster Management Coordination Committee (IMDMCC) is assigned with

the implementation of disaster management policies and decisions of the NDMC, assisted

by the National Disaster Management Advisory Committee (NDMAC).

The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MoFDM) is particularly responsible for

coordinating national disaster management interventions across all agencies whilst the

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) is assigned with the responsibilities of

monitoring mainstreaming of women and children’s vulnerability issues both in sectoral and

multi-sectoral disaster management and development processes.

The Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (CDMP), under the MoFDM, is

undertaking a number of interventions aimed at strengthening and improving disaster

management and risk mitigation capacities at various levels, and in promoting and

implementing the national strategic priorities and plans set out by the Government. It is

being successfully implemented with international partnership and cooperation6. The

program is making significant contributions in the areas of capacity building,

professionalizing disaster management, partnership development, advocacy for

6 CDMP is being implemented with the assistance from DFID, UNDP,and the EC.

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mainstreaming disaster risk reduction across sectors, community empowerment for disaster

risk reduction, and strengthening response management. The CDMP achieved particular

success in implementing Community Risk Assessments (CRAs), community‐level Risk

Reduction Action Plans (RRAPs), and small‐scale risk mitigation interventions funded

through the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (LDRRF) in seven pilot districts.

On the other hand, the Standing Orders On Disaster have been revised with the objective of

making the concerned persons understand and perform their duties and responsibilities

regarding disaster management at all levels. All Ministries/ Divisions/ Departments/

Agencies have to incorporate disaster risk reduction considerations into their sectoral

development plans. At the same time, those having emergency management responsibilities

accordingly prepare their own contingency plans and train their staff.

Country to Country, Regional and International Cooperation:

Country to country cooperation in the areas of similar related challenges surrounding

hazards of disasters has acquired important space in national development planning.

Through information sharing and lesson learning, country to country cooperation emerges

as an important tool in facilitating mutually beneficial partnerships in the form of replicating

good programmes and practices in Bangladesh which prove to be useful in other countries.

Arrangement of workshops and study tours in this regard is the regular part of disaster

management initiatives in Bangladesh.

The NPDM builds on and is aligned with the objectives and priorities for action identified

under various international conventions, such as the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)

2005‐15, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and

particularly, the SAARC Framework for Action (SFA) 2006‐15. Presently, the Disaster

Management Bureau is working closely with SAARC Disaster Management Center (SDMC) in

New Delhi.

04. Addressing the different components of vulnerability of children:

Investigations show that vulnerability of people in the course of disaster has several

components which include initial condition, livelihood resilience, opportunities for self

protection and access to social protection and social capital. For their dependent and risk

prone positions, women and children are particularly prone to any form of vulnerability.

Children are often dependent on their parents, particularly on their mothers, regarding

almost all the matters related to their access to nutrition, healthcare and life skill training.

Disaster management in Bangladesh, for this reason, is being mainstreamed in every policy

planning and development processes in order to address all these components of

vulnerability of children and women.

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Initial Preparedness Initiatives:

To enhance initial preparedness initiatives, efforts are being rendered on behalf of the

Government to develop and test action plans of the line Ministries and agencies as well as

the districts and upazilas (sub-districts). The Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) works

with the local authorities and other agencies, NGOs and civil society to help Union Councils

and village communities in vulnerable and high-risk areas to develop their own contingency

plans and increase their own coping and mitigation capacity. DMB, in collaboration with

existing training institutes, develops training materials for relevant agencies and NGOs to

give essential training to various target groups. In the course of such trainings special

emphasis is put on addressing children’s vulnerabilities and increasing capacity of children

themselves as well as of all concerned with child protection in coping with hazards of

disasters.

To improve nutritional intake of children, special programmes and projects are being

implemented. The Government has various social safety net programs which address the

particular gender needs of women along with their children. For ensuring social safety net

protection for extremely poor vulnerable women, Vulnerable Group Development Program

(VGD) is being implemented. This programme is providing extreme poor and distressed

women with food assistance at the rate of 30 kg rice or 25 kg fortified wheat per woman.

Asset development package training are also being given to them all the year round. In the

course of these trainings, women are given productive assets with a view to improve their

economic conditions and enhance their nutritional capacity.

Skill development training on income generating activities along with nutrition, primary

health, HIV/Aids etc. is being disseminated. Women are vastly participating in Micro-credit

programs which are helping them develop self employment. At the same time there is

widow Allowance, Elderly Persons Allowance, Maternity, Pregnant and Lactating Mothers’

allowances. Under the safety net programme of maternity and lactating mother’s allowance

programme, each mother is getting Tk. 350 per month along with basic training about safe

health care particularly neonatal care. Under the Ministry of Health and Family Planning the

Maternal Health Voucher Scheme programme is being implemented in some selected (46

sub-districts) areas. This programme gives all the essential supports for safe delivery and

neonatal care for a certain period. The Government has set up 13,500 community clinics out

of which 9,525 are already in operation. These clinics render very useful support for women

and children healthcare.

These programmes contribute to improving nutritional and healthcare status of children

who are mostly dependent on their mothers. Initial concerns, no doubt, focus on treating

cyclone‐related injuries, preventing outbreaks of diseases, addressing mental health issues

relating to shock, trauma and bereavement, and providing basic health services. Moreover,

in order to establish a sustainable healthcare system rather than temporary outreach health

services, medical supplies, and emergency medical and nursing staff, efforts in the health

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sector are being coordinated at the central and decentralised (district, sub-district) levels.

Meeting specific nutritional needs along with access to basic foodstuffs was identified as an

immediate and long‐term requirement in affected districts. Supplements containing both

macro‐ and micronutrients (vitamin A, zinc, and iron foliate) were incorporated into the

national immunization programme, and zinc is being dispensed as an anti-diarrhoea. To

provide additional micronutrients to children under five and pregnant and lactating women

micronutrient powder in single‐dose sachets is being provided to be added to meals. For

daily consumption, children within 6‐59 months old will receive 90 sachets, each containing

a full recommended intake of 16 vitamins and minerals. PLW will receive 180 of the same

sachets, two of which should be consumed per day. As a result children and women will find

better health, capacity and scope to cope with hazards of disasters.

Project on Ensuring Safe Drinking Water and Social Protection to Women and Children

Living in Extremely Vulnerable Adverse Environment Due to Climate Change:

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has started this project under Climate Change

Trust Fund programme to contribute towards socio-economic development of women and

children in the course of hazards of disasters in two of the most vulnerable upazillas (sub-

districts) in the coastal region in line with the provisions of NSAPR II and MDGs. There are

four components of this Project:

(a) Ensuring clean and safe water through sinking of deep tube wells

(b) Ensuring clean and safe drinking water through rain water harvesting

(c) Ensuring healthy sanitation and

(d) Arranging trainings to enhance knowledge and expertise in sustaining these

processes.

Upon successful completion of this project, more programmes will be undertaken with an

emphasis on addressing children and women’s vulnerability.

During and After the Disasters:

As already have been highlighted, almost all the development planning have to incorporate

women and children’s vulnerability issues in the course of their formulation. Disaster

management process has marked a subtle paradigm shift from mere immediate response to

a strategy incorporating elements of disaster risk management along with risk mitigation.

DM in Bangladesh is now a holistic initiative which includes all the relevant sectors,

communities and social actors. Particular emphasis is put on evacuation of children, women,

the elderly and the disabled just before the impending disaster. With their attempts to

survive hazards, people of the affected communities have acquired coping and adaptation

skills and knowledge. Similarly, local actors like community leaders, members of the civil

society, local government representatives, NGO and respective Government staff have also

gathered expertise and knowledge regarding intervention methods to be applied in various

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stages of disasters. These skills or adaptation practices of all concerned are the invaluable

assets on the way to successful preparedness, recovery and rehabilitation processes.

Accommodating local needs, a lot of schools and social infrastructures are being turned into

shelters with provision of relevant facilities and needs of women and children. Plinth raising

of homesteads, schools, social institutions and roads in the affected areas, supplying

affected people with productive assets such as cows or poultry and involving community

people with dissemination of pre-primary, primary and mass education services and

awareness raising campaigns regarding sanitation or family planning bring about successful

outcomes in mitigating the sufferings of people, particularly women and children during and

after the disasters. For immediate recovery from the loss of disasters, Vulnerable Group

Feeding (VGF) programme is launched in the affected area. Under this programme affected

people are given food support for a certain period with special emphasis on women and

children. House building grants and livelihood resilience loans are also distributed amongst

the affected people particularly in the cyclone and flood prone areas. Consequently human

casualties due to disasters have decreased remarkably over the years.

To address children’s traumatic situation and to help them in resuming their institutional study within shortest possible time after the disasters several efforts have been made by the Government along with other development partners.

Child Protection Cluster Network:

On the basis of the guiding cluster principles and concrete emergency as well as disaster

experience in Bangladesh, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Child protection

partners (UN Agencies, NGOs) have agreed to establish the Child Protection Cluster (CPC)

network in Bangladesh at National and subnational/local levels. Recognizing the importance

of initial and coherent preparedness initiatives to support protection in emergencies, the

CPC initiatives will support harmonized, concerted and timely capacities to prepare, respond

to the protection needs of children during natural disaster and emergency. Aim of the

cluster approach is to achieve more strategic responses and better prioritization of available

resources to be mobilised for child protection. Ensuring and clarifying division of labour

among child protection organizations and better defining the roles and responsibilities of

humanitarian organizations within the protection sector this initiative strengthens system-

wide preparedness and responses including post emergency, technical capacity to respond

to humanitarian emergencies including the early recovery phase, ensures greater

predictability and effective inter-agency and inter cluster coordination with standards and

policy setting, child participation and community based approach and promotes partnership

approach. It also aims at addressing capacity gaps and bringing actors together in order to

ensure a more predictable, timely and effective response in the protection sector as well as

inter-sectoral links to other relevant clusters and sectors. The goal is to enable children and

their families to have access to and maintain/rehabilitate safe and protective environment

and to reduce violence, abuses and exploitation of children in the course of hazards of

disasters and emergencies. Within the framework of this CPC network, among other

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initiatives, Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) are being operated particularly in the cyclone prone

areas.

Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs):

After Sidr in 2007, 240 CFSs and after Aila in 2009, 140 SFSs were opened in the affected

areas with Unicef assistance. CFS are designed to establish effective protection mechanism

to meet children’s immediate and special needs with a view to help children to cope with

the changed (and often adverse) situation. Despite enormous challenges, the CFS efforts

have brought about significant achievements. Since June 2009, more than 8,000 children

aged 6-12 and 200 adolescents have benefitted from this programme. In the CFSs children,

teenagers, pregnant and lactating women receive the following services:

Two meals a day, one in the morning and one hot meal, access to clean drinking water,

recreation, medical and psychological care and hygienic latrines.

Birth registration of all attending CFSs.

Ensure that the affected children resume their study in schools.

Psychological training to teachers.

Psychosocial and child protection in emergency training to child facilitators.

Intervention strategies of this programme are being incorporated in other relevant

programmes. The concept of child friendly spaces keeps children attached to recreation

and study. Therefore other opportunity seekers can not engage them in child labour and

this appears to be a perfect intervention in protecting children from different types of

exploitation.

Inclusion of DRR Issues in Text Books:

Chapters on issues of DRR and disaster management have already been included in the text

books of class V to XII. These chapters are regularly being updated and reviewed for making

them more risk management oriented by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board

(NCTB) and the DMB. These initiatives help in focussing on knowledge and education within

the HFA and provide the useful vehicles for incorporation, promotion and protection of child

rights in all the DRR activities.

Initiatives to resume formal education just after the disasters:

Just after the Cyclone Sidr and Aila, the Ministry of Education undertook a short‐run

program to resume academic activities of children in the cyclone‐torn institutions by

erecting temporary structures, providing books and study materials often free of cost,

waiving examination fees and rescheduling public examinations. For rehabilitation of the

cyclone torn institutions, for constructing temporary structures and procuring furniture and

for distribution of books and study materials local School Managing Committees (SMCs)

were actively involved. For long turn mitigation, the Government plans to construct

academic building‐cum‐cyclone shelters in the cyclone affected coastal areas. The

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Government also plans to provide water resistant book bags and some stationery to

students in severely affected areas.

05. Incorporation of child centred DRR in the draft Children’s Policy 2010:

To address children’s vulnerability issues in the course of disasters the following provisions

are included in the draft Children’s Policy 2010:

In the course of the whole process of preparedness, rescue and resilience, provision will

be there to give priority to the safety and security of all children. Problems surrounding

particularly girl children are given emphasis.

Efforts will be there to secure essential healthcare, sanitation and drinking water

facilities during disasters and resilience processes.

To help children and their guardians in overcoming hazards of disasters, steps will be

taken to provide psychological support together with material support.

Issues surrounding transforming social safety net programmes child friendly and giving

orphans and helpless children proper protection in emergency as well as the aftermath

will be incorporated in every policy planning. Besides providing children with essential

food, clothing or healthcare, efforts will also be there to establish child friendly spaces

equipped with toys, materials for games and study so that children can overcome the

trauma of disasters and start the normal life again. At this they can resume formal

education in the schools short after the disasters.

In every shelter, special provisions will be created for safety and security of girls,

relevant facilities for pregnant and lactating mothers and for breastfeeding.

06. Recommendations:

Devastation of disasters and the impacts are so vast and pervasive that huge resource

mobilisation is needed to address those crises. At the same time people’s perception about

the needs and interests of different groups such as women and children is also very

important in prioritising the actual needs of the deserving ones. Both inter- and intra-

generational contribution is necessary in providing resources for fulfilling children’s

particular needs, upholding their rights and ensuring child protection during the disasters

and the aftermath. Inter-generational contribution is expressed through how the adults

perceive children’s present positions and what they think and expect about the future world

where the next generation will live. Intra-generational mobilisation of resources for

prioritising and fulfilling children’s rights, interests and needs is a very important component

in achieving expected goals in this regard. Besides, these are the intricate socio-cultural

issues where awareness intervention is needed. All these interventions need regional and

international cooperation. Bangladesh has built a strong regional and international

cooperation for enhancing comprehensive disaster management system and addressing

hazards caused by climate change. For further enhancement and integration of all these

initiatives, the following recommendations are being made on behalf of Bangladesh-

17


(a) Cooperation amongst the countries as well as between the regional and

international levels, in the form of promoting information and knowledge sharing

and lesson learning, can facilitate mutually beneficial partnerships. A knowledge

sharing platform can be created within this region with a view to dissemination of

knowledge to policy makers, local authorities, communities and practitioners in

mainstreaming child centred DRR within relevant policies, development planning and

guidelines in regular basis.

(b) Country to country, regional and international cooperation in the form of arranging

meetings, workshops or study tours can develop a common understanding of child

centred DRR and explore possible replication of effective approaches in the contexts

of experiences in different countries.

(c) Disasters being occurred in increasing frequency and intensity due to disruption of

environmental balance and climate change, this reality should acquire more

emphasis in regional and international forum. Particularly children’s vulnerability

issues surrounding disasters and child centred DRR should be given proper place in

the regional and international treaties, conventions and declarations. Inclusion of

this issue in the reporting guidelines from the Committee on Rights of the Child

within the purview of the CRC would yield benefits.

(d) Initiatives may be there to develop regional funds for addressing children’s

vulnerability issues as well as to contribute to the funds constituted in different

aspects in different countries. These initiatives will help the affected countries in

overcoming immediate risk and help children resuming their normal lives within

shortest possible time.

18


References:

Billah, M.A Kamal (2010) ‘Women, Disaster and Gender Responsive Mitigation Process’ in International Women’s Day 2010 Supplement, Dhaka: Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Cannon, Terry (2002) ‘Gender and climate hazards in Bangladesh’ in Rachel Masika (ed.) Gender and Development, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 45-50. DMB, Bangladesh (2008) Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh: Damage, Loss, and Needs Assessment

for Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction, A Report Prepared by the Government

of Bangladesh Assisted by the International Development Community with

Financial Support from the European Commission, April 2008.

McGregor J.A, J.G. Copestake & G.D. Wood (2000) ‘The inter-generational bargain: an

introduction’ in Journal of International Development, 12, pp. 447-451.

Annexure 1

Major Natural Disaster in BANGLADESH

Sl. No

Year DISASTER No. Affected

Crops damaged

Fully (Acre)

Crops damage Partialy (Acre)

No. of House

damage fully

No. of House

damage (Partialy)

No. of Dead

People

No. of Dead

Livestock

No. of Damage

Institution (Fully) Family People

1 1986 FLOOD/ERPOSION 16789340 6715734 990573 711616 196803 279212 57 42374 302

2 1987 FLOOD/ERPOSION 24823376 2983362 1873207 71572 1691104 1470 370129 1155

3 1988 (1st

time) FLOOD/ERPOSION 8937724 755740 90469 120530 270632 104 49976 287

4 1988 (2nd

time) FLOOD/ERPOSION 35732336 364258 9902967 1030659 2265776 1517 348042 2593

5 1989 FLOOD/ERPOSION 1848389 58568 102716 3203 16096 23 51548 58

6 1990 FLOOD/ERPOSION 1383360 37987 125089 14101 58418 41 8716 239

7 1991 FLOOD/ERPOSION 2293445 276896 117795 33961 80994 91 5551 239

8 1991 FLOOD/ERPOSION 3410404 160549 239024 73449 121518 30 6428 115

9 1991 FLOOD/ERPOSION 5582355 782780 708225 232633 370934 697 34327 350

10 1993 FLOOD/ERPOSION 11559586 778513 521204 234393 615336 162 29512 32

11 1994 FLOOD/ERPOSION 553467 55325 48133 19177 31005 10 8666 346

12 1995 FLOOD/ERPOSION 16382922 1369358 986754 344276 1087419 137 14221 168

13 1995 FLOOD/ERPOSION 5806950 598808 229216 79725 355386 56 41816 650

14 1995 FLOOD/ERPOSION 4007310 855585 807344 474707 571222 53 2063

15 1996 FLOOD/ERPOSION 1650054 8106988 404456 605312 218275 598818 76 47946 292

16 1997 FLOOD/ERPOSION 888336 5008868 167586 384666 13252 241147 125 4726 196

17 1970 CYCLONE 1100000 3350000 250000 470000 - -

18 1985 CYCLONE 167500 39500 86590 10095 7135 10 2020

19 1986 CYCLONE 238600 17800 84837 1116 3446 12 1050 2

20 1988 CYCLONE 1006536 2316042 1597780 788715 863837 9590 386766 2442

21 1989 CYCLONE 346087 38712 38629 12173 20008 573 2065 74

22 1990 CYCLONE 1015866 171099 242897 75085 63562 132 5326 233

23 1991 CYCLONE 121229 11760 8725 34791 20274 76 25 62

24 1991 CYCLONE 13798275 133272 791621 819608 882750 138882 1061029 3865

25 1994 CYCLONE 422020 23986 57912 52057 17476 134 1296 96

26 1995 CYCLONE 305953 2593 42644 22395 44664 91 1838 127

27 1996 CYCLONE 16520 81162 2431 15868 15976 545 4933 85

28 1997 CYCLONE 743467 3784916 254755 59788 290320 452886 127 7960 1824

29 1997 CYCLONE 374583 2015669 16537 72662 51435 163352 78 3196 2500

30 1998 FLOOD/ERPOSION 5711962 30916351 1423320 1808401 980571 2446395 918 26564 1718

31 1999 FLOOD/ERPOSION 1084593 4338372 150515 290923 138076 426695 15 137 -

32 2000 FLOOD/ERPOSION 811144 3244576 14262 438016 437050 309775 37 1643 41

33 2002 FLOOD/ERPOSION 1949940 7606837 321355 521742 115511 564527 26 25237 302

34 2003 (1st

Time) FLOOD/ERPOSION 1522248 7582792 275491 496406 97671 509477 96 6992 288

35 2003 (2nd

Time) FLOOD/ERPOSION 55781 291673 97885 8577 11476 32511 8 205 52

36 2004 FLOOD/ERPOSION 7468128 36337944 1605958 1038176 894954 3389101 747 15143 1295

37 2007 LANDSTIDE - 127

38 2007 FLOOD/ERPOSION 2851559 13343802 890898 1335382 81817 961420 970 1459 563

39 2007 CYCLONE (SIDR) 2064026 8923259 743322 1730317 564967 95110 3363 1778507 4231

40 2009 CYCLONE (Aila) 948621 3928238 77486 245968 243191 370587 190 150131 445

Annexure 2

Bangladesh

Progress Towards the MDGs

MDGs Targets Indicators

Base year

1991

Current status

2010

Target

2015

1: End Poverty

and Hunger

1A: Halve,

between 1990

and 2015, the

proportion of

people below the

poverty line

1.1 Proportion of population below the national

upper poverty line (2122 kcal) (%)

56.6 40 (HIES 2005) 29

1.2 Poverty gap ratio (%) 17 9 (HIES 2005) 8

1.3 Share of the poorest quintile in national

consumption (%)

6.5 5.3 (HIES 2005) --

1B: Achieve full

and productive

employment and

decent work for

all, including

women and young

people

1.5 Employment to population ratio (%) 48.5 58.5 (LFS 2005) --

1C: Halve,

between 1990

and 2015, the

proportion of

people who suffer

from hunger

1.8 Prevalence of underweight children under

five years of age (%)

66 41 (BDHS 2007) 33

1.9 Proportion of the population below the

minimum level of dietary energy consumption

28 19.5 (HIES 2005) 14

2: Universal

Education

WFFC Goal 2:

Providing

quality

education

2A: Ensure that,

by 2015, children

everywhere, boys

and girls alike, will

be able to

complete a full

course of primary

schooling

2.1 Net enrolment ratio in primary education (%) 60.5 93.9 (DoPE, 2009) 100

2.2 Primary school completion rate (proportion

of pupils starting Grade 1 who reach Grade 5)

(%)

40.7 59.7 (DoPE, 2009)

79.8 (MICS, 2009)

100

Male 70.7 (MICS, 2009)

Female 81.0 (MICS, 2009)

2.3 Adult literacy rate of 15+ years olds, (%) 37.2 59.1 (SVRS, 2008) 100

Literacy rate of 15-24 year olds (female), (%) 72 (MICS 2009)

69.9 (MICS 2006)

3: Gender

Equality

3A: Eliminate

gender disparity in

primary and

secondary

education,

preferably by

2005, and in all

levels of

education no later

than 2015

3.1 Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary

and tertiary education

a. Primary (Gender Parity Index = girls/boys) 0.83 1.08 (BANBEIS, 2007)

1.03 (MICS, 2009)

1.00

b. Secondary (Gender Parity Index= girls/boys) 0.52 1.08 (BANBEIS, 2006)

1.17 (MICS, 2009)

1.00

c. Tertiary (Gender Parity Index=girls/boys) 0.37 0.61 (BANBEIS, 2006) 1.00

3.2 Share of women in wage employment in

non-agricultural sector (%)

19.1 14.6 (LFS, 2005) 50

3.3 Proportion of seats held by women in

national parliament (%)

12.7 23.18 (EC 2008) 33

4: Child Health

WFFC Goal 1:

Promoting

healthy lives

Reduce by two

thirds, between

1990 and 2015,

the under-five

mortality rate

4.1 Under-five mortality rate, per 1,000 live

births

146 53.8 (SVRS 2008)

67 (MICS 2009)

48

Male 74 (MICS 2009)

Female 59 (MICS 2009)

4.2 Infant mortality rate, per 1,000 live births 92 41.2 (SVRS 2008)

45 (MICS 2009)

31

Male 56 (MICS 2009)

Female 40 (MICS 2009)

4.3 Immunization against measles (%) 54 88 (MICS 2006) 100

5: Maternal

Health

WFFC Goal 1:

Promoting

health lives

5A: Reduce by

three quarters,

between 1990

and 2015, the

maternal

mortality ratio

5.1 Maternal Mortality Ratio, per 100,000 live

births

574

(1990)

320 (NIPORT)

348 (SVRS, 2008)

144

5.2 Births attended by skilled health personnel

(%)

5 24.4 (MICS 2009) 50

(2010)

5B: Achieve by

2015 universal

access to

reproductive

health

5.3 Contraception prevalence rate (%) 39.7 53 (SVRS 2008)

59 (BDHS 2007)

5.4 Adolescent birth rate, per 1,000 women 77 66 (SVRS 2008)

5.5 Ante natal care coverage

a. At least 1 visit (%) 27.5

(1993)

60.3 (BDHS 2007) 100

b. More than 4 visits (%) 5.5

(1993)

20.6 (BDHS 2007) 100

5.6 Unmet need for family planning 19.4

(1993)

17.6 (SVRS, 2007)

6: Combat

HIV/AIDS,

malaria and

other diseases

WFFC Goal 1:

Promoting

healthy lives

WFFC Goal 4:

Combating

6A: Have halted

by 2015 and

begun to reverse

the spread of

HIV/AIDS

6.1 HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, per 100,000

population

0.005

(1991)

0.319 (DGHS 2007)

6.2 Condom use rate (%) -- 3.19 (SVRS 2008) --

6.3 Proportion of population aged 15-24 years

with comprehensive correct knowledge of

HIV/AIDS (%)

-- 15.8 (MICS 2006)

6B: Have halted

by 2015 and

begun to reverse

the incidence of

malaria and other

6.6 Malaria

a. Prevalence of malaria per 100,000 population 43 (2000) 58.6 (DGHS, 2008)

b. Death rate associated with malaria (per 0.37 0.11 (DGHS,2008)

HIV/AIDS major diseases 100,000 population) (2000)

6.7 Proportion of children under 5 sleeping

under insecticide treated bed nets [13 Malaria

prone districts], (%)

-- 89 (2008)

6.9 Tuberculosis

a. Prevalence of tuberculosis (per 100,000) 264

(1990)

225 (DGHS 2007)

b. Death rates associated with tuberculosis (per

100,000 population)

76 (1990) 45 (DGHS 2007)

6.10 Treatment of tuberculosis

a. Detection rate of TB under DOTS (%)

21 (1994) 73 (DGHS 2007)

b. Cure rate of TB under DOTS (%) 73 (1994) 91.5 (DGHS 2007)

7:

Environmental

Sustainability

7C: Halve by 2015

the proportion of

people without

sustainable access

to safe drinking

water and basic

sanitation

7.8 Proportion of population using an improved

drinking water sources (%)

78 86 (MICS 2009) 89

7.9 Proportion of population using an improved

sanitation facility (%)

21 54 (MICS 2009) 70

7D: By 2020, to

achieve a

significant

improvement in

the lives of at

least 100 million

slum dwellers

7.10 Proportion of urban population living in

slums (%)

7.8 (Census 2001)

Documents

Children and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asia Pacific · Children and Disaster Risk Reduction: ... capacity for disaster preparedness and risk reduction. All these have been reflected