Putting children at the heart of the World Humanitarian Summit: Children’s perspectives and engagement in humanitarian emergencies

This report draws from consultations in risk prone, fragile and emergency settings over the last ten years and represents the views of more than 6,000 children that expressed what was most important to them before, during and after an emergency. The four questions addressed in the report are: i) How can engaging children improve humanitarian effectiveness?; ii) How can engaging children reduce vulnerability and manage risk?; iii) How can children’s ideas and perspectives drive transformation through innovation?; iv) What are children’s perspectives on their needs in conflict?

The report stresses the importance of involving children at all stages of disaster preparedness and response. Records of consultations show children have been active autonomously and under direction in humanitarian relief and recovery, but that their contributions are routinely underestimated. It reveals how the failure to consult and engage children reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian programming, the capacity to reduce vulnerability and manage risk, the ability to transform and innovate, and the ability to understand the needs of people in conflict.

This report was commissioned by the World Humanitarian Summit Advisory Group on Children to ensure that children’s perspectives are considered and their priorities and recommendations are reflected in the Summit outcomes.