Southasiadisasters.net issue no. 156: Local capacity building for safer schools
This issue of Southasiadisasters.net addresses an important theme that needs wider discussion and support at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held in Cancun, Mexico.' Building Capacity for School Safety: ASDMA's School Safety Initiative'. Taking note of the need to enhance school safety in the state, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has launched a massive capacity building initiative aimed to train the teachers of selected schools across the state on how to manage the risks in their respective schools. This issue contains an overview of this initiative, its main achievements and the lessons learnt.
By showcasing the success of capacity building school safety initiatives in Assam, this issue puts forward a strong case for replicating and upscaling these interventions in others parts of India as well. Assam is one of the most hazard prone states in the Indian union which is exposed to the risks of large earthquakes (as it lies in seismic zone V), incessant flooding and concomitant erosion, landslides and storms. Children bear a disproportionate burden of the adverse impacts of these hazards when they materialize into disasters. For instance, during the Assam floods of 2012, more than half the affected people were children. The detrimental impacts of such disasters are reflected in the dwindling trend noticed in several child welfare indices. In the exigent times brought on by disasters, children's access to quality education is severely inhibited. This underscores the need for pursuing the ideal of school safety in the state.
This issue's contents includes: (i) Capacity Building for Safer Schools; (ii) Promoting Disaster Resilient Education in Assam; (iii) School Safety Efforts in Assam; (iv) Quotes from Participants; (v) DRR Education to make Hospitals Safer; (vi) Training and Capacity Building for Nurses for Hospital Preparedness and Resilience to Disaster and Climate Risks in Education.