Indonesia is a country with a high level of disaster risk, due to its location near where the Pacific, Eurasian, and Indo-Australian plates meet, making it very prone to geological disasters such as earthquakes. In addition, Indonesia is also located on the equator which creates a tropical climate with high rainfall, generating the potential for hydrometeorological disasters. Disasters can cause casualties, environmental damage, loss of property and psychological impacts that are experienced not only by adults but also by children.
In disaster situations, children often lose access to education because school facilities are damaged and adequate activities are not available. Attention to children also decreases because adults often focus more on how to survive, such as finding sufficient clothing, food and shelter. In fact, education is also one of the important factors that can help children through learning activities that provide knowledge while creating conditions of order that support recovery. Therefore, humanitarian activities/actions need to be carried out in the education sector to ensure that in an emergency situation education services are still available, especially for children.
RedR Indonesia in collaboration with UNICEF and Plan Indonesia conducted an Education Training in Emergency Situations organised for youth participants. Young people, who currently number more than 75 million in Indonesia, are potential actors to promote quality education in emergency situations. The technological and energy capabilities possessed by young people have the potential to reach many parties. Therefore, young people need the opportunity to be involved and to take leadership on critical issues that affect them or the environment around them including the provision of education services for children in emergency situations.
Young people are encouraged to advocate for education in emergencies, gender equality, prevention of violence against children, teaching and learning processes that are age-appropriate. In addition, youth can also become peer learning partners for other youth. Therefore, young people could benefit from capacity building to prepare for education in emergency situations.
It is hoped that more and more provinces in Indonesia will have youth education activists in emergency situations. Through this training, participants will be introduced to coordination mechanisms, cross-sectoral issues, and humanitarian principles, including a commitment to support child-friendly contingency plans.
The activity was held on 12-14 December 2022 in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, and was attended by 25 young people from various organizations such as the Youth Advisory Panel, Global Youth Panel Education in Emergency (EiE) Indonesia, UNICEF Young Partners, children’s forums, and local NGO volunteers.
“We get a lot of information including advocacy techniques carried out by young people to decision makers and policy makers”
Iriana Gloria, UNICEF Partner
The training materials are arranged interactively so that the participants are actively involved in each process. The training situation was also simulated from the start as if it was in an emergency situation, namely an earthquake with the involvement of facilitators as police actors and LINMAS to manage the location, BNPB as a volunteer desk, PMI assisting with data collection, and the involvement of Tagana Sleman in order to manage logistics tents and public kitchens. The simulation helps participants understand the roles and coordination that must be carried out in an emergency situation. At the end of the activity, the participants, who came from 10 provinces, declared a joint commitment to become the Indonesia Education in Emergency Youth Ambassador community.
Young people need to have the opportunity to participate actively and meaningfully in emergency situations. Their presence is important in helping humanitarian actors ensure that all who are affected get their needs met and no one is left behind. Capacity building will help young people to reduce disaster risk and increase resilience.
