International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

Empowering the next generation for a resilient future

To achieve the goal of the Sendai Framework of reducing global disaster risks and losses, the theme of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2024, which falls on 13 October, will be on the role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. The theme is aligned with the upcoming Summit of the Future, planned for September 2024, where ‘youth and future generations’ will be one of its five priorities.

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024 calls on countries to harness the education sector to reduce the disaster risks of school-aged children, especially by investing in two key areas: 

1. Protect children and youth through safe schools and education facilities: children are entitled to be safe in their schools and this starts with ensuring schools are disaster-resilient and are part of disaster early warning systems.
2. Empower children and youth to be safe through age-appropriate education to understand and act on the risks they face. This includes building their preparedness to take early action in response to early warnings. Empowered children become agents of change for more resilient communities.
3. Endorse and implement the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2022-20303, developed by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), which is chaired by UNESCO and UNICEF.

Key messages

• Disasters are growing and impact the well-being of children and youth 
• Every child and youth deserves to be protected from disasters, especially at school. 
• Schools have a critical role in promoting a culture of disaster prevention and empowering young people to understand and act on the risks they face.  
• Early warning systems should be accessible to children and youth so that no one is left behind 
• Building the preparedness of children and youth can help protect entire families and communities.  
• Countries need child-centred DRR policies. This means integrating the needs, vulnerabilities and ideas of children into disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plans, with resources dedicated to their implementation. 
• Child-centred DRR is grounded in the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 
• Schools should be safe learning spaces, where children and staff are protected from ALL risks 
• The Comprehensive School Safety Framework offers governments a way to protect children and schools from all risks and hazards in the education sector  
• Children and youth have the right to safety, security, and protection in schools, to educational continuity, and to participate in decisions that affect their future. 
• Over 1 billion children have had their lives disrupted by disasters since 2000, with over 80,000 schools  damaged or destroyed. Child rights must be protected for #safechildrensafeschools.  
• We’re calling on governments and partners to act now to commit to implementing the Comprehensive School Safety Framework to protect children, educators, staff, & schools - we need a multi-hazard approach to school safety.