Study title

Children and young people are commonly regarded as passive victims of disaster events. Accordingly, responses are dominated by top-down efforts targeted at adults, who are assumed to be attuned to the needs of their families and to act to protect their immediate and long-term interests. Despite increasing interest in the potential of children to act as agents of change, their role in conceptualising and communicating risks related to climate change and disasters remains largely unexplored. In this context, this research project investigates the agency of children and young people to conceptualise, convey and act upon disaster risk information. Using participatory research methods, it will draw on case study research on child-centred disaster risk reduction initiatives in El Salvador and the Philippines. The project is being undertaken in partnership with the non-governmental organisation Plan International and its country offices, as well as national research institutes. User engagement and interaction will be stressed throughout the project and research findings will contribute to debates on the effective implementation and facilitation of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the context of a growing global disaster burden.