As the world celebrates the 2024 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) on Sunday, October 13, with the theme “Empowering the next generation for a resilient future”, it calls for a global efforts and local actions towards raising awareness to series of threats children, youth and other vulnerable face in disaster situations.
Every October 13 has been set aside by the United Nations General Assembly to create awareness across countries to identify major challenges hindering successful resilience building to impacts of disaster risks and climate threats, and for every government and citizen to make concerted efforts towards providing solution to such challenges to build more disaster-resilient communities and nations.
The focus for this year’s celebration is on the role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future which is very apt and timely. It is indeed very relevant as a resilient future requires the use of education as a tool for resilience building in schools, and capacity building that will make the youth disaster risk reduction champions are not prioritised by many countries especially in Africa, with no exception to Nigeria.
Over the years, it has been observed that the educational system in Nigeria does not give adequate attention to issues of disaster risk reduction, as the curricular at all levels lack subjects and courses that can equip students to be active DRR agents. Also, activities such as capacity building on disaster prevention and mitigation, preparedness and response as well as core understanding of early warning, early action for common hazards as it were in other climes are conspicuously absent, making our youth not to be risk reduction inclined.
Although various stakeholders both State and Non-State Actors such as NEMA, SEMAs, GNDR, CSDevNet, WANEP, KOI Foundation, IDC to mention but a few, are making efforts to ensure disaster risks and climate threats are reduced to the barest minimum in our communities are recognised and appreciated, however for Nigeria to be in the League of Nations and among countries that can boast of more resilient communities and nations in the future, governments and other stakeholders should prioritise:
- disaster risk reduction curricula that will provide basic DRR education in schools at all levels – primary to tertiary;
- adequate budgetary allocation for resilience activities in schools and for youth groups in communities;
- investment in safe and resilient schools that will ensure learning and learners are safe and secured at all times;
- strengthening collaboration with tertiary institutions across all the geo-political zones to develop innovative programmes that will promote culture of disaster risk reduction among their students; and,
- establishment of Local Emergency Management Committees across the statutory 774 Local governments and empower them to be able to promote disaster risk reduction in various communities
As we celebrate this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, we sympathise with all survivors of past disasters across the country and call on governments and all relevant stakeholders to prioritise investment in disaster risk reduction activities that will ensure resilient communities now and in the future.
By Kolawole Amusat-Gbenla, Disaster Risk Reduction Lead and Zonal Coordinator (South West Zone), Climate and Sustainable Development Network
