Through improved education along with better understanding of risks and opportunities, youths can contribute in taking unprecedented leaps towards the achievement of development goals
Asia is home to a majority of the world’s young population. Indeed, there lies immense untapped potential in the youth to shape the future of the world as a safer place to live. By 2020, India’s share of youth in its total population is expected to be 34.33 per cent, according to data from the Central Statistics Office.
The National Youth Policy 2014, defines the youth as comprising persons in the age group of 15-29 years. The population in this age group is full of ideas, energy and passion, combined with an unmatched ability to bring about meaningful change in social behaviour and attitudes. They can challenge stereotypes, embrace good practices and think out-of-the-box. Thus, their potential to make a real difference in the time of disasters must not be underestimated.
Through an improved access to education along with better understanding of risks and opportunities, the youth in India can help the country and contribute towards making unprecedented leaps towards the achievement of development goals such as alleviation of poverty and injustice, reduction of disaster risks or provision of solutions for adapting to climate change.
Disasters are known to push countries back by many decades on the development timeline. Due to its vulnerability to multiple complex disasters, the Indian subcontinent is at high risk of losing all of its development gains to mega disasters. Here, the youth can play a key role in mitigating risks as well as in humanitarian response and recovery. Historically, all mega disasters have witnessed an outpour of young volunteers offering assistance for response and relief. However, this sort of ‘impromptu engagement’ with the humanitarian sector involves many challenges due to the lack of skills and inadequacy in knowledge related to standards and procedures.
There is a need for planned and organised engagement with the youth in order to build their capacities so that they can contribute in all phases of disaster management. Harnessing the enthusiasm and energy of young people for engaging with peers and reaching out to communities for disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation the key to sustainable risk reduction. There is a need for platforms like youth parliaments and conventions that provide an opportunity to experience, participate and contribute in discourses on climate change and sustainable development.
A number of programmes focus on the youth and their participation in humanitarian response and preparedness. Volunteering-based organisations viz the Indian Red Cross Society, the National Cadet Corps, the Bharat Scouts and Guides, the Home Guards and Civil Defence have made noteworthy contributions to humanitarian responses during some of the mega disasters in India.
A plethora of roles are played by young trained volunteers in the aftermath of a disaster viz crowd management, search and rescue, debris clearance, assessment and relief distribution. Young volunteers can also encourage personal preparedness before disaster strikes. One of the key objectives of the National Service Scheme, Ministry of Youth affairs and Sports is “to develop capacity to meet emergencies and natural disasters.” Similarly, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) identifies “disaster relief and rehabilitation” as one of the focus areas of the organisation.
According to Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, “If we want effective humanitarian action, we must embrace the full participation and priorities of young people.” The ‘compact for young people in humanitarian action’ launched at the World Humanitarian Summit (2016) is a commitment by humanitarian agencies across the world that humanitarian systems will promote participation of youth in humanitarian action and address their priorities. This includes five key actions geared towards accountability for young people in humanitarian action:
Action I emphasises age and gender responsive programmes that contribute to protection, health and development. Action II proposes engagement and partnership of the youth in all phases of humanitarian action. Action III focuses on strengthening the capacity and capability of the youth to be effective humanitarian actors in prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery. Action IV aims to increase resources to address the needs of the youth and adolescents affected by disasters, and Action V emphasises sex and age disaggregated data.
Vulnerability to disasters and poverty are inextricably linked to social marginalisation, discrimination and gender inequality. Conquering large-scale systemic injustice and chronic vulnerability requires addressing laws, policies, gender norms and social and cultural obstructions. With their passion, dedication and commitment, ability to collaborate young people can become some of the best advocates for helping to reduce vulnerabilities and fight poverty and injustice.
There is a possibility to create a dynamic force of political change and social transformation by involving young women, girls, men and boys in governance and creating an enabling environment through knowledge and skills. The engagement of youth in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is also crucial as the future generation is seen as an important stakeholder. Goal 13 of SDG focuses on strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. With a strong social and environmental awareness, the youth can promote and support community disaster resilience.
The humanitarian sector not only provides career prospects to the youth, but also an opportunity to save lives, alleviate suffering, prevent catastrophes, enhance resilience and create a safer world. Young engineers, geologists, scientists, social workers, managers, doctors and students across numerous disciplines have huge potential to co-create knowledge and innovate solutions for reducing and mitigating disasters as well as related risks.
Humanitarian workers are leaders who often have to take tough decisions, especially when confronted with the enormity of the population versus limited resources at hand, and in the process, prioritising the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalised (eg pregnant women, lactating mothers, women and girls from traditionally marginalised Dalit and Adivasi communities, persons with disability and elderly) over other affected sections of the population.
Humanitarian aid workers are known to always have their bags packed, ready to move to areas hit by calamities. Images of devastation, smell of decomposing dead bodies and cries of people suffering from economic, physical and emotional losses weigh heavily upon them, thus causing high levels of stress and sleepless nights.
However, the satisfaction of saving lives and reducing human suffering far outweighs the hard work and stress. The happiness and smiles on the faces of the women, men and children who receive assistance keep the humanitarian workers going, one mission after another, with absolute commitment and dedication.
(The writer is head, Disaster Management Unit, CARE India)