COURSE REPORT 1.Background Disasters threaten the lives, constitutional rights and needs of the children worldwide. In past two decades India have faced devastating disasters such as Latur Earthquake (1993), Odisha Super Cyclone (1999), Bhuj Earthquake (2001), Indian Tsunami (2004), Jammu & Kashmir Earthquake (2005), Bihar Floods (2008), Uttarakhand Floods (2013), Cyclone Phailin (2013), Chennai Flood (2015), Kerala Flood (2018), Cyclone Fani (2019) and Amphan (2020). Droughts are slow onset disasters, adversely affecting children and women alike. Karnataka (16 districts) and Andhra Pradesh (4 districts) experienced at least 10 droughts between2001-2015. During these emergencies, children are especially vulnerable to diseases, malnutrition, and violence and trafficking. Measles, diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, malaria and malnutrition are the major killers of children during humanitarian crises. In future, vulnerability of children is expected to increase as the intensity and frequency of natural disasters rises. Keeping in view the increasing vulnerability of children from climate change and natural disasters, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM),Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has established “Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) Centre” to mainstream child centric DRR activities through Training, Research, Advocacy and Consultancy. 2.Name of the Program : Online Training of Trainers Program on Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction 3.Date and Time: 26-30 April 2021, 11.00 am to 1.00 pm (5 Days) 4.Venue : Centre for disaster management, yashada, pune,cisco webex 5.No.of Participants : 327 6. Aim of Training This Three-day Online Training Program on Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction is intended for officials of State level sectoral departments, Administrative Training Institutions and civil society practitioners to help build their knowledge, skills and perspectives towards child centric disaster risk reduction. This will help officials understand and prepare for risk informed planning, sectoral readiness and preparedness for emergencies so as children are not deprived of basic amenities. 8.Objectives At the end of this course, participants will be able to: Explain the impacts of disaster on children Can identify and list children rights- national and international for the protection of the children Explain the process of mainstreaming child-centric risk management Describe the life cycle approach and risk-informed approach for child-centric risk reduction Draft and apply strategies for school safety with the engagement of children Explain the Disaster impact on mental health of the Children 9. Methodology The training was delivered in English and translated in to vernacular language. The Methodology is interactive and participatory in nature, and thus, employs interpersonal communication techniques to help make the training more interactive. The training was conducted through YouTube and Google meet. Key Take away All inclusive approach in Disaster Management and active involvement of children even in decision making. Rights of children are ennmerated in various acts and regulations and needs implementation during and after disasters. Sound Mental Health and Children in their childhood is essential for their personality development and need to be given special attention. Enforce regular hand washing with safe water and soap, alcohol rub/hand sanitizer or chlorine solution and, at a minimum, daily disinfection and cleaning of school surfaces. Ensure water, sanitation and waste management facilities and follow environmental cleaning and decontamination procedures. Promote social distancing (a term applied to certain actions that are taken to slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease, including limiting large groups of people coming together). Understand basic information about corona virus disease (COVID-19), including its symptoms, complications, how it is transmitted and how to prevent transmission. Proceedings The first-day session of the training program was delivered by Dr. Balu I , from the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) on ‘Do’s and Don’ts on Covid-19’.He explained the various measures and practices to reduce the risk of Covid-19 pandemic. The session started by explaining the various symptoms of Covid-19. He also stressed the individual responsibility to break the chain by upholding safety precautions like social distancing and frequent washing of hands. Dr. Balu explained all COVID related aspects before taking questions, by stating the areas specifically before putting up questions. He planned and delivered his presentation well and used many topic-related prompts for open and straight forward questions. Dr. Balu invited participants to discuss their concerns freely and made the session very interactive. More than twenty questions were put up by the participants, which were, first listened to patiently and, then, answered in a correct, impressive and constructive manner. The feedback has explicitly shown that the interaction indeed allowed for clarification and consolidation of learning that every participant really need in the hour of crisis. Followed by second session was Handled by Dr.Kumar Raka. The second day of the online training program on ‘Disaster Impact on children’ was conducted by Mr. Ranjan Kumar. He started his presentation underscoring the background encapsulating: how children directly got affected by the disaster; higher loss of life of children than adults; children’s separation from family; damage to the infrastructure, all are vital to children’s survival. Mr. Ranjan further took participants through the five different life cycles of children and effective practices focusing particular age group of children. This approach is very effective in reducing the vulnerabilities of children. Mr. Ranjan also described how disaster affects children’s routine life, their physical and mental health, water and sanitation, and schooling. He underpinned the major impacts of disasters that include: making children orphan, compelling them to enter in child and bonded labor, increase in child marriage and child trafficking. Mr. Ranjan took up a few case studies of Ms. Saradha and Ms. Muneeswari to visualize the pernicious impacts of disasters. The life cycle and the best effective practices to be implemented and followed to lessen the devastation and severe effects of disasters and natural calamities. The presentation had illustrated a way forward to tackle any worse situation effectively by training the youth volunteers and developing entrepreneurship in the area of disaster preparedness, mitigation, green solutions, etc. The right to education and quality healthcare was also highlighted to create better awareness among participants and society. In the last lap, Mr. Ranjan also interacted with the participants. He had given different circumstances related to each life cycle group and the participants were allowed to give their idea of how as education, social, and health professional the participants would handle those situations. The third day of the online training program on ‘Child Centric Disaster Risk Reduction’ had two sessions. The first session of the training program was started with the presentation of Ms. Pankhuri Sukhla , psychologist about the ‘Mental Health of Children in the time of a Disaster’. She had spoken about the characteristics of children with respect to life span development. She also explained about the mental health issues of children during a disaster and effective practices to promote the mental health of them. She had given insight on parenting strategies to tackle the psychological related issues of a child in the time of the disaster in the context of Covid-19 pandemic. Some participants interrupted and raise their children related concerns during the presentation, which were eventually handled and dealt with immediately. Ms. Pankhuri Sukhla also replied to the queries of the participants at the end of the question- answer session. The session was really prolific, fruitful, rewarding, and given different dimensions to the participants about child mental health. The participants especially parents were contented and happy with the outcomes of the session. The curious participants perceived better how they can help and work with children rendering to their life cycle and unpredictable needs. The last day session was on the ‘Home to Home School Safety’ was delivered by Col.Supnekar. It is important to understand the seriousness of the personal and children’s safety, and how to avoid dangerous situations at home or in school in these trying times. Learning about all aspects of children’s proper safety is the utmost important part of education and this training program. Whether children are at home or in school, staying safe and keeping away from the dreadful and invisible virus is the top priority. Programmed Schedule Sr. No Time Subject Facilitator Day-1 1 Welcome Address Col V N Supanekar, Director, CDM, YASHADA 2 Opening remarks Prof. Santosh Kumar Prof.& Head, CCDRR, NIDM 3 11.00 -12.00 Key Note Address Maj General Manoj Kumar Bindal Executive Director, NIDM 4 Inaugural Address 5 Do’s and Don’ts on Covid-19 Dr. Balu I CCDRR, NIDM 6 12.00-13.00 Basic Concepts of Disaster Risk Dr. Kumar Raka, CCDRR NIDM Management Day-2 7 11.00-12.00 Disaster Impact on children Mr. Ranjan Kumar CCDRR NIDM 8 12.00-13.00 Mental Health of children in Disasters Ms. Pankhuri Shukla, Editor in Chief, Gargi, Delhi