ECLAC and UNICEF Call for Strengthening Child Welfare Systems in Disaster Contexts

In a context of urgency from the catastrophic effects of climate change and the effects it has on children, ECLAC and UNICEF recently issued a joint press release addressing issues related to the childhood development within the SDG framework, calling for the strengthening of social protection systems that from perspective of the child rights.

Social protection policies are key to dealing with disasters before, during and after their occurrence. By guaranteeing basic levels of income and access to social services such health, education and housing, social protection strengthens response capacity and reduces vulnerability, contributing to better recovery outcomes in the short, medium and long term.

UNICEF and ECLAC argue that it is crucial to increase intersectional and inter-agency coordination and management efforts to address children and adolescents’ vulnerabilities to disasters; as well as increase the availability of disaggregated quantitative and qualitative data on at-risk child populations. Moreover, promoting inclusion — both in policy making and programming — of children’s experiences in disasters through their active participation in these processes is essential.

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Photo credit: “Bulletin of childhood and adolescence” by ECLAC and UNICEF.