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On September 16, 2020, the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority (VNDMA) in collaboration with the Representative Office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam, attended an international virtual seminar on “Strengthening the role of Youth and Asia-Pacific children on disaster risk reduction and climate crisis.



The workshop was a Dialogue Forum co-chaired by the International Group of NGOs in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and UNICEF by a virtual format. Attendees were representatives of Disaster Management Agencies of countries in Asia Pacific, United Nations organizations working in the field of natural disaster prevention and control, UNICEF, non-governmental organizations, and representatives of teenagers and children concerned or affected by natural disasters and climate change in 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The workshop acknowledged reports on disaster risk reduction and climate change taking into account the role of teenagers and children in the region, while listening to the voices of youth representatives from different countries, also holding discussion between them and representatives of the Disaster Management Agencies of other countries as well as international organizations.

 
Top 5 concerns for future by children and youth

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Participants in the Workshop

Vietnam representatives were VNDMA,  UNICEF Vietnam and excellent students from the Diplomatic Academy and the Water Resources University.

Attending the seminar, Mr. Le Quang Tuan - Deputy Director of Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation gave a presentation introducing children-centered disaster risk reduction activities in Vietnam as well as implementing international cooperation projects to strengthen the role and voice of teenagers and children in disaster management, and emphasize activities of equiping skills and knowledge about natural disasters for children, students to actively prevent, avoid and spread knowledge in schools, contributing to building a safer society for future generations.

“Children are among the most severely affected and long-term subjects of natural disasters and climate change. In areas frequently affected by natural disasters, children easily interrupted their studies; At the same time, the living environment, health issues, nutritional conditions and safety protection after natural disasters are also causes that can affect their lives in the long term. ” Mr. Tuan discussed at the Workshop”.

The representatives of the students participating in the Vietnam side sent many related questions in the virtual discussion session. Students from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Water Resource University represent the voice of young Vietnamese students who are concerned about regional governments' cooperation to provide diverse knowledge for teenagers to face future climate crises and disaster risks. Representatives of the Government, United Nations agencies, international NGOs listened to the opinions of the young participating in the Workshop, and listened directly to representatives of children and teenagers attending the workshop. This is a valuable opportunity for government agencies, lawmakers and international organizations to better understand the views, roles and concerns of young people for a better direction in developing policy and designing action plans.

 

Delegates represented Vietnam

Report on investigation of children and teenagers in climate crisis and disaster risks conducted by prestigious international organizations in the field of natural disaster prevention and child rights protection, including UNDRR, UNICEF, Save the children, World Vision working together from August 2019 to January 2020, consulted with 9,681 children and teenagers from more than 12 countries on shared views and opinions on the climate crisis through online surveys and live seminars. Once finalized, the report will be sent to countries for reference in policy development and implementation of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction activities, taking into account strengthening roles of children and teenagers in the Asia-Pacific region./.

DOWNLOAD SEMINAR DOCUMENT HERE

Nguyễn Minh Thái - Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation, VNDMA