UNDRR ROAMC, UNICEF, UNESCO & IFRC Webinar - Youth engagement in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change

UNDRR ROAMC, UNICEF, UNESCO & IFRC Webinar - Youth engagement in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

Languages: 

English and Spanish (simultaneous translation).

Countries within Latin America and the Caribbean are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including droughts, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoes. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2012), climate change will allow for a change in the frequency, intensity, duration and spatial extent of the hydrometeorological hazards. For the region, this may mean stronger hurricanes, more persistent droughts and more frequent flood events.

Within society, there are groups that are more vulnerable to shocks and stress as a result of socio-economic factors affecting their exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. One such group is children and adolescents. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to disasters as they are dependent on others for access to resources, livelihood, decision making and support. During disasters youth are also faced with the task of taking on the role of adults to provide support to siblings, elderly people, among others.

Studies show that children and youth can be strong advocates for climate change and disaster risk reduction in their various communities and groups. Notwithstanding, the youth have been identified as one of the major groups of civil society in Agenda 21 to participate in sustainable development. More recently in Agenda 30 and the creation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), youth are a vital stakeholder to achieve the success of each goal. More specifically SDG 4: Quality Education, target 7, speaks to the importance of youth in achieving sustainable development. Evidence based youth policies and actions can aid in the success of goals as well as the improved sustainability of societies.

Climate change will impact the current livelihoods and future of youth. This particularly true in developing countries where youth constitutes a significant portion of the population. According to the United Nations (UN) a youth is defined as a person between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. Within Latin America and the Caribbean 20% of the population or 106 million people are characterized as youth. This is the highest proportion of youth in the region's history. It is therefore of great importance to involve the youth of the region in the activities geared to improve the resilience of the region to climate change and its related hazards. Within the region, youth have been working with governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve the resilience of their country and communities. It is therefore important to support and showcase the youth working in the field of DRR and climate action as well as engagement and empower other youth to become more involved.

This webinar, Youth engagement for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change. Preparation session for the regional Youth forum 2021, organized by UNDRR, UNICEF, UNESCO in partnership with the International Federation of the Red Cross on behalf of the United Nations Inter Agency Issue Based Coalition on Climate Change and Resilience on August 12 focuses on youth’s perspectives on DRR and climate change and which support mechanisms and policies are required for the youth to strengthen their role as activists for resilience.
 

Objective:

Showcase youth's role in preparing to disaster and fostering resilience to climate change in the Americas and the Caribbean. 

Speakers:

Eleanor Terrelonge, Natalia Gomez Solano,  James Ellsmoo, and Catalina Silva.

Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYof-mtrjkiHtxxD9FxDVr1dT65lk0ek7bb