Child Protection in Emergencies: Helping Children in Emergency Situations

Disasters present traumatic experiences for children and they are one of the most vulnerable groups during and following a disaster. Children also constitute the majority of victims during disaster situations. Their coping ability also cannot be compared to adults because of their age. The experience of witnessing a disaster of any form still present a lot of psychological problems for children. Also the chaos and disruption of family and community life following natural disasters oftentimes creates a ripe environment for those who seek to exploit and abuse children. Moreover, the distress caused by the disaster itself presents key challenges to the psychosocial wellbeing of children, their care-givers and their families. 

Zimbabwe has not been spared by the devastating effects of disasters especially hydrologic disasters the most common being floods. Floods in Zimbabwe have caused displacement of communities forcing them to be evacuated to new settlements or confined to holding camps for safety. During such experiences, children experience a number of challenges that need intervention from various stakeholders responsible during disaster response.  For the past decade the country has experienced floods and hail storms across the country that have caused great damage, the most affected areas being Tsholotsho and Muzarabani. However, the 2016/17 rainy season saw the effects of Cyclone Dineo causing heavy precipitation in many areas namely Bulawayo, Tsholotsho, Matobo, Kezi, Umzingwane, Bulilima, Gokwe South and Mberengwa districts causing riverine and flash flooding and subsequent destruction of property and loss of human life in some areas. Many families were affected as some lost their properties.

It should be noted that when disasters strike, children and women seem to suffer most. Therefore, there are many child protection concerns that arise as a result of disasters and below are some of the challenges children face during and post-disaster phase;

• Sexual exploitation by adults within the family system or by strangers.
• Loss of identity documents like birth records, birth certificates and national identity cards.
• Dropping out of school as caregivers would have lost sources of livelihoods to finance education for their children.
• Psychological trauma associated with experiencing a disaster.
• Lack of playing time for children as focus will be on re-building by parents and they be helping in the process.
• Child labour is also a challenge that children face during disaster situations were some are forced by circumstances to resort to working to earn an income to support the family or support themselves for child headed households .
• Walking long distances to schools after relocation to places that are far away from schools.
• Bullying by other children especially when they are integrated within schools were they are resettled.
• Separation from families as some children are sent to stay with relatives while the family is rebuilding or relocation.
• Neglect from parents and guardians as concentration will be coming up with survival strategies.
• Emotional abuse by parents, guardians and other family members due to stress related to disasters. Adults tend to ventilate their anger and stress caused by disasters on children.

Possible interventions or considerations to help and protect children in disaster situations

• Provision of quality psycho-social support to all children and care givers through case work and group work.
• Provision of therapeutic tools to afford children their right to play as part of therapy.
• Facilitate birth registration for children who lost their identity documents due to a disaster.
• Provision of basic necessities so as to restore the dignity of children by addressing their needs in terms of hygiene, food and clothing as some families will be not be able to provide during such times.
• Reunification of children with their families separated due to a disaster.
• Affording children their right to education.

Role of Childline Zimbabwe in Emergencies in partnership with government and other civic society organizations.

As child centred organization Childline Zimbabwe responds through various interventions that are meant to help the community cope with disaster effects. In helping the communities, children constitute the primary beneficiaries of the services offered by the organization. All help given should benefit the child and making sure the best interests of the child are upheld to the maximum level. Through funding from organizations like UNICEF, Childline implement various programmes during disaster and emergence situations and services offered include but not limited to;

• Capacity building of child protection structures within communities for sustainability of child protection interventions during disaster and post disaster phase especially at community level.
• Holding positive parenting sessions with parents to discuss parenting skills that are key when dealing with children especially in disaster situations.
• Hold therapeutic support groups with children affected by disasters to discuss their experiences and feelings as part of expressive therapy.
• Training of community leaders like chiefs, headsman, village heads, village health workers, and neighbourhood watch members on how to respond to child protection violations in their communities.
• Linking clients with relevant service providers based on the specific need presented.
• Training of communities and organizations on disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and resilience building through discussing key issues to note with reference on the disaster cycle.
• Promoting disaster education and raising awareness in schools on how children should respond in case of disasters.
• Educate children and communities on Childline child friendly reporting mechanism that include 116 free phone, online reporting through WhatsApp, 116 text and use aerograms for out of network communities. Also under reporting mechanism communities and children are educated on the presence of case care workers, police and school authorities as other available reporting systems in their communities.
• All activities are done with the supervision of Department of Social Welfare which stands as the ultimate overseer of all child protection concerns reported.

Children in disaster situations have a right to be protected from all harmful acts. We are all responsible!!!

By Alfred Ncube, Training Officer Childline Zimbabwe