The overall objective of the research, undertaken by Fumiyo Kagawa and David Selby, was to examine what taking a child rights approach to school safety means within an overall aim of ensuring children’s access to quality education. The research aimed at understanding children’s rights to quality education and school safety from the perspective of children’s experiences and those of their communities. It focused on experiences and developments in Cambodia, China and Indonesia. Specifically, the following questions were addressed:
- Why is school safety important to promote child rights to quality education? How can school safety contribute to fulfilling children’s rights to quality education in disaster-prone areas?
- What are the roles of teachers, school directors and administration staff, school management committees and local government disaster management committees in Cambodia, China and Indonesia regarding school safety?
- What are the roles of civil society organizations (CSOs) in supporting school safety? What are the advantages and disadvantages of involving CSOs in implementing school safety? What are the relationships existing and required between CSOs and governments in support of school safety initiatives?
- Why is children’s engagement in school safety important?
- How to engage marginalized children/groups in school safety?
- What policy processes and government arrangements at the national level can ensure that school safety interventions are well adopted and implemented?
- How can school safety interventions add value to Plan’s Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) approach?
- What are the best practices and lessons learnt from school-based disaster management interventions in the countries of the Asian region?
The research involved both desk and field research (visits being made to Cambodia and Indonesia). Interviews were conducted with national and regional ministry and governmental officials, Plan national and regional staff as well as staff of other civil society organizations, school principals, teachers, school support committees, and primary school children. As part of the research, Fumiyo and David also conducted an overview analysis of safe school initiatives at the Asian regional and global level,
The research report, Enhancing Child-centered Disaster Risk Reduction for Safe Schools: Insights from Cambodia, China and Indonesia, is downloadable from Plan Asia Regional Office. Click here.
For a summary of the report, click here.
For an abstract of the report, click here.