Dutch government overlooking children in emergency preparedness plans: UNICEF
Children are being overlooked in the Dutch government’s plans for emergency preparedness, according to UNICEF. They are hardly or not explicitly mentioned in national or regional disaster plans, let alone seriously prepared for emergencies. And this while children are more vulnerable in crises and need specific protection,” the United Nations’ children’s rights organization said.
“Children are not mini-adults. Their fears, their reactions, and their needs are fundamentally different. If we do not prepare them seriously, they run additional risks - physically, mentally, and emotionally. While our experience worldwide shows that when children know what to expect, they act more calmly and resiliently in real emergencies,” said Suzanne Laszlo, director of UNICEF Nederland.
According to Laszlo, the coronavirus pandemic painfully exposed what goes wrong when children are not included in crisis plans. Children in the Netherlands suffered developmental damage, mental problems, and a lack of perspective. And their plight was only heard once the figures started showing an increase in eating disorders, depression, and learning disabilities.
“Their voices were barely heard in the decision-making process,” Lazslo said. “The lessons from that period are crystal clear: without structural attention for children in crisis policy, their interests will once again be forgotten first and restored last.”
UNICEF urged the Dutch government to take direct action. Include children in all crisis preparations, give parents the right tools to help them prepare their children for various scenarios, and ensure that children’s needs are also guaranteed in times of emergency.
The organizations recommended setting up child-friendly emergency shelters with safe spaces and teaching parents how to explain emergencies to their children and involve them in the preparations. “If we do not provide children with explanations and tools, worries turn into fear. By talking to children and giving space to their thoughts and concerns, and by actively preparing them, you prevent panic. It determines how much damage you prevent later,” Laszlo said.
UNICEF also reminded the government that it is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that the interests of the child must always be a primary consideration in decisions that affect them. “This is not an optional wish, but a legal obligation.”
