Young people’s ability to cope with unexpected and painful interruptions to their regular schedules is still not fully developed, hence the need to involve those most at risk in effective risk management is widely acknowledged. Too often a valuable resource is overlooked as children and young persons are viewed just as victims of hazardous event and climate change. Participation in disaster risk reduction and decision making should be encouraged, and the process must begin to define DRR as a wider community issue that requires the participation of all and particularly the most vulnerable.
The spotlight is now being shone on youth as potential disaster risk reduction facilitators. Support and information needed for them to become participants, decision makers and implementers in the DRR process will be provided by the United Nations Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) with the support and cooperation of partners within the ISDR framework. With this in mind, we here in the Turks and Caicos Islands must invest in and involve the youth of this nation in DRR to ensure a safer TCI, and to celebrate IDDR we will, in collaboration with the Department of Youth and the Department of Education, have an art competition for the primary schools, an inter high school disaster management quiz and a youth debate involving members of the youth parliament. Thank You.
Director’s Statement on the occasion of IDDR 2011
Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies
Ministry of Home Affairs and Public Safety
Turks and Caicos Islands



Mister Wong
Digg
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Googlize this
Blinklist
Facebook
Wikio

