Making Schools Safe: Protecting Children from Hazards in Asia and the Pacific

Since the beginning of the 21st C. there have been 56 major disasters affecting 30 countries. Almost 35,000 children died in schools in 16 of these events, many more were narrow misses. The Asia-Pacific region is the most disaster-prone in the world, with 35.6 million children are affected every year. When disaster strikes, schools are damaged or destroyed, death and injury is common, and children miss out on school – with some never returning. The Millennium Development goal of education for all met school enrollment goals only to recognize that there remains a \u27Global Learning Crisis\u27 that Sustainable Development Goals must now tackle. The impact of disasters on educational inequities has not been measured. Advocates in the region have had long-sponsored \u27pilot programs\u27 for to address these issues, but the process of coalition-building did not begin in earnest until 2005. Over the past ten years these efforts have moved past resistance from education sector duty-bearers, past never-sufficient humanitarian assistance, to proactive policy adoption and implementation. Learn about global efforts to protect students and education systems, the efforts to promote change, and the policy trends when it comes to school safety in Asia and the Pacific. How does this link to similar problems faced closer to home? About the Lecturer: Dr. Marla Petal is Senior Advisor for Education and Risk Reduction for Save the Children. Her education includes a Ph.D. in urban planning and MSW with focus on community organization, planning and administration