ASDMA enters into tie-up with Save the Children

Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) today tied up with international NGO 'Save the Children' to protect children from natural disasters.
This is the first collaboration of its kind in the country in which critical needs of 1.5 crore children under 18 years in 27 districts of the state would be discussed and steps developed to mitigate them, Save the Children National Humanitarian and Disaster Risk Reduction Manager, Ray Kancharla said.
The NGO will also provide technical inputs to ASDAM to develop guidelines for children-specific relief and recovery as per age-appropriate needs, Kancharla said.
In his key-note address at the first workshop held by ASDMA with technical support of Save the Children, additional secretary to the Union Home ministry and advisor to the inter state council secretariat P G Dhar Chakrabarti said children were more vulnerable during natural calamities as 70 per cent of all affected are children and more children than adults are killed and injured.

"But unfortunately children issues have received lowest priorities as they have no voice or constituency," he said adding disasters impact them longer.
He also appealed to the district administration not to use schools as relief camps during disasters.

ASDMA along with the NGO will hold a series of district-level sensitisation workshops in all 27 districts, the first of which was held in the office of Kamrup (Rural) deputy commissioner here today.
ASDMA Deputy Director Nandita Hazarika said the workshops will target key government officials like deputy commissioners, officers of social welfare, women and child development, education and health departments besides, zilla parishads to sensitise them on the needs of children in emergencies.

The workshops would also incorporate age-specific needs into disaster management planning and action at the state and district levels, Hazarika said.