What Do Children Want in Times of Emergency and Crisis?
They Want An Education
Listening to what children in crisis have to say is not only a moral and ethical responsibility for donor and humanitarian actors, it is also a humanitarian obligation. Children’s right to participation is recognized in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which provides rights for children to express their views and ‘be heard and taken seriously’. Being accountable to the needs and priorities of affected populations in times of crisis is also a key principle of humanitarian action.
As provided in the Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations, the views of people affected by crisis must be actively sought and they must be involved in decision-making processes that affect them. Consulting children about their needs and priorities in times of emergency and crisis should, therefore, be an imperative of humanitarian action. The UNCRC also enshrines children’s right to an education – so when they tell us that they want their right to an education prioritized, we need to listen.