After the cameras have gone: children in disasters

Author: Amer Jabry, Plan UK
File size: 1.6mb
Number of pages: 68
Published: January 2003
ISBN: 0-9541325-4-8

Children are the most photographed, and least listened to, victims of disasters. As the tsunami relief effort moved from rescue to rebuilding, Plan re-printed this report on the long-term effect of disasters on children. The report demonstrates that the protection of children and their right to participate in decisions made about their future will be overlooked if patterns of previous disasters are followed. 

During a disaster the physical survival needs of children including safe water, food, shelter, clothing and primary health care are usually given a very high priority. However, other needs and rights, like protection from abuse and harm, education, rest, privacy and the right to participate in matters that affect them, are too often overlooked. 

Listening to children is central to both identifying threats against their safety and helping their recovery, but adults are often too traumatised themselves to do this. Enabling children to express themselves in a safe place and re-establishing the routine of school is also vital, if they are to recover from trauma. This report looks into all of these issues in greater detail.

Full report in English (1.6mb |68 pages)

Related publication pages
Children and the Tsunami
Tsunami - 6 months after
Tsunami - 12 months after
Tsunami - 18 months after
Tsunami - 24 months after

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