Tsunami Response

Following the devastating Asian tsunami of December 2004, UNESCAP has been undertaking work to mitigate the impact of this disaster and other natural disasters through a multi-sectoral approach. Partnerships have been sought with various stakeholders, and efforts regarding capacity building and policy advocacy have been directed at national and regional levels.

Capacity building to support orphans, separated children and youth in family and community settings in Aceh, Indonesia

This project is part of the UNESCAP initiative “Building community resilience to natural disasters through partnership: Sharing experience and expertise in the region”. This ongoing initiative began in May 2006 and is funded by the Tsunami Regional Trust Fund.
The overall objective is to support Governments and vulnerable communities in the Indian Ocean region towards enhanced disaster rehabilitation and future resilience to natural hazards. UNESCAP has identified areas of immediate need and is conducting three pilot projects, of which this is one. Lessons learned derived from each project as well as complementary experiences from the region will be discussed and shared in a consolidated report and a final regional workshop.

Project Background

The damage in Aceh, Indonesia inflicted by the tsunami of December 2004 was catastrophic. Entire communities were eliminated and over 150,000 people died. As a consequence of this tragedy many children and young people became orphaned and others got separated from their families. These orphans, separated children and youth (OSCY) are in a very vulnerable position and need help to cope with psychological trauma and to find a way back into supportive community settings, as well as needing protection from abuse and trafficking. Protection and care for OSCY is a fundamental aspect contributing to the country’s economical and social development.

Project Implementation

This pilot project focuses on responses to natural disasters and how to strengthen the social support for OSCY and enhance community participation in their care and development. The aim of the project is to provide good practices and policy recommendations to build and strengthen Government, private sector, civil society, community and family capacities directed at supporting OSCY in vulnerable communities in Indonesia as well as other countries in the Asian and Pacific region.

The project examines the current situation in Aceh regarding community resilience to natural disasters, and community support for affected OSCY and their families in order to identify needs, gaps and niches to be filled. An assessment paper (link) identified three areas of particular concern; psychosocial care provision, livelihoods and community mobilization. Pilot communities were selected and participants from the communities received training in the identified areas and discussed concerns and needs of their own communities.

An important part of strengthening the support for OSCY is to help create functional platforms where needs and experiences can be shared between different stakeholders. A series of meetings and workshops were conducted within this project in order to support the development of networks and exchange of experiences between pilot communities, Government and local and international NGOs.

A "Workshop on Strengthening Community Support for Orphans and Separated Children and Youth" was held 14-16 November 2006 in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Sessions on child protection issues were undertaken and visits were made to child centers with workshop participants in order for all involved in the workshop to be better informed of the main issues OSCY face.

From 20 to 22 March 2007 a "National meeting on policy advocacy for enhancing community resilience to natural disasters focusing on children and youth" was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Attention was given to the needs and concerns of OSCY and how to enhance community resilience in the light of natural disasters. Related policy implications were considered and a series of recommendations were developed. (click here to download meeting report)

During a "Training workshop on youth participation and support systems in the aftermath of disasters in Banda Aceh, Indonesia" from 22 to 24 May 2007 awareness was raised on issues related to the vulnerabilities, needs and concerns of OSCY in Aceh. A set of action plans to improve the quality of life of youth in Aceh was developed by youth and presented to local government leaders. (click here to download workshopreport).

The "Follow up meeting on policy advocacy for enhancing community resilience to natural disasters focusing on children and youth", was held in Jakarta, 24-26 July 2007. Participating were representatives of Government, international organizations, civil society, the judiciary, academic institutions, private businesses and the media. During the Meeting there were sessions on the following: an update of the situation in Aceh: recommendations on enhancing community support; a review of policies and measures to build community resilience to natural disasters in Indonesia; key issues in building community resilience to natural disasters in Indonesia; voices from Aceh; advocating for change: stakeholder perspectives; conclusions; and recommendations for follow-up action with a focus on action plans. (click here to download meeting report)

The development of community networks and training initiatives, along with commitment from the Government, civil society and the private sector, should ensure sustainability of the project inputs in Aceh, Indonesia. In order to share the experiences made to other communities in the region, the outcome of the project will be published in both a project report as well as highlighted during the final regional workshop.