Kingston, Jamaica – November 19, 2021. Adolescents overwhelmingly feel that they do not have the information needed to be safe from potential violence, abuse, and exploitation in climate related disasters. This is one of the main findings of “We Need to Do Better: Climate Related Disasters, Child Protection and Localizing Action in the Caribbean,” a recent study conducted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The report has revealed that even though climate related disasters affect each person in the region, children are particularly at risk. They make up a large portion of the population of the Caribbean and are most vulnerable to encountering violence, abuse, and exploitation in disaster settings, while systems to protect them do not always work. The study also highlights that there are no specific laws in place to protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation when disasters happen. Gurvinder Singh, IFRC’s Child Protection Senior Advisor and one of the authors of the report, said: “While children potentially have great leadership and innovation capabilities, unfortunately, their voices are rarely being sought out or heard. Furthermore, there is a huge deficit in meaningful opportunities for children to be engaged in decisions that affect them. This is especially prominent in the stages of preparing for and responding to disasters. Adolescents believe that even if they do participate, their opinions may not be taken seriously by adults.” By putting the voices, perspectives, and ideas of children at the forefront, the report seeks to understand the generally unexplored relationships between climate related disasters and children’s concerns around violence, abuse, exploitation, and mental health challenges. It also sends a warning to governments and civic organisations to play a more active role in the promotion of and respect for the rights of the child, especially with regards to the issue of child abuse and the need for urgent effective prevention programmes. Ariel Kestens, IFRC’s Head of Delegation for the Dutch-and English-speaking Caribbean, said: “It is critical that governments enhance domestic laws, invest in child protection systems, improve local coordination, train local responders, include protection and climate change in school curriculum, and collect sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data in disaster responses. The IFRC Network across the Caribbean stands ready to support them to continue striving to meet the best interests of each child affected by more and more frequent, and destructive climate related disasters.” The report also recommends practical actions for the humanitarian sector, such as designing child-friendly communications, implementing community feedback mechanisms, including child protection in anticipatory action, integrating child protection across preparedness, assessments and planning, and creating spaces for children and adults to engage, support one another and find viable solutions to protection risks. The study was based on discussions and an online survey with 198 adolescents ages 14-17 years in the Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago; interviews with 30 adults from different disaster and child protection agencies, and background research. It is part of the campaign “We Need to Do Better” by the IFRC to enhance protection of children in climate related disasters. The full report may be accessed here. The adolescent summary of the report is available here. For more information, please contact: In Jamaica: Trevesa DaSilva | +876 818-8575 | [email protected] In Panama: Susana Arroyo Barrantes | + 506 8416 1771 | [email protected]

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women reminds us that for tens of millions of women and children around the world, ‘home’ is a place of fear and violence. Evidence suggests COVID-19 is making things worse. We cannot wait for the full picture. We must plan, invest and act now to increase services that support survivors. In ‘ordinary’ times, 40 per cent of women in South-East Asia over one third (37%) of women in South Asia and more than two thirds of women in the Pacific experience violence at some time in their lives, at the hands of people who claim to love them. Eleven months into this COVID-19 pandemic, early reports in Asia and the Pacific reveal rates are skyrocketing. Police reports in China indicate a 30 per cent increase in reported cases of violence during lockdown. Family violence hotlines are reporting surging numbers of calls, including increases of 137 per cent in Singapore, 150 per cent in Samoa, and 30 per cent in Melbourne. It’s even more horrifying that these statistics are the tip of the iceberg. The majority of violence against women goes unreported and COVID-19 restrictions are forcing many women and children already in abusive situations into closer quarters with their abusers. Many support services are overwhelmed, not operating or harder to access. Making matters worse, communities across Asia have been battered by a devastating string of disasters. Millions have been forced to live in temporary shelters with limited access to basic services, adding to the risk of violence. There are more than 7.6 million Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers in Asia and the Pacific and our teams are reporting increases in family violence, sexual abuse and violations of child rights. It is critical that we collect more accurate data and rapidly adapt our approaches. We must provide accessible information and effectively support anyone needing help. Trained community volunteers have unparalleled links with communities. They play a crucial role in understanding, monitoring and preventing increased risks of violence against women by identifying people who are most vulnerable, potential violations, and taking appropriate action to help people. It’s our combined responsibility to prevent gender-based violence and respond effectively when it occurs. These efforts must be integrated at all levels by governments and humanitarian agencies into pandemic response plans and activities. We cannot let COVID-19 undermine our hard-won progress. Too many lives are at stake. Jess Letch is the Manager for Emergency Operations Coordination for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the Asia Pacific region. First published in the South China Morning Post