TEHRAN –The 26th national “Earthquake and Safety” drill, marked by the earthquake bell, has been simultaneously held in schools across the country with a distinctive focus on the safety and readiness of students with disabilities and special needs.

The objectives of earthquake drills in schools are to increase students’ awareness of earthquakes, prepare them to respond correctly and quickly, and familiarize them with natural disasters, empowering them to face such events, the UNICEF website announced in a press release on May 8.

Additionally, these drills aim to enhance the community’s safety culture, secure schools, and reduce earthquake casualties and damage. The drill at the special school, specifically aimed at promoting earthquake preparedness for children with disabilities, also gathered valuable feedback on the training materials. 

Held on November 27th, 2024, the drill was conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in partnership with The International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) in line with the ongoing project ‘Comprehensive Earthquake Preparedness Education Plan for Children with Special Needs and Disabilities’.

This initiative underscores the critical importance of preparing children with disabilities to face natural disasters and mitigate their impacts, representing a significant step towards inclusive disaster preparedness and fostering a safer and more resilient future for Iran’s young generations. 

Enhancing emergency preparedness for children with disabilities

Under a globally unique program called ‘Earthquake Preparedness Education for Children with Disabilities’, UNICEF and its partners have developed three books, each targeting different stakeholders, including parents/caregivers of children with disabilities, teachers, and policymakers.

Throughout the books, UNICEF and UNESCO, in collaboration with the IIEES, offer guidelines on disaster management, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, focusing on children with hearing impairments, mobility impairments, and autism spectrum disorder, so far, the UNICEF website announced in a press release on January 19.

The development process of these books involved consultations with children with disabilities and their families, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), teachers from the Special Education Organization, social workers from the State Welfare Organization, and aid workers from the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

Furthermore, four consultative training workshops were held, where teachers, social workers, and aid workers learned and provided feedback on strategies for supporting children with disabilities before, during, and after earthquakes.

Looking ahead, UNICEF Iran plans to work with its partners to mainstream these resources in the annual earthquake and safety drill organized each year in schools and develop an inclusive guideline for the drill. 

As a first step, and for the first time, an earthquake and safety drill was planned to be organised at a special school for children with mobility disabilities, aiming to advocate for an inclusive drill, strengthen earthquake preparedness for children, and gather feedback on the developed guidelines.

The program’s journey does not stop here. Plans are already underway to update the guidebooks to include guidelines for children with vision impairments and to expand the resources to address all types of disabilities. This initiative represents a significant leap towards inclusive earthquake preparedness, ensuring a safer and more resilient future for every child in Iran, regardless of their disabilities.

MT/MG