Ankara Child- Centred Disaster Risk Reduction Workshops
19 December 2024 - 21 December 2024
Ankara Greenpark Hotel and Ankara Children's Assembly
The Child- Centered Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plans for Municipalities Project, implemented by TESEV with the support of UNICEF and in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, aims to support municipalities in Türkiye to develop data-based child-oriented disaster risk reduction actions. To this aim, an all-day municipal experts’ workshop was organized on 19 December 2024 in Ankara, one of the pilot provinces of the project, with relevant experts and staff of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. Following the opening speeches of Görkem Güner, UNICEF Social Policies Officer, AMM Children’s Services Department made a presentation on Child- Centered Disaster Studies and explained the child services and activities of the municipality in the field of disaster. AMM Disaster Affairs Department made a presentation on disaster awareness training provided by the municipality. Union of Municipalities of Türkiye Legal Affairs Director Av. Zeliha Dikyol made a presentation on the legal obligations of municipalities on disasters in the light of the legislation. Following Görkem Güner’s speech on Child-Friendly City and Child- Centered Disaster Risk Reduction, TESEV Project Coordinator Gizem Fidan Kaya made a presentation on Child- Centered Disaster Policies. Finally, Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç introduced the Child-Centred Disaster Risk Maps he prepared by using age and market price data of the neighborhoods of Ankara to the municipality experts. Following the presentations, in the afternoon sessions, participants were divided into groups and developed action proposals on topics such as disaster awareness of children and their families, child-focused governance and data. The event ended with the presentation of action proposals of each group and a question-answer session.
An all-day stakeholder workshop was organized on 20 December 2024 with the participation of representatives of CSOs operating in Ankara, scholars and central government representatives. The Ankara stakeholder workshop, like the municipal experts’ workshop, continued with presentations by UNICEF, Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Union of Municipalities of Turkey and TESEV, followed by a map presentation by Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç. After the presentations, in the afternoon sessions, participants were divided into groups and developed action proposals on topics such as disaster awareness of children and their families, child participation and disaster education. The event ended with the presentation of action proposals of each group and a question-answer session.
An all-day Ankara Child- Centered Disaster Risk Reduction Children’s Workshop was held on December 21 at the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Children’s Assembly building with the participation of children who are members of the assembly. Through the opening session conducted by Görkem Güner, UNICEF Türkiye Social Policies Officer, children were briefly informed about the disaster risks of Ankara and the duties and responsibilities of municipalities in this regard, and various workshops were conducted by UNICEF Türkiye team. Through these workshops, children reflected on the possible disasters that may occur in Ankara and exchanged ideas on the measures that can be taken against these disasters. At the end of the day, children were divided into groups and made presentations on child-focused risk reduction, which they supported with their drawings. The suggestions developed by the children during the event will be compiled to be included in the action plans to be prepared by TESEV.