- The international organization explained in a publication how to act in risk situations associated with bad weather | Photo: Juan Sutachan
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has published a series of recommendations to protect children and adolescents during the heavy rains in Venezuela.
The country is currently in the rainy season, which is intensified by the tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic. One of the most recent examples of this is the rainfall caused by the passage of tropical storm Ernesto, now a category 1 hurricane, through the Caribbean islands.
Although the storm does not have a direct impact on Venezuela, it does increase cloudiness with the probability of rain and electrical discharges. The cities of CaracasCumaná (Sucre), Maturín (Monagas) and Maracay (Aragua) recorded flooding and power outages due to weather conditions on August 12 and 13.
In situations of natural disasters, children and adolescents constitute one of the most vulnerable groups, which is why UNICEF suggested the following measures in an Instagram post:
1. Meeting points
UNICEF suggests that parents, guardians and caregivers discuss with children and adolescents possible meeting points in the event of heavy rain.
This measure ensures that if for some reason the family is separated during heavy rains, all its members know where they should meet in order to subsequently seek shelter.
“Make sure this is a place that everyone knows and where they feel comfortable and safe,” the international organization recommends.
2. Exit route
UNICEF points out that it is important to identify the safest exit routes to evacuate areas at potential risk of flooding or landslides.
“Guide them there, trying to stay as close together as possible. Stay calm and give clear directions,” the organization details.
The guidelines suggest trying to evacuate young children, people with disabilities and pregnant women first.
3. Knowledge of important information
The international organization recommends ensuring that children know the real names, not nicknames, of their primary caregivers in case they go missing in an emergency situation.
It is also important that the child knows his or her full name, age, date of birth and address. All of this information will help in case any authority tries to locate his or her parents or caregivers.
This will help them find you if they ever get separated for any reason,” UNICEF added.
4. Do not allow a third party to separate them
The organization asked representatives not to allow anyone to try to separate children and adolescents from their families in emergency or disaster situations.
“Be careful with people who offer to take care of you, their intentions may not be good,” UNICEF added in the post.
Article 26, paragraph 1 of the Organic Law for the Protection of Boys, Girls and Adolescents (Lopnna) establishes that children can only be separated from their families when it is strictly necessary to protect their best interests and this is only possible with protection measures dictated by the competent authorities and are the last resort of the law when it is presumed that the child is at risk.
5. Explain how to avoid other risks
Parents and caregivers should clearly explain to children how to avoid exposure to different risk situations associated with rain.
This includes staying away from contaminated water, debris and trash, as this could expose you to infectious diseases.
The organization suggests preventing children from playing in the street without supervision from their parents. It also recommends preventing adolescents from staying out of the house for long periods of time when the weather conditions are adverse.
6. Stay with the children if they are transferred to a shelter
In cases of disasters involving loss of homes or temporary evacuations due to risks, UNICEF recommends trying to stay with children at all times if they are transferred to a shelter.
Try to pay attention to younger children or girls and teenagers, especially when they are sleeping or going to the bathroom,” the publication indicates.
The organization suggests that in these situations children and adolescents are more vulnerable if they are without their representatives.
7. Keep the Protection Council informed in case of disappearance
If a representative cannot locate a child or adolescent, Unicef recommends going to the nearest Protection Council to file a complaint and request support from the authorities.
The organization suggests providing as much information as possible about the disappearance. It indicated that information such as the last place where the missing person was seen, the clothes he or she was wearing, and whether a meeting place had been agreed upon should be provided.
The fund also explained that if anyone finds a missing child, they should inform the Protection Council as soon as possible so that they can try to locate their parents or guardians.
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2024-08-16 01:26:29
