Zimbabwe and Comoros are strengthening cooperation to protect vulnerable children from the effects of climate change and natural disasters through a multi-sectoral approach aimed at building resilience.
The two countries held a strategic meeting on Monday to exchange experiences and lessons on safeguarding children from climate-related disasters, including droughts, floods and earthquakes.
The initiative seeks to develop practical interventions to strengthen child protection systems and resilience while informing national development programmes.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Simon Masango, said Zimbabwe would draw lessons from Comoros to enhance measures protecting vulnerable children, particularly those affected by natural disasters such as the Chimanimani floods.
“We have our own challenges in terms of climate change, but the lessons and experiences between Zimbabwe and Comoros are crucial. We want to come up with ideas that can be mainstreamed onto our NDS2 to protect the most vulnerable children from natural disasters like what happened in Chimanimani floods so that we enhance monitoring and evaluation under the KOICA project,” he said.
Comoros, an archipelago exposed to various natural hazards, has developed practical interventions to protect children affected by disasters through the project.
Planning Officer for UNICEF Comoros, Ali Mohamed Ahamada, said the initiative had enabled the country to integrate child protection programmes into its disaster response strategies.
“As you are aware, Comoros is an archipelago, we are vulnerable to all forms of natural disasters, including volcano eruptions. So with this KOICA project we have managed to mainstream programmes that protect most vulnerable children,” he said.
He added that the country had introduced practical climate change interventions to safeguard the health, education and safety of children affected by natural disasters.
The pilot project, funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented with support from UNICEF, seeks to cushion vulnerable children in East and Southern Africa against the effects of natural disasters.
UNICEF Zimbabwe representative, Eton Ekole, said the organisation was facilitating funding mobilisation and supporting the implementation of the initiative.
“As UNICEF, we are the mobilisers of funding from KOICA, and we are happy that the project is bringing practical solutions to protect vulnerable children from climate change. We will continue to support the full implementation of the project,” she said.
The four-day regional climate learning event will also focus on youth engagement and innovation, providing a platform for Zimbabwe and Comoros to share experiences and strengthen approaches to child protection.
The outcomes are expected to inform the integration of climate resilience and child protection measures into national development programmes, including Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
