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Event Summary:

As part of HDFF community activities, the Kracheng Community Based Flood Prevention Project was held on 18^th of August 2017 in Kracheng, Ayuthaya. The training was prepared by Human Development Forum Foundation (HDFF), an organization based in Thailand and delivered by HDFF’s highly professional team and external experts as well as supported by the Royal Thai Armed Forces HQ Dep. J5 (Civil Military Affairs).

The training outlined the basic “useful knots” and illustrated how these knots can be used during disaster related circumstances, the 14 items which are useful/useless in flood caused evacuation, and sand sack filling for building a flood barrier and the demonstrations of correct filling procedure and sandbagging techniques.

The training was intended for representatives of the 3 villages of Kracheng (Ayuthaya Province) with a total number of participants 190 people of which, 70 were adults and approximately 120 kids who joined the activities and were provided with:

>basic useful knots;

>Useful/useless items during flood evacuation;

>a sandbag dam for flood protection

The training was well received with enthusiasm.

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Host Service: HDFF and Royal Thai Armed Forces HQ Dep. J5(Civil Military Affairs)

Session date: Friday 18^th August 2017

Location: Kracheng, Ayuthaya

Facilitator: HDFF team and external experts

Number of Attendees: 190

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“Challenges and Opportunities  for Girls’ Development In ASEAN – case studies-” 

The Human Development Forum Foundation (HDFF), a Thai Foundation focused on human security issues, is co-hosting a half-day forum with The Asia Foundation (TAF) to promote further understanding and awareness of ASEAN .

Our vision is to address the needs of communities in the framework of Human Security issues in order to create new opportunities to empower and strengthen the capacities of people. We seek to reach all levels of society from grassroots to top leaders.

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Speakers:

1.) “Women and Girls in Conflict –  Kachin Perspective” by  Seng RawLahpai, Founder Metta Development Foundation (Myanmar)m Magsaysay Award Laureate 2013.

2.) “Children and Violence in Conflicts – In Thai Perspective” by Judge Suntariya Muanpawong, Research Judge, Supreme Court of Thailand.

3) “Opportunities and challenges for girls’ development in Malaysia” by Lawyer Seh Lih Long, CEO & Co-Founder at MCCHR – Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights

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Date: Tuesday, 27 June 2017

Time: 08:30 – 12:15

Location:   AETAS Hotel Lumpini, 1030 Thanon Rama IV, แขวง สี่แยกมหานาค Khet Sathon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10120

AETAS is 130 meters away from MRT Lumpini Station  with  only 3 minutes walk head southeast from MRT station on  Rama 4 Rd (ถนน พระรามที่ 4) 

Event is free of all charge.  Lunch and Coffee breaks included!

Download Registration Form Here.

Download Full Event Programme Here.

Questions or Concerns? Please direct your inquiry to info@hdff.org or hdff.isabelo@gmail.com

ASEAN and SDG 4: Education and Disasters

This summary captures as half day programme of presentation, panel discussions and interactive dialogue at the forum on ASEAN and SDG4: Educations and Disasters, which took place on June 7, 2017 in AETAS Lumpini. The Forum was sponsored by Plan International.

The event brought together some 45 to 50 interested participants from different Foreign Embassies, (I)NGO’s, UN Agencies and independent journalists both based in Thailand and abroad, and the speakerswho joined the event and shared their own insight into some of the major challenges that ASEAN will face in matching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by 2030. It also provided a valuable networking opportunity and set the stage for further cooperation among (I)Non-Government Organization, UN Agencies and Institutions  in Thailand and beyond, including countries at different stages of development.

The forum began with the opening remarks by Gen (ret.) BunchonChawansin, HDFF Chairman, followed by Mr. john McDonough of Plan International as welcome remarks, and continued with the presentations of topics of interest and interactive panel discussions. It concluded with the set of real world cases describing humanitarian assistance and security relevant to the forum theme, specificallythe chances of children to survive from natural disaster, and the vulnerability of adolescent girls during disasters.

Girls in disaster – a Case study from the Philippines.

by Mr Benigno C. Balgos

The featured speaker, Mr. Benigno C. Balgos, Lecturer, Ateneo de Manila, Development Studies Program, Former Advisor on Child Rights Governance, Save the Children Philippines, focused on the vulnerability of children in disasters. This is a significant yet often disregarded issue in the country. Mr. Benigno pointed out that around 20 to 21 typhoons enter the Philippines area of responsibility every year and 5 of those typhoons are distractive. On the other hand, around 20 earthquakes happened every single day. Under the Word Risk Index of 2016, Philippines is the 3^rd host hazard prone region in the world.

In national Baseline on Violence against Children, About 94.6 per cent of the children and youth claimed to have suffered from natural and human-induced disasters in the past 2 years.  Thirty one (31) percent, were affected by Yolanda.Other than natural event, children are also exposed to an area where armed conflicts exist.  Mr. Benigno showed that 2.6 % of the 2,303 respondents aged 13 < 18 years old had been forced to live in another place due to war, ethnic conflicts, organizedcrimes, terrorism or other similar incidents. Among these children who experienced armed conflict, 3.5% lost a parent, sibling or close family member. About 1.6 per cent were personally injured or beaten, while 2 out of 30 (0.7 per cent) admitted that they were combatants or warriors in a war or community violence, or assisted older warriors in their fight against their enemies. “Children are the most vulnerable and worst affected. They are at risk to disease outbreaks and mortalities,food insecurity, disrupted schooling, homelessness, separation from families and worsen hunger andmalnutrition (CWC 2016: 39 – 40)”. Thus, the national government ratified a law called R.A. 10821 capitalizes on ensuring the safety and security of children in conflict and emergencies which contained 8 components.

Mr. Benigno continued his discussions on the core right of the girl children and in the context of emergencies and disasters for girl children, these rights are being violated particularly the issues on health and well being, safety and security and on school dropouts.

In the end, Mr. Benigno concluded that:

• Given that girls are uniquely vulnerable to disasters, there is a take into account and recognize their specific needs.
• Ensure meaningful participation of girl children in developing programs and policies on disaster risk reduction.
• Existing tools being used to assess the impacts of disasters on children should incorporate questions that are specific to girls.
• Further research on the impacts of disaster on girls should be carried out to address the dearth in literature as well as inform programs and policies on disaster risk reduction.

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