Children’s preparedness for disasters: policy analysis and process evaluation of disaster preparedness programs in Iran

The number, complexity, and impacts of disasters increased in the world including Iran in the last decades. Given the fact that more disasters are expected in the near future, more efforts are needed to prepare for disasters. Preparedness for disasters should be developed at different levels and among different groups, especially vulnerable groups.
In this thesis, a systematic review of children’s preparedness programs was conducted. Then, Iranian school textbooks for children have been analysed. In addition, children's disaster preparedness programs and various stakeholders, including individuals and organizations in Iran, are introduced. It also identifies the challenges that the stakeholders face in implementing these programs. Identifying these challenges is the first step in modifying the programs. Chapter 6 presents the conclusions of this study.
From the policy audit and policy gaps, it is concluded that Iranian governments during the last 100 years, prioritized the issue of “disasters strike” and not “disaster risks”. Content analysis of school textbooks for children in Iran indicated that different forms of natural hazards are covered by textbooks. However, if the authors of school textbooks have more interaction with experts, the content of textbooks will be richer. Furthermore, the results showed that disaster preparedness programs for children in Iran have some shortcomings and they face many challenges in practice. Therefore, in order to prepare children for disasters, it is necessary to amend the policies and change the approach of the organizations participating in these programs.