Children on the Frontline

Documentary series on BBC World TV in December and January.

Children in disaster prone areas voice their fears and suggest what should be done to make their lives safer.

Starting on December 21st 2007, a four part series documentary called Children on the Frontline was broadcast on BBC World TV reaching close to 300 million homes worldwide.

The documentary shows how children in four countries (Philippines, Pakistan, El Salvador and Sierra Leone) are taking action to protect themselves, their families and their communities from disasters.

Children are the biggest casualties of disasters such as mudslides and hurricanes, and thanks to climate change, children's futures are more uncertain than ever before. Children on the Frontline finds that young people are not waiting for their elders, they are taking affirmative action to protect themselves from disasters.
 
In this series, children in disaster-prone areas are given a rare opportunity to voice their fears and suggest what should be done to make their lives safer.

Among other organisations working in disaster-prone regions, Plan International helped the Thomson Foundation, the producers of the On the Frontline strand for One Planet Pictures, to capture the voices and individual stories that emphasise children's rights and responsibilities. 

"We believe young people have a great role to play in reducing the risks brought about by global warming and other adult generated threats affecting their future", says Nick Hall of Plan's disaster risk reduction programme.

"What came over very strongly to all our film-makers is the 'never again' attitude of the kids," says Series Editor Robert Lamb.

Following broadcast on BBC World TV, the documentaries will be available for local broadcast and other purposes such as training and education. Plan International and the Thomson Foundation will be organizing a series of seminars for media in developing countries.

View the documentaries on Youtube:

Children on the Frontline - Philippines episode

Children on the Frontline - El Salvador episode

Children on the Frontline - Sierra Leone episode

Children on the Frontline - Pakistan episode