The role of youth voluntary actions in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Ganges Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) delta

青年志愿服务在减少灾害风险（DRR）最近得到了国际政策辩论和研究议程的显著认可（UNISDR, 2015; Haddock & Devereux, 2016）。从海地地震到最近的Covid-19大流行，青年志愿服务已显著获得全球关注（Hill et al., 2009）。联合国宣布2020-2030年为“行动十年”，承认青年是实现可持续发展目标的关键伙伴（联合国，2020年）。然而，尽管西方国家的青年志愿者被认为是一个有前途的发展参与者，但青年志愿者在全球南方的经历仍然被排除在外，尽管它们具有历史和数字意义（Pastran, 2014, Baillie Smith et al., 2018）。在自然灾害期间、灾后恢复期间，甚至在当前的COVID-19大流行期间，孟加拉国见证了青年志愿者的许多典范贡献。例如，从大流行开始，青年志愿者为达卡市的边缘人群组织和安排了“Ek Takay Ahar”（一分钱的食物），后来扩展到整个孟加拉国（Onetakameal， 2020年）。同样，在GBM三角洲西南部遭受Amphan飓风严重袭击后，无地人民自愿不知疲倦地修复22号圩田的堤防，青年志愿者在动员人民方面发挥了重要作用（Nijera kori, 2020）。先前的记录证实，1980年至2008年期间，该国遭受了219多次严重自然灾害，自然灾害造成的人员伤亡是历史上最高的，各种形式的灾害破坏了发展的各个方面和部门（ADPC， 2019年）。因此，为了通过更具抗灾能力的社区和可持续发展来保障三角洲地区的未来，当务之急是提高社区的抗灾能力，而减灾中的自愿行动可能有助于实现这些目标。志愿服务的历史表明，每当灾难发生时，当地志愿者都是第一批受访者（Haynes and Tanner, 2015）。例如，在孟加拉国，气旋准备计划（CPP）是一个成功的社区志愿者组织，它在减少孟加拉国沿海地区季节性气旋造成的损失方面发挥了重要作用（联合国志愿人员组织，2012年）。许多人道主义援助机构也在大规模灾害中使用当地志愿者（INEE, 2013; Hasan, 2015）。因此，让青年志愿者参与社区减灾规划和活动是很重要的，因为他们对自己的文化、语言和宗教有很好的了解，这将有助于获得社区的信任和合作，但很少有人关注减少灾害风险的志愿研究（联合国志愿人员组织，2012）。在孟加拉国，志愿活动的先驱之一JAAGO基金会为城市志愿者安排了许多技能发展活动，而来自易发灾害地区的志愿者基本上被排除在外（JAAGO, 2020）。考虑到这些差距，本研究将分析青年志愿者在促进孟加拉国易发灾害地区的DRR方面的作用，最终有助于加强社区的备灾能力。

Youth volunteerism in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has recently received significant recognition in international policy debate and research agenda (UNISDR, 2015; Haddock & Devereux, 2016). From the Haitian earthquake to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, youth volunteering has significantly gained global attention (Hill et al., 2009). The United Nations (UN) has declared 2020-2030 as the 'Decade of Action' acknowledging young people as key partners to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN, 2020). However, whilst the youth volunteers in the Western countries are getting recognition as a promising development actor, youth volunteers' experiences in the global South remained excluded despite their historical and numerical significance (Pastran, 2014, Baillie Smith et al., 2018). Bangladesh has witnessed many exemplary contributions from youth volunteer during natural disasters, post-disaster recovery and even in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For example, from the beginning of the pandemic, youth volunteers organized and arranged 'Ek Takay Ahar' (food for a penny) for the marginalized people in Dhaka city which is later extended to the whole Bangladesh (Onetakameal, 2020). Similarly, the landless people volunteered tirelessly to repair the embankment in polder 22 after the massive hit of cyclone Amphan in the south-west of the GBM delta, where youth volunteers played a significant role to mobilize the people (Nijera kori, 2020). The previous record confirms, between 1980 and 2008, the country suffered more than 219 severe natural disasters and has experienced the highest casualties from natural disasters in history and all forms of disasters cut the aspects and sectors of development (ADPC, 2019). So, to safeguard delta futures through more resilient communities and sustainable development, it is urgent to make the community disaster-resilient and voluntary actions in DRR can be useful to achieve these goals. The history of volunteerism reveals that local volunteers are the first respondents whenever disaster strikes (Haynes and Tanner, 2015). For instance, in Bangladesh Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) is one of the successful community-based volunteer structures which is significantly working to reduce the loss from the seasonal cyclones in coastal areas of Bangladesh (UNV, 2012). Many humanitarian aid agencies are also engaging local volunteers' in large-scale disaster (INEE, 2013; Hasan, 2015). Therefore, it is important to engage youth volunteer in community DRR planning and activities as they have a sound knowledge of their culture, language and religion which will help to gain the community's trust and cooperation, but very little attention is given on volunteering research on disaster risk reduction (UNV, 2012). In Bangladesh, JAAGO Foundation, one of the pioneers in volunteering activities, has arranged many skill development activities for the urban volunteers whilst the volunteers from disaster-prone areas are largely excluded (JAAGO, 2020). Considering the gaps, this study will analyse the role of youth volunteers in promoting DRR in disaster-prone area of Bangladesh which will ultimately help to strengthen the community disaster preparedness.