Children’s voices in disaster recovery: Lessons from the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake

Disasters have a devastating impact on populations, with children being one of the most at-risk groups. Although their vulnerability in disasters is widely recognised, children’s own voices are still largely missing from disaster recovery research and planning. This study aims to address that gap by listening directly to the experiences and perspectives of children aged 11 to 14 in Nurdağı, Gaziantep, one of the hardest-hit areas in Türkiye, on disaster relief and recovery. Using a qualitative, child-centred approach, grounded in a socio-ecological, rights-based framework, we conducted interviews with 58 children, alongside 47 additional interviews with parents, teachers, and first responders, to understand how young people coped with life after the earthquake, what challenges they faced, and what they believe would support recovery. The findings show that children struggled with difficult living conditions, trauma, disrupted education, and changing social relationships, but they also demonstrated remarkable insight, emotional intelligence, and a desire to be involved in rebuilding their communities. Many children questioned the fairness of aid distribution and called for more attention to mental health and safer schools. Rather than portraying children as passive victims, the study highlights their capacity to reflect, adapt, and contribute. It calls for more inclusive, responsive recovery strategies that treat children as active participants in disaster planning and post-disaster rebuilding. The study offers actionable recommendations for policymakers, educators, and humanitarian practitioners to better integrate children’s perspectives into long-term recovery planning and resilience-building initiatives.