How GADRRRES Strengthens Global Resilience in the Education Sector Through the Comprehensive School Safety Framework
March 17, 2025
Background
Every child has the right to an education and should be allowed to learn in a safe environment. Worldwide, disasters, emergencies, shocks and stresses brought on by hazards, climate change, conflict and violence have devastating impacts on children’s education and jeopardize their safety and learning. According to a recent UNICEF analysis, “at least 242 million students in 85 countries or territories had their schooling disrupted by extreme climate events including heatwaves, tropical cyclones, storms, flood and droughts in 2024, exacerbating an existing learning crisis.” These challenges demand an equally ambitious response, one that takes an all-hazards approach. Global efforts in support of the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) are coordinated by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), made up of UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations, and networks that include a strong mandate on children’s rights, risk reduction and/or education. GADRRRES was formed in 2013 with a vision of ensuring every child realizes the right to learn in a safe environment.
This brief will examine how Comprehensive School Safety uses an all-hazards approach to protect and support education continuity and safety.
What Is The CSSF?
The Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) is an all-hazards, all-risks approach to protecting children and education. Endorsed by 84 countries, the framework has provided a practical and proven model for over a decade to strengthen the resilience of education systems, support education continuity and equip children with the skills and knowledge to prepare for and respond to all shocks and stresses.
The CSSF is comprised of four components:
Foundation: Enabling Systems and Policies supports child rights, sustainability, and resilience in the education sector. Activities include:
- Incorporating school safety in education, climate, DRM, health etc. policies, plans and strategies.
- Maintaining an updated Education Information Management System with risk data.
- Integrating school safety costs into the education budget.
Pillar One: Safer Learning Facilities ensures the safety and sustainability of school infrastructure. Activities include:
- Ensuring Risk-Informed, Inclusive, and Sustainable School Infrastructure.
- Implementing safe site selection, hazard-resistant construction, and universal design while incorporating green building materials and energy-efficient systems for long-term resilience.
- Conducting Multi-Hazard Risk Assessments – Evaluating risks like earthquakes, floods, and storms before construction to enhance school safety and sustainability.
Pillar Two: School Safety and Educational Continuity Management focuses on equity-based risk assessment, risk reduction, response preparedness, and educational continuity planning. Activities include:
- Conducting inclusive risk assessments that consider all children and staff, addressing all hazards.
- Preparing education continuity plans for all hazards (e.g. pandemics/epidemics, climate impacts, natural hazards etc.). This includes remote learning, temporary learning spaces, changes to school calendar and timetable etc. as needed. This also includes contingency planning and response planning.
Pillar Three: Risk Reduction & Resilience Education develops individual and community understanding and capacity to assess all hazards and risks. Activities include:
- Developing curriculum standards and materials for risk assessment, risk reduction, safety and response-preparedness.
- Training teachers on all hazards, DRR, CCA, Health, Mental Health, and Psychosocial Support.
- Preparing to adapt teaching methodologies post-disaster by implementing accelerated education programs, catch-up initiatives, and pedagogical approaches to ensure continued learning for all students.
GADRRRES calls on all governments, donors, private sector organizations, and NGOs to endorse and implement the CSSF. Endorsement demonstrates a commitment to school safety by including it in relevant national and local policies, allocating budgets for its implementation and preparedness activities, and applying the CSSF in schools nationwide. This commitment helps:
- Protect children and teachers from harm in schools.
- Ensure all children have access to learning and receive an education.
- Support children with knowledge and skills that can keep them safe.
Lessons Learned
Since its inception GADRRRES members have continued to work with countries across the globe to help support the incorporation of Comprehensive School Safety. Through years of practice, the CSSF’s all-hazards approach has proven to be successfully adapted and implemented across diverse, global contexts, as evidenced by the case studies on the Philippines and Nepal. Learnings include:
GADRRRES is now accepting applications from Champion Countries, which will further enrich our library of case studies. Check out the CSSF Advocacy Brief to learn more. Additionally, gathered here are insights from other initiatives on CSSF implementation to inspire and guide countries.
The Future Of GADRRRES And The CSSF
GADRRRES (Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector) is crucial because it provides a unified platform for global advocacy on school safety, championing an all-hazards approach that addresses various risks comprehensively. This alliance fosters collaboration and collective impact, bringing together organizations across sectors to tackle shared challenges and promote the uptake and implementation of key frameworks like the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF). By establishing and promoting global standards, GADRRRES ensures that more children benefit from safer schools.
To continue growing and supporting the CSSF, GADRRRES can strengthen national and local engagement, enhancing coordination with local actors to bridge the gap between global advocacy and local implementation. Expanding regional and subregional alliances will decentralize efforts and tailor interventions to specific contexts, while broadening the thematic scope to address emerging challenges such as climate resilience, digital safety, and mental health will keep the CSSF relevant and comprehensive. Additionally, increasing capacity building and training, expanding funding and resource mobilization, and enhancing monitoring and reporting on CSSF endorsement and implementation will ensure sustained investment and progress in school safety initiatives. Through these efforts, GADRRRES will continue to support comprehensive school safety and strengthen education resilience globally.
Learn more about Regional affiliates and the good practices in the links below.
