UNFPA and NYSC empower 100 youth to lead local disaster preparedness and response

• Initiative to mark International Youth Day 2026

On International Youth Day 2026, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) and under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, held a national, simulation-based program titled ‘The Resilience Lab: Local Youth Action in Crisis Response.’

Organised around the global theme ‘Different Contexts, Shared Aspirations,’ the initiative gathered over 100 youth leaders representing Sri Lanka’s island-wide Youth Club network at the NYSC Auditorium in Maharagama. The event aimed to shift the national disaster management paradigm from reactive post-disaster response toward proactive pre-disaster mitigation by engaging the youth in terms of early warning dissemination, and community resilience.

Drawing lessons from recent crises such as Cyclone Ditwah, which affected 2.2 million people, claimed over 600 lives, and damaged nearly 115,000 homes, the program highlighted the vital role of youth as first responders, community mobilisers, and early warning communicators. 

Through realistic tabletop simulations covering multi-hazard scenarios (floods and landslides) and the epidemic of dengue, participants practiced making critical preparedness decisions. The exercises emphasised reaching the ‘last person’, including pregnant women, older persons, and persons with disabilities, while integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and gender considerations into emergency response.

The initiative was delivered in close technical collaboration with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRC), and the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka (FPASL).

Key statistics highlighted

● 4.78 million youth: According to 2024 census data, young people aged 15–29 account for nearly 22% of Sri Lanka’s population (roughly 1 in every 5 citizens).

● 14,000 Youth Clubs: The extensive NYSC network offers a reach of over 280,000 young individuals at the grassroots level.

National Youth Services Council (NYSC) Chairman and Youth Affairs Director General Attorney-at-Law Supun Wijerathna said: “We need to have a clear vision of what we are trying to build. Cyclone Ditwah was one of the most severe natural disasters Sri Lanka has experienced, leaving large numbers of people displaced and affected. In the aftermath of this disaster, there was an urgent need for the National Youth Services Council to intervene swiftly. The NYSC has a strong network of young people who have the time, flexibility, skills, energy and commitment to actively contribute when such a disaster strikes. A key objective of this programme is therefore to build proactive youth leadership, not simply young people who respond after a disaster occurs, but young leaders who can help disseminate early warnings, organise communities and take active steps to protect lives.”

UNFPA Sri Lanka Assistant Representative Dr. Dayanath Ranatunga said: “Youth are not merely passive recipients of disaster relief; they are active communicators, first responders, and community mobilisers. The success of an early warning system lies in reaching the last person, the elderly living alone, a person with a disability, or a pregnant mother needing healthcare. By equipping our youth network with technical skills and integrating gender and SRHR considerations, we transform youth enthusiasm into an organised, life-saving national asset.”