Children may face heat, drought, floods, storms and air pollution in the same year. These hazards do not operate independently. Drought can weaken water services before a flood contaminates the remaining sources, while heat can increase illness just as a power failure reduces a clinic’s capacity.
Risk assessment should examine sequences and shared system weaknesses, not simply add separate hazard maps. Strengthening water, health, education and social protection can bring benefits across several emergencies. National averages are inadequate when exposure and service capacity vary sharply by location, income, disability and displacement status. Compound risk requires planning across hazards and services. Planning around essential services can strengthen resilience, reduce several risks at once and prioritise children whose support options are weakest in each affected local place.