IFRC conference on disaster risk reduction to build community safety and resilience

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and its membership of 186 National Societies is preparing to implement a major programme aimed at increasing its disaster risk reduction and so assisting vulnerable communities to protect their development and build their safety and resilience. Many National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been implementing disaster risk reduction projects for many years, but in the face of such an increase in disasters, they need to do more and they need to do it better. Thus, the International Federation is implementing a Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction focusing initially on 20 National Societies and increasing this number over a five year period. At the same time, it has developed a Framework for Community Safety and Resilience under which all National Societies are encouraged to develop their disaster risk reduction projects and programmes.