International Day for Disaster Reduction 2017

Home Safe Home: Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement

Goal: Use International Day for Disaster Reduction on 13 October 2017 to:

Provide an advocacy platform to all governments, local governments, disaster management agencies, UN agencies, NGOs, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, civil society groups, businesses, academic and scientific institutions, and other interested groups to demonstrate support for gender-sensitive implementation of the Sendai Framework and to highlight achievements and challenges in so doing with a particular focus on reducing the numbers of people affected by disasters;

The 2017 campaign will seek to raise global awareness about effective actions, policies and practices taken to reduce exposure to disaster risk at the community level thereby contributing to saving homes and livelihoods. This is a considerable challenge which can be accomplished only through coordination, cooperation and collaboration among many stakeholders. Yet it is apparent that taking action on Target (b) will be amplified by having a positive impact on saving lives Target (a), reducing economic losses Target (c) and damage to critical infrastructure Target (d). It will also provide evidence that strategies are in place at national and local level Target (e).

Some questions to consider….

1. Are your actions and partnerships helping to reduce the numbers of people affected by disasters and how are you doing this?
2. Do you provide open and timely access to risk maps, risk profiles, risk data and information to inform plans and decisions that prevent or mitigate disasters?
3. Do you collect data on disaster affected persons by age, gender and disability?
4. Are you facilitating coordination between various partners and stakeholders to reduce exposure and displacement?
5. Are you improving how risk-informed people are about where they live and work?
6. Have you been able to assist governments, local governments and the private sector to avoid locating homes and businesses in hazard prone locations?
7. Have you been able to support, directly or indirectly, improvements in the standard of housing and/or support “build back better” initiatives in hazard-prone locations?

The IDDR2017 website will highlight key initiatives and engage global stakeholders by issuing a global call for partners and sectors to contribute content. Visualizations and stories will be included to illustrate action and partnerships, with a particular focus on reducing exposure to disaster impacts in order to avoid displacement, loss or damage to housing stock and work places.