WUNRN
WOMEN & DISASTER RISK -
PLANNING, PREPAREDNESS & IMPLEMENTATION PARTICIPATION - FOCUS ON
GENDER ISSUES - INTEGRATION IN LEADERSHIP - GENDER SPECIFIC FINANCING
& TARGETS - MONITORING
New UN
Plan to Ensure Women Involved in Disaster Risk Management
GENEVA,
8 March 2013
- The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR, today marked International
Women's Day with an announcement that women will play a central role in
developing the next global framework on disaster risk reduction.
Margareta Wahlström, UNISDR Chief said: "So far this century, we can
conservatively state that over 500,000 women have died in disasters and over
one billion have lost their homes or been otherwise affected by the growing
tide of disasters and extreme weather events worldwide. The next global
framework on disaster risk reduction to be agreed by 2015 must address the
underlying causes."
A mid-term review of the existing international framework on disaster risk
reduction, the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), found that the vast majority
of countries reporting on its implementation do not factor in gender issues
during disaster planning and often ignore the contributions of women.
Ms. Wahlström said: "We are now at a crucial stage in the consultations on
the next HFA or HFA2. It is clear that we need more specific commitments from
governments, local governments, the private sector and other stakeholders that
they will tap into the knowledge and skills of women who are always key to any
successful response efforts when disaster strikes. Unfortunately, they are all
too often ignored during the planning and preparedness phases. This must
change."
UNISDR is organizing a special event with UN Women and the Huairou Commission
at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in May which will feature a
major debate: "HFA2: Women Making A Difference." Some 3,000 people
are expected to attend the Global Platform.
The Global Platform will explore why gender considerations are lacking in
government and private sector efforts to reduce disaster risk and explore
strategies that have worked to increase women's participation in
decision-making positions.
Ms. Wahlström said: "The development of the HFA2 can be a watershed moment
in ensuring that disaster risk management explicitly factors in gender-based
vulnerability and risks. An important remedy is to ensure that women and girls
are engaged more as volunteers and develop careers in disaster
management."
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Disaster
Risk Reduction Gets only 0.4 Percent of Aid - Report
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FINANCING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Direct Link to Full 60-Page 2013
Report: