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Thousands to attend Geneva platform on reducing disaster risk

Heads of State, government ministers, parliamentarians, CEOs, scientists and civil society representatives will meet in Geneva in May to discuss a new global framework to reduce disaster risk. 		5 Feb 2013 Press release

UNISDR champion applauds African Union for decision on disaster insurance

UNISDR Parliamentary Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction, Abdou Sané, Member of Parliament from Senegal, recently welcomed the African Union's decision to establish an African Risk Capacity Secretariat - a specialized agency of the African Union which will help elaborate a legal agreement on a pooled risk insurance facility for droughts, floods, earthquakes and cyclones. 		6 Aug 2012 News briefs

UNISDR reports on record-breaking year

UNISDR's 2011 Annual Report is now available online and reveals that its two landmark Global Assessment Reports on Disaster Risk Reduction Reports (GAR) for 2009 and 2011, have had over 200,000 chapter downloads over the last three years. 		18 Jul 2012 News briefs

UNISDR appoints parliamentary champions for risk reduction

The United Nations office for disaster risk reduction, UNISDR, today officially welcomed five members of parliament from Bangladesh, Uganda, Cambodia, Senegal and the East African Legislative Assembly as parliamentary champions committed to promoting legislation for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

 3 Jul 2012 News briefs

Parliamentarians focus on risk reduction at Rio

Around 200 legislators from 74 countries and the European Union met yesterday on the sidelines of the UN Rio+20 sustainable development conference to approve a "Legislators' Protocol," containing a set of "Rio Scrutiny Principles" to strengthen legislators' capacity to hold governments to account on promises made at development conferences including Rio+20. 		18 Jun 2012 News briefs

UN kicks off discussions on new international blueprint for disaster risk reduction

The UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, and HE Yoichi Otabe, the Japanese Ambassador to the International Organizations in Geneva, announced today the start of consultations on a new international blueprint for reducing disaster losses in advance of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction which the Japanese government is proposing to host in 2015. 		5 Mar 2012 Press release

Panama Canal expert joins regional fight for risk reduction

The dynamic new Vice-President of the National Assembly of Panama, Rony Araúz, is emerging as a leading advocate of disaster risk reduction in Central America following a career monitoring the passage of hazardous materials through the Panama Canal. 		9 Feb 2012 News briefs

UNISDR and lawmakers agree on global advisory group

Members of parliament from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Senegal, Uganda and the East African Legislative Assembly came together in Geneva this week to agree on the establishment of a Global Advisory Group for parliamentarians with UNISDR’s Special Adviser on Parliamentarians, Feng Min Kan. 		21 Dec 2011 News briefs

Risk reduction must be priority in COP17 talks says IPU

Parliamentarians from around the world gathered in Durban, South Africa, yesterday to press for progress in the COP17 climate change negotiations and called on the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) "to prioritize disaster risk reduction and capacity building as cross-cutting issues and to give them the utmost attention." 		6 Dec 2011 News briefs

UNISDR champion receives "Asian Leaders Award" for climate change advocacy

UNISDR champion Senator Loren Legarda received the Asian Leader Award for Environment Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation last week. The award was given by publishing company Seagull Philippines, which held its 1st Seagull Philippines Asian Leaders Awards ceremony for Excellence, Best Values and Social Responsibility, at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City last Friday. 		16 Nov 2011 News briefs

UNISDR champion calls for 'holistic' approach to flood risk as typhoons batter Philippines

UNISDR champion, Senator Loren Legarda of the Philippines, has called for an integrated flood warning and response system as 3.2 million people struggle with the impact of back-to-back typhoons which have triggered widespread floods across the country. 		6 Oct 2011 News briefs

China and Africa Step Up Cooperation on Drought Risk Reduction

Over 40 officials from China, Africa and the United Nations are taking part in a three-day “Sino-African High-Level Seminar on Drought Risk Reduction” which is calling for drought risk reduction to be on the agenda of the next year’s Sino-African Summit for Development Cooperation. 		26 Sep 2011 News briefs

World cities come up with a five-point action plan to work together for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction

More than 200 participants, including 38 parliamentarians, mayors and vice mayors, from 33 countries adopted the Chengdu Declaration of Action, a five-point strategy to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing cities today. 		15 Aug 2011 News briefs

UNISDR’s parliamentarian initiative helping to move disaster risk reduction forward from political commitment to concrete action

Realizing the human and economic imperative to shift from a disaster response culture to one of prevention and risk reduction, parliamentarians from Africa, Asia, and Latin America are stepping up to the challenge. 		29 Jul 2011 News briefs

Philippines Government, UNISDR to Launch 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction in Manila, 26 July 2011

The Government of the Philippines and the United Nations secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) will launch the latest United Nation’s Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR11) this Tuesday, 26 July, from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., at the Sen. Padilla Room, the Senate of the Philippines, Manila. 		22 Jul 2011 News briefs

Philippines Parliamentarians Call for Mainstreaming DRR, Climate Change Adaptation in National Budget Legislation

Sixteen Parliamentarians from the Philippine House of Representatives yesterday adopted "the Incheon Resolution of the Philippine Parliamentarians on Effective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation" which calls for their mainstreaming in the national budget legislation. 		18 Jul 2011 News briefs

East African countries join 'Making cities resilient' campaign - AU calls for integration of disaster risk reduction into national planning

The rallying call of the UNISDR led ‘Making cities resilient campaign’ to city authorities to build resilient, sustainable urban communities to reduce disaster risks, has just added the East African cities of Bujumbura in Burundi, as well Arusha and Moshi in the Republic of Tanzania to its ever expanding list... 		14 Jul 2011 Press release

Africa urged to speak ‘as one’ to tackle disasters and climate change, as Assembly of the African Union comes to a close in Malabo

As the 17th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union wrapped up in Malabo, Guinea, talks of a common voice on sustainable development have continued to dominate agendas in Africa ahead of the United Nations climate talks to be held in Durban in December. The need to address the issue of disasters and climate change continues to at the fore of various platforms of implementing the extended Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction. 		30 Jun 2011 News briefs

Equal priority is needed to strengthen policies on disaster response and prevention says European Commissioner

Recognizing the political importance and impact of recent disasters, UNISDR and the European Parliament organized a debate "Prevent or react: The EU approach to Disaster Risk Reduction" to discuss the European Union's approach to disaster prevention. 		14 Jun 2011 News briefs

Chair's Summary sees disaster risk reduction as key to preserving and protecting environment and ensuring sustainable development

Half of humanity is now living in cities - commitment to resilience is urgently needed, said Ms. Asha-Rose Migiro, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in her final summary. 		3 Jun 2011 News briefs

Calls for 'coalition of action' to address link between natural hazards and nuclear safety at Global Platform for DRR ending today

In a year marred by disaster losses over US$300 billion, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called, at the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, for a “coalition of action” and a high-level meeting during the next General Assembly to address the link between natural hazards and nuclear safety. 		13 May 2011 Press release

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to open the latest session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

The Global Platform will be opened today by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will also launch a report entitled 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction – Revealing risks, redefining development. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro will chair the forum in Geneva. 		10 May 2011 News briefs

UN Secretary-General announces a discussion on nuclear energy in September

The international community must “risk proof” development because disasters are taking a heavy toll on rich and poor countries as well as outpacing their ability to respond, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told delegates today, at the foremost gathering of stakeholders on reducing disaster risk which opened this afternoon in Geneva and will run until Friday, 13 May. 		10 May 2011 Press release

Two days until the official opening of the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

The final touches are being added to the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from 8-13 May. The Global Platform will be opened officially by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on May 10. 		8 May 2011 News briefs

Disaster risk reduction on the agenda of 124th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly

As part of the 124th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, a meeting was organized on the importance of disaster risk reduction and building sustainable development. Held from 15 to 20 of April in Panama City, the panel was moderated by Maureen Ballestero Vargas, former Vice-President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica. 		20 Apr 2011 News briefs

Four African cities commit to urban resilience

Four cities - Addis Ababa, Kampala, Narok and Yaoundé - joined the Making Cities Resilience campaign after their mayors took part in a debate on city resilience on Tuesday, 29 March, moderated by top Kenyan journalist Yvonne Okwara. Panellists pointed to poor planning, corruption, and “negative attitudes” as elements that could erode city resilience. 		4 Apr 2011 News briefs

African Working Group agrees to implement the Strategy for disaster risk reduction

The inaugural meeting of the reconstituted African Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (AWGDRR) ended on Thursday, 31 March, with delegates agreeing to accelerate the implementation of the extended programme of action for the implementation of the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2006-2015), in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).The meeting took place after the Executive Council of the African Union had endorsed the Report of the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in April 2010, where it also endorsed the extended programme of action. 		31 Mar 2011 News briefs

Inaugural meeting of high-level working group to discuss the way forward for reducing disaster risk in Africa

Several high-level African delegates will attend the inaugural meeting of the Reconstituted African Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction in Nairobi, Kenya from 29 - 31 March 2011. The meeting follows the endorsement of the Report of the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction by the Executive Council of the African Union. This inaugural meeting will agree on the Terms of Reference of the Group as well as the Africa position paper to be presented during the Third Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction in May 2011. 		24 Mar 2011 News briefs

In times of dwindling resources, disaster risk reduction is an easy win

A new report from the United Nations confirms what governments already hear but are slow to believe: that disciplined public sector involvement in “disaster risk reduction” can significantly reduce setbacks brought by hundreds of droughts, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and other hazards that befall the world each year, on average. 		9 Mar 2011 Press release

To build the resilience of nations and communities to disasters, we need equal and active participation of men and women in disaster risk reduction.

Disasters affect men and women differently, and so we will continue to lobby for gender-sensitive vulnerability, risk and capacity assessments. Studies show that women’s vulnerabilities during and after disasters is linked to their role and status in society, making women and children 14 times more likely to die than men during a disaster. 		8 Mar 2011 News briefs
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