Background
Over the past months, the UN/ISDR secretariat has initiated the development of a “Global Network of NGOs” for DRR, in collaboration with the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation -UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok. The Global Network is aimed at facilitating sharing of information and knowledge on DRR among NGOs and civil society organizations, as well as influencing global policy in a more effective manner.
The Network was officially launched during the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Geneva on 5-7 June 2007. As a result of the meetings and discussions taking place among NGOs during the Global Platform, it was agreed that NGOs would take the lead in advancing the development of the Global Network. The UN/ISDR secretariat would therefore start playing a merely facilitating role, after having successfully initiated the process.
A Steering Group has been recommended to provide guidance on the development of the Global Network of NGOs. The Steering Group is currently being established.
For more information on the Global Network of NGOs, please contact:
Mr. Marcus Oxley
Chairman of the Global Network of NGOs
Tearfund
E-mail: Marcus.Oxley@tearfund.org |
Mr. Michele Cocchiglia
NGO Liaision Officer
UN/ISDR secretariat
E-mail: cocchiglia@un.org |
Subscribe to our mailing list
If you want to be informed of the latest publications, meetings and other initiatives of the Global Network of NGOs, please subscribe to our mailing list.
Submit a case study in 'Poverty Alleviation and DRR'
The secretariat is collecting good practices and lessons learned in 'Poverty Alleviation and DRR'. In particular, the publication will highlight projects and initiatives implemented by NGOs that will demonstrate how DRR can be integrated into poverty reduction initiatives, and how it can contribute to reducing the vulnerability of the poor and safeguarding development gains.
If you are interested in submitting a contribution to the UN/ISDR secretariat, please fill in this template and return it by e-mail to Michele Cocchiglia, at: cocchiglia@un.org. |
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Meetings
Ad-hoc Meeting
7 June 2007 - Geneva
At the end of the first session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP/DRR), an ad-hoc meeting chaired by the UK NGO Tearfund was held with all members of NGOs who attended the GP/DRR. The aim of the meeting was to introduce those who formed part of the early "core group" of the Global Network, and gain endorsement and agreement on their selection. It was also a time to formally present the draft ToR of the Global Network and request further feedback on its objectives.
The meeting itself did agree on the current selection of organisations/networks represented on the Global Network Steering Group, but there was also agreement to extend it to include more network representatives from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting also agreed that Mr. Marcus Oxley from Tearfund would be serving as the Chair of the Global Network of NGOs until the holding of the next session of the GP/DRR in 2009.
There was also discussion on what could be improved by the Global Network for the next GP/DRR, which included reviewing the Global Network current performance and considering some key goals around Civil Society representation for the 2009 GP/DRR. For more information, please see attached minutes.
"Global NGO Network" Preparatory Meeting at the GP/DRR
4 June 2007 - Geneva
At the first session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP/DRR), NGOs have organized a Preparatory Meeting with the support of the UN/ISDR secretariat. The overall goal of this Meeting was to provide NGOs with an opportunity to better influence the global DRR agenda. The Meeting has focused on facilitating the substantive contribution of NGOs to the GP/DRR, particularly in the workshop sessions.
The essential role played by NGOs in addressing a wide range of DRR-related issues was highlighted during the meeting, which served as a "brainstorming session" to facilitate their contributions during the second day sessions. The Meeting contributed to stimulating substantive discussion on several topics, and encouraged NGOs to reach a shared understanding of the key messages they wanted to convey during the workshop sessions. This has allowed them to better influence the overall outcome of the GP/DRR, and to ensure their collective inputs and concerns are reflected in the final report.
The Meeting has also been the venue for the official launch of the Global Network of NGOs, and to present some of the results achieved by its core members throughout the period October 2006 - June 2007.
Preliminary Consultative Meeting
25-26 October 2006 - Geneva
A first “Consultative Meeting” on the Global Network of NGOs was organized by the UN/ISDR secretariat on 25-26 October 2006 in Geneva, in collaboration with the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation of the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok. The meeting was attended by 14 representatives of NGOs and NGO networks from Asia, Africa, Europe, the US and Latin America.
As a result of this meeting, participants have endorsed the Global NGO Network concept, prepared a first draft
of its Terms of Reference (ToR) and agreed upon the next steps to be taken. Since then, participants in the Consultative Meeting have served as the “driving force” for developing the Global Network of NGOs. They have suggested the Global Network initially focuses on specific activities, which they have carried out throughout
the period October 2006 - June 2007, with the support of the UN/ISDR secretariat.
Such activities have included:
- Facilitating wider consultation on the draft ToR for the Global Network, compiling the inputs received, and preparing a revised draft for further discussion.
- Preparing an “NGO Position Paper”, highlighting NGOs’ concerns and key messages to be conveyed during the GP/DRR on behalf of the Global Network.
- Facilitating the publication of a compilation of “Good practices and lessons learned in Community-Based DRR" , to be collected through existing NGO networks and other channels.
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