International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is held every 13 October. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress being made in reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health. For the year 2021, the focused theme is on “International cooperation for developing countries to reduce their disaster risk and disaster losses.”
Extreme weather events, earthquakes, tsunamis, as well as pandemics and other human made related hazards pose continued challenges to countries and communities. ICTs help to ensure that communications are available throughout the disaster management cycle, to support the preparedness and response activities on the ground. A multi-stakeholder approach is vital to achieve these efforts. Additionally, the delivery of vital information before, during and after disasters, reduces the vulnerability of communities at risk and increases their resilience to cope with disasters.
This session brings together experts from government, international organisation, academia, and partners to celebrate the UN International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and to reinforce commitment towards ensuring a safer and sustainable future. It will emphasise on the importance of global collaborations and partnerships for addressing the environmental issues, in line with the WSIS Action Line C7: E-Environment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).