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First Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
5-7 June 2007 | Geneva, Switzerland

IISD's Summary

Sunday, 10 June 2007

Highlights for Wednesday, 6 June 2007

On Wednesday, 6 June 2007, the first session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction convened for its second day. Plenary continued throughout the day with interventions made by heads of delegations and high-level participants on challenges and opportunities in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Session workshops were run in parallel streams throughout the day and consisted of technical discussions on thematic priorities focusing on national and local implementation of DRR. The two streams were “DRR as a national priority: exchange of experiences among countries and organizations on different institutional options and processes that lead to change,” and “Integrating DRR into sector agendas.”

Workshops in the session on DRR as a national priority were: national coordination mechanisms and national platforms for DRR; policy and legislation for sustainable DRR; mainstreaming of DRR in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and national development instruments; and from national frameworks to local action, implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action. The session on DRR into sector agendas included workshops on: education for DRR and safer schools in communities at risk; health and DRR; incorporating DRR into preparedness; and ecosystems and environmental management for risk reduction. In the workshops, participants heard presentations from governments and nongovernmental organizations on relevant local, national and regional experiences, and engaged in moderated discussions. The workshops provided an opportunity for participants to exchange good practices, lessons learned and provide guidance around a given subject area. The workshop Chairs will report to plenary on Thursday, 7 June.

Plenary
L-R: Co-chairs Satoru Nishikawa, Japan, and Maria Bilia, Tanzania, convened the session reporting to Plenary on Agenda Item 4.1.
Report of Agenda Item 4.1 to Plenary.
Makio Miyagawa, Japan, highlighted Japan’s support for the GP/DRR and support of other initiatives such as the International Consortium on Landslides.
Marie-Louise Overvad, Denmark discussed national, bilateral and multilateral DRR actions noting its efforts to mainstream DRR into other assistance programmes.
S.E. Mohamed Louhchki, Morocco, outlined national and local level activities within Morocco, such as a multisectoral platform for management of DRR.
Seyed Mohammad Hashemi, Deputy Minister of Development and Interior, Iran, noted the launch of the first regional seismic risk reduction center in Iran.
Motloheloa Phooko, Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Lesotho, outlined challenges facing Lesotho such as HIV/AIDS and impacts of climate change on weather patterns, and noted the development of its national platform for DRR.
National coordination mechanisms - National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction
L-R: Irmgard Schwaertzer, DKKV (German National Platform for DRR), and David Smith Wiltshire, CEPREDENAC, Guatemala, co-chaired the workshop on "National coordination mechanisms - National Platforms for DRR".
Dhar Chakrabarti, National Institute of Disaster Management, Government of India, explained how women are disproportionately affected by disasters, suffering more deaths and injuries, and called for women to be involved in DRR management at all levels.
S.M. Fatemi Aghda, Natural Disaster Research Institute of Iran, said Iran was improving seismic data to help prioritize action to improve buildings’ earthquake resilience.
Education for Disaster Risk Reduction and Safer Schools in Communities at Risk
Boniface Gambila Abagbila, Regional Minister of Upper East Region of Ghana, chaired the workshop on “Education for Disaster Risk Reduction and Safer Schools in Communities as Risk”.
Une De Reves, Panama, highlighted the need to ensure the most vulnerable sectors of society benefit from DRR.
Desmond Mudomi, Zimbabwe Red Cross, outlined education for DRR in Zimbabwe.
Incorporating Disaster Risk Reduction into Preparedness
Margareta Wahlstrom, OCHA, chaired the workshop on “Incorporating DRR into Preparedness”.
Line Urban, ECHO, said one of the challenges of humanitarian efforts was to strengthen, rather than substitute local response capacities.
Dorothy Francis, Jamaica Red Cross, explained that when linked with the right partners communities are able to manage their own risks and threats.
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