Meeting: Kenya National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

In Kenya, disaster losses are increasingly becoming a threat to people’s lives and livelihoods with disaster risk accumulating rapidly overshadowing the Government’s efforts to build resilience and sustainability in most regions. The scale of vulnerability and exposure to hazards and the resulting demand for humanitarian assistance is on the rise and will continue to rise owing to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme climate and severe weather events being observed today.

The Government has taken several measures aimed at reducing loss of lives, livelihoods and properties arising from natural hazards and human induced disasters. These include the establishment of various institutional and legal mechanisms for dealing with disasters such as; the National Drought Management Authority (established after the 2011 drought); the National Disaster Operation Center; the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) all these supported by rapid response teams from the Kenya Defense Force (KDF); the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) to mention but a few. At the local level, the County Governments have incorporated disaster risk management into their County Integrated Development Plans (CIDP) and some have already established County Disaster Management policies and strategies.  The government is also at an advanced stage of developing its policy and legal frameworks for disaster risk management.

The National Platform will play a critical role in the operationalization of the Africa Programme of Action adopted by AU early this year. It will also offer an excelllent opportunity to examine the outcomes and recommendations from the 6th Session of the Africa Regional Platform for DRR (AfRP) and the 5th Global Platform for DRR.

National Platform meeting objectives

1. Review the progress and current status on disaster risk management at both the national and county levels based on the national Disaster Risk Reduction work plan (2016-2020);
2. Share and take stock of sector specific DRR/M activities;
3. Receive updates on drought situation in Kenya;
4. Receive updates on the country’s preparednessin the run-up to the upcoming General Elections including the business continuity plans;
5. Receive the outcome of the 5th Global platform for DRR;
6. Revisit Work plans for Sendai Framework Thematic areas working groups;
7. Share some best practice in mainstreaming gender in disaster risk reduction plans.

Expected outcomes

1. Recommendations and way forward in accelerating the implementation of Sendai Framework for Action in Kenya
2. Share knowledge on the current trends andpractices on DRR activities from various sectors
3. Plans for future activities of the National platform for DRR
4. Action plans to strengthen the integration of gender in the DRM plans