Africa International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction Webinar

Background

THE SENDAI SEVEN CAMPAIGN in 2020

#ItsAllAboutGovernance #DRRday

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 13 October as International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress being made toward reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March 2015. In 2016, the UN Secretary-General launched "The Sendai Seven Campaign" to promote each of the seven targets over the seven years.

The 2020 target is Target E: “Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020” which lays the foundation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework and is closely linked with Priority for Action 2: “Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk.”

Africa’s Progress towards Target E

In Africa, countries have dedicated significant efforts to the design of DRR strategies aligned to the Sendai Framework and DRR mainstreaming into different policies. In Africa, at least, 19 countries[1] in Africa have validated DRR strategies or policies aligned to the Sendai Framework and 14 countries[2] are in progress of developing or validating their strategies. In general, a good level of alignment to the Sendai Framework is observed. As the Sendai Framework Monitor (SFM) reporting process continues, a more comprehensive picture of the DRR policy landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa will emerge.

Goal of the webinar: Identify advocacy opportunities to highlight how good disaster risk governance, planning and implementation leads to reduced numbers of people affected by disasters (especially in terms of mortality, injury, displacement and loss of livelihood).

Main Objectives of the webinar:

• Promote and encourage events at national and community level to mark implementation of the Sendai Framework with a focus on governance and Target E, highlighting challenges faced;
• Highlight achievements of selected countries and cities which have capacity to develop and implement integrated whole-of-society action on disaster risk reduction, including for hazards and biological risks such as COVID-19.

Key Messages:

• Good disaster risk governance depends on an adequate understanding of disaster risk and its increasingly systemic nature. 
• Good governance has clear direct impacts in reducing disaster losses and damages.   Multisectoral cooperation is a key element for effective disaster risk governance and real socio-economic development. Multisectoral engagement is a key element for protecting development efforts and ensuring resilience, continuity and efficiency of public administration;
• Countries that develop policy, legislative frameworks, and institutional architecture and associated investment vehicles for disaster risk reduction in line with the goal, targets and priorities for action of the Sendai Framework, have greater capacity to manage disaster risk;
• Plans and strategies must reflect the multidimensional, systemic nature of risk, if people and ecosystems are to be resilient;
• Disaster risk reduction must be included explicitly in national development plans and climate adaptation plans and budgets, across all parts of government to achieve a reduction of disaster risks;
• An all of society approach is key to achieve good governance and DRR.  National platforms are a key mechanism to operationalize an all of society approach that includes the private sector.

Some questions for partners to consider for promoting the day:

• Does your national strategy for disaster risk reduction have a clear vision supported by plans, the necessary competence, legislation, resources, guidance and coordination within and across sectors?
• Have you put in place organizational structures to implement the Sendai Framework or risk-informed sustainable development?
• Does your national strategy take a systemic view of risk and seek to strengthen economic, social, health and environmental resilience?
• Do your national and local strategies for disaster risk reduction take adequate account of biological, technological and environmental hazards and risks?
• Have you been able to establish and strengthen government coordination forums composed of relevant stakeholders at the national and local levels, such as national and local platforms for disaster risk reduction, and a designated national focal point for implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030?
• Are you addressing disaster risk in publicly owned, managed or regulated services and infrastructures?
• Do you include financial incentives, public awareness-raising and training initiatives?
• Do you report regularly on your activities and make use of the Sendai Framework Monitor?

Target audience:

• Representatives working on DRR from the Regional Economic Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and the African Union Commission
• Representatives of national disaster management authorities
• Representatives from UN agencies, international organisations and donors
• Representatives of NGO’s and civil society;
• Representatives of the private sector, academia and the scientific community.