Policy makers and international agencies are currently negotiating the successor to the international agreement to reduce disaster risk – the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) – which is due to be agreed at Sendai, Japan in March 2015. The successor framework for the Millennium Development Goals will be defined on a similar timeframe. As we edge closer to 2015, we have an unprecedented opportunity to lock in a favourable and multifaceted international policy landscape for tackling disaster risk worldwide.

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) are jointly hosting a new event series titled Rethinking International Policy for Reducing Disaster Risk. The series examines some of the more thorny issues involved in renegotiating the Hyogo Framework for Action, including public private partnerships, use of risk assessments, fragile states and conflict, effective governance for DRR, among others. Events will be held at ODI and at key international DRR conferences in 2014. On 25th November 2014 from 15.30 – 17.00, we are organising an event on Vulnerability, inclusion and empowerment: recommendations for the post-2015 framework for DRR in which we are also pleased to launch a briefing paper by Emma Lovell  and Virginie le Masson.

Find further details including a post-event video (from 27th Nov) on ODI's website now.

The briefing paper further develops the vulnerability and inclusion dimensions that were part of the report The future framework for disaster risk reduction: a guide for decision-makers  (Module 4). It particularly addresses the following topics:

·         Marginalised groups are more likely to suffer from disasters
·         Disasters exacerbate vulnerabilities and social inequalities
·         Vulnerable groups should be included in DRR as active agents of change for resilience to be effective and equitable
·         Vulnerable groups tend to be excluded from DRR decision-making, thus making them even more vulnerable to the impacts of disaster

The paper complements the guide and attempts to move the debate beyond the sole idea that vulnerable groups need to be included within DRR policy. Through promoting the socio-economic and cultural inclusion, as well as the political recognition of marginalised people, this paper provides examples of where their participation as active agents of change has proven beneficial for achieving effective and equitable resilience. This evidence will support recommendations for the inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable groups within the post-2015 framework for DRR.

The event will be chaired by Tom Mitchell, Head of Climate Change at ODI, with the aim of coming up with recommendations for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. If you would like to register to attend, please see here.

Chair:
Tom Mitchell – Head of Climate Change, Overseas Development Institute

Panel:
Emma Lovell, Research Officer, Overseas Development Institute

Poverty:
Hugh MacLeman, Special Advisor of the British Red Cross’s International Director, British Red Cross (Confirmed)

Gender:
Dr. Maureen Fordham, Enterprise Fellow Principal Lecturer in Disaster Management at Northumbria University and founding members of the Gender and Disaster Network (Confirmed)

Age:
Nick Hall, Head of DRR and CCA, Save the Children  (Confirmed)
Claire Harris, Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Adviser, HelpAge (Confirmed)

Disability:
Annie Patri, Project Coordinator and Acting Domain Coordinator DRM, India Programme & Regional Projects/Asia, Handicap International (confirmed)

Ethnic groups:
Dr. Jake Rom Cadag, Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, who has done his PhD on ethnicity and participatory DRR (confirmed)