International Disaster Reduction Day - 13 October

Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have inalienable rights in all circumstances - including disasters - and the right to participate in decisions that ultimately affect them. Today’s theme on International Disaster Reduction Day is ‘Children and Young People are Partners for Disaster Risk Reduction’.

Originally celebrated on the second Wednesday of October, in 2009 the UN General Assembly designated October 13 as the International Day for Disaster Reduction.

As more and more people suffer from earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and other natural hazards, children are most affected because they have difficulties in coping with unexpected and painful interruptions to their lives.

66.5 million children are affected annually by disasters.

Repeatedly portrayed as victims of disaster and climate change, children and young people can and should be encouraged to participate in disaster reduction and decision making.

This year’s Disaster Reduction Day is about Children and Young People as partners for Disaster Risk reduction (DRR).

…Let the world know what you're doing for the International Day for Disaster Reduction!

Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=219416678100999
Tweet hashtag #iddr11
Flickr photo tag #iddr11
YouTube video tag #iddr11

... Bringing out the voice of PARTNERS for disaster risk reduction!

In 2015, there's going to be a World Conference on Disaster Reduction. The Step Up initiative will be focusing on a different group of partners every year leading up to the World Conference for Disaster Reduction!

• Children and Young People in 2011
• Women in 2012
• Elderly in 2013
• Disabled in 2014

Additional Links:

UN-International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
http://www.unisdr.org/
http://www.twitter.com/unisdr
http://www.facebook.com/disaster.reduction
http://www.flickr.com/isdr
http://www.youtube.com/unisdr

What is Disaster Risk Reduction?
http://www.unisdr.org/who-we-are/what-is-drr

Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction
UNICEF, Plan International, World Vision and Save the Children (together as 'Children in a Changing Climate'), the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, OXFAM, and others, believe it is essential to include the unique perspectives of children and young people in disaster risk reduction (DRR).
http://www.unisdr.org/2011/iddr/#ajax5.htm

World Disaster Reduction Campaign 2010-2011 "Making Cities Resilient"
The campaign aims at getting Mayors, local governments and national authorities to take action towards making cities resilient as part of sustainable urbanization.
http://www.unisdr.org/english/campaigns/campaign2010-2015/

UN International Day for Disaster Reduction
http://www.un.org/en/events/disasterreductionday/

Preventionweb
http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/preventionweb

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

ReliefWeb

Edited: S. Robin & G. Cornwell