Ban Ki-moon Message on the International Day for Natural Disater Reduction 2012

Secretary-General's Message for 2012

 This year’s observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction seeks to highlight the need for women and girls to be at the forefront of reducing risk and managing the world’s response to natural hazards. Across the world, women and girls are using their roles within families and communities to strengthen risk reduction. In Bangladesh, women organized themselves to prepare for and respond to floods by teaching other women how to build portable clay ovens and elevate houses.

 In South Africa, marginalized adolescent girls have been empowered to help design plans to reduce the impact of drought and severe wind storms.


 In the Bolivian altiplano, indigenous women have consolidated traditional agricultural and climatic knowledge, which resulted in significant reduction of crop losses from hail, frost and flooding.

 In Viet Nam, villagers have been introduced to disaster reduction issues through customized radio soap operas that incorporate real-life examples and stories from local women.

And following the tsunami and earthquake in Fukushima, Japan, women played a central role in re-establishing income opportunities, with a special focus on single mothers. Such efforts advance understanding of how communities can benefit from encouraging women to take leadership roles in disaster risk reduction, and will only become more valuable as climate change intensifies and as the world struggles to cope with extreme weather and disasters that affect an average of more than 200 million people annually

. On this International Day for Disaster Reduction, let us recognize that, as the theme of this year’s observance declares, women and girls are the “[in]Visible Force of Resilience”.

 Ban Ki-moon

Here are some essential steps that you can take to prepare for disasters

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Preparing for Disaster

Image from UNOCHA and UNDP's "Act now, save later" clip. Watch it here: www.actnowsavelater.org

Here are some essential steps that you can take to prepare for disasters:

1. Build an Emergency Supply Kit and include non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries, sanitary items, shoes and clothing as well as other items you might need. 
2. Make a Family Emergency Plan. Agree how you will contact one another, how you will find each other and what you will do in case of an emergency.
3. Volunteer to support disaster efforts in your community, be part of the community planning process.
   
4. Join or start a preparedness project. Serve your community by improving the preparedness of your friends, colleagues and neighbors.
5. Support major disasters by donating cash or goods that are needed.
   
6. Duplicate your important documents and keep an extra copy offsite either in a safety deposit box or with someone you trust. Examples of these documents are: passport, driver's license, social security card, will, deeds, financial statements, prescriptions, personal items, etc. Include an inventory of your valuables, in writing and with photographs or video.
   
7. Get the latest information from your local news stations and follow instructions given by local emergency management officials.
8. Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone.
   
9. Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate
10. Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.
11. If you are a tourist, familiarize yourself with local tsunami evacuation protocols. You may be able to safely evacuate to the 3rd floor and higher.
    
12. Prepare for landslides by following proper land-use procedures.
13. In mudflow areas, build channels or deflection walls to direct the flow around buildings.
    
14. Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of your house.
     

Latest News from our efforts to prevent crisis worldwide

• 13 Oct: International Day for Disaster Reduction
• 09 Oct: Asian women peace activists honored for their work in the frontlines of conflict
• 01 Oct: Brazil to host the 10th edition of the Match Against Poverty, featuring Ronaldo, Zidane and other football stars
• 28 Sep: United Nations and partners commit to building disaster resilience
• 27 Sep: Continued democratic reforms, international support key to Kyrgyzstan’s future
• 24 Sep: Haitian Prime Minister and NGO representatives, including Sean Penn, outline a new roadmap for Haiti

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World Disaster Reduction Campaign

Get involved:

 Showcase what women and girls are doing to contribute to disaster resilience.

 Organize public events to increase understanding of gender concerns in DRR processes.

Lobby national and local governments as well as community leaders and decision makers, academia, and international organizations to 'Step Up'.

Mobilize the public at large to demand changes to the socio-cultural/political framework that exacerbates the exclusion of women and their vulnerabilities.

Encourage men and boys to get involved.

Think Big - Gender equality and risk reduction principles must guide all aspects of disaster mitigation, response and reconstruction.

Get The Facts - Gender analysis is needed to direct aid and plan for full and equitable recovery. Nothing in disaster work is "gender neutral."

Work With Women - Women's community organizations have insight, information, experience, networks, and resources vital to increasing disaster resilience.

 Resist Stereotypes -
Base all initiatives on knowledge of difference and specific cultural, economic, political, and sexual contexts, not on false generalities.

 Respect and develop the capacities of women and girls.