A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

6Living with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiativesment, natural disaster reduction and riskmanagement. It adopted a number ofrecommendations some of which were lateradopted by the commission.Experts recommended, in particular, tosystematically include hazard pronenessand gender-based vulnerabilities in environmentalimpact assessments. They alsoreiterated the importance of women'sparticipation in decision-making in publicadministration and in governmental structuresat all levels.Experts also highlighted the necessity tointroduce a gender perspective into theongoing research on the relationshipbetween climate, natural hazards, disasterand related environmental vulnerability.They stressed the need to use gender-sensitiveindices and indicators and furtherpointed out the need to develop instrumentsfor including gender analysis in localdisaster risk management.The Commission on the Status of Womenin 2002 also called for the integration ofgender perspectives in the implementationof all policy documents and treaties relatedto sustainable development and in thereview of the implementation of the YokohamaStrategy for a Safer World.Email: daw@un.orgWeb:www.un.org/womenwatch/dawThe Habitat agendaMore vulnerable cities…As more and more people move to cities, the pressure on theland increases. Often, the poorest end up in badly-builthousing in high density areas on marginal land such asexposed coastal areas, river deltas and steep slopes. Theseare the same areas likely to have the poorest supply ofwater, the most rudimentary sewage disposal, and wheregovernment is least likely to enforce safety standards. Theseare the places where, in the event of a disaster, the rescuerswill find it hardest to get to.The Habitat agenda was defined during the SecondUnited Nations Conference on Human Settlements in Istanbul,1996. It includes a series of commitments and guidingprinciples for sustainable cities. Most disasters arecaused by vulnerabilities created by human action such asuncontrolled or inadequately planned human settlements,lack of basis infrastructure and the occupation of disasterprone areas. The most efficient and effective disasterpreparedness systems are usually provided at the neighborhoodlevel through volunteer contributions and localauthority actions. Specific actions are required at theappropriate levels of central government and localgovernments in close coordination with the private sectorand all community groups.UN HABITAT takes actions in improving disastermanagement in human settlements by working with partnersthat include local governments, insurance companies,NGOs and the academic, health and scientificcommunity. The goal is to adopt appropriate norms forland use, building and planning standard.298Chapter III - Commitments ….Sustainable human settlements"We commit ourselves to the goal of sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world by developingsocieties that will make efficient use of resources within the carrying capacity of ecosystems and take intoaccount the precautionary principle approach, and by providing all people, in particular those belonging tovulnerable and disadvantaged groups, with equal opportunities for a healthy, safe and productive life inharmony with nature and their cultural heritage and spiritual and cultural values ….." "Preventing manmadedisasters, including major technological disasters, by ensuring adequate regulatory and other measuresto avoid their occurrence, and reducing the impacts of natural disasters and other emergencies on humansettlements, inter alia, through appropriate planning mechanisms and resources for rapid, people-centredresponses that promote a smooth transition from relief, through rehabilitation, to reconstruction and development,taking into account cultural and sustainable dimensions; and rebuilding disaster-affected settlementsin a manner that reduces future disaster-related risks and makes the rebuilt settlements accessible toall" Extract from the Habitat Agenda, Istanbul 1996.In the five-year follow up review of the Habitat Agenda in 2001, renewed commitment to engage in disasterpreparedness and risk reduction was stated.