We need to build community resilience to disasters globally

18Oct 2021
Editor
Editorial
The Guardian
We need to build community resilience to disasters globally

A disaster is a serious problem occurring over a short or long period of time that causes widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits – more than 95 per cent of all deaths caused by hazards occur in developing countries, and losses due to natural hazards are 20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries.  No matter what society disasters occur in, they tend to induce change in government and social life. They may even alter the course of history by broadly affecting entire populations and exposing mismanagement or corruption regardless of how tightly information is controlled in a society.

The United Nations General Assembly designated the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.   Its basic objective was to decrease the loss of life, property destruction and social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, droughts, locust infestations, and other disasters of natural origin. An International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, beginning on 1 January 1990, was launched by the United Nations, following the adoption of resolution.    The decade was intended to reduce, through concerted international action, especially in developing countries, loss of life, property damage and social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters. To support the activities of the decade, a Secretariat was established at the United Nations Office in Geneva, in close association with UNDRO.

The International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) is an international day that encourages every citizen and government to take part in building more disaster-resilient communities and nations. The United Nations General Assembly designated October 13 as the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction as part of its proclamation of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.  

In 2002, by a further resolution, the General Assembly decided to maintain the annual observance as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.  

In 2009, the UN General Assembly decided to designate October 13 as the official date for this day, and also changed the name to International Day for disaster reduction.  

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