International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022

The United Nations General Assembly has designated October 13th as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction. It also encourages people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nations.

The United Nations (UN) has set the theme “Access to early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments” for this day to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems within five years.

In 2022, the focus of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction will be on Target G of the Sendai Framework: “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.”

Many people around the world have lost their lives, homes, or access to critical services, such as hospitals due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, droughts, tsunamis, severe floods, hurricanes, or cyclones. The UN identifies that access to early warning systems can be an efficacious means of abetting people become better able to deal with natural disasters.

There can never be an entire abolition of disaster risk, but countries that design policy and legislative frameworks aligned with the Sendai Framework’s goals, targets, and priority actions will be better able to manage disasters and diminish the negative impacts of disasters.