Participants at the Philippines national consultation pose for a picture

As part of the inception activities under the five-year program on “Building resilience through inclusive and climate-adaptive disaster risk reduction in Asia-Pacific” (BRDR), ADPC and the program partners – Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights (RWI) − organized regional and national consultations and meetings with a range of stakeholders in Thailand, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

The consultations were aimed at discussing the current state of disaster risk reduction (DRR) that integrates gender and human rights across all its components including risk assessment, information and data management, emergency preparedness, and mainstreaming disaster risk into development. The consultations also discussed the important ongoing initiatives that are being carried out by different stakeholders and identified potential entry points for the BRDR program to build on and maximize the impact over a longer period of time. All these inputs and suggestions would be integrated in the five-year work plan of the program.

In Manila, the Office of Civil Defense provided support in organizing the consultation. The participants deliberated on the resilience agenda of the country and suggested a number of useful options for the BRDR program to consider its implementation phase.

Mr. Aslam Pervaiz, ADPC"s Deputy Executive Director, introducing the BRDR program at the Nepal national consultation

Similarly, participants in Kathmandu were of the view that the government should place a heavier emphasis on integrating gender concerns in its disaster risk management and climate change adaptation policies and programs. Senior officials, from the Ministry of Home Affairs of Nepal, shared the details of the new system and structure of disaster management in the country and assured participants of making the whole process inclusive. In Port Moresby, ADPC discussed with key stakeholders different options that may be implemented jointly.

The Swedish Government has supported the BRDR program, which seeks to enhance regional cooperation on DRR with a focus on promoting women leadership and mainstreaming gender and human rights aspects in DRR in the region.