When heavy rain pours down or the ground starts to shake, this is the first thought that usually goes through someone's mind: "Will my family be safe?". Age, physical and mental health, mobility and social norms are important factors to consider for the wellbeing of all household members during a disaster.

This year's observance of International Day of Families focuses on the impacts of new technologies on the well-being of families and follows-up on the theme of the 59th session of the Commission for Social Development “Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all.”

In this context, ADPC commemorates International Day of Families 2021 by raising awareness on the importance of family disaster risk reduction and emergency plans by showcasing some of its notable contributions to this cause over the years. Start your interactive journey below by clicking on the postcards to rotate and reveal more information!

Last year, ADPC hosted a webinar on ‘Mental Health in Emergencies: Greater Investment, Greater Access’ to learn from other sectors and countries’ approaches in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 428 participants tuned in to hear from panelists which included government officials, UN agencies, academia, employer federations and private sector. Click here to read more and watch the full webinar.

Through its Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia project, ADPC recently organized its second 'Climate Talks' panel discussion on the topic of 'Applying a gender lens to climate actions: why it matters'.

The panel discussion brought together experts from across the South Asia region to discuss the importance of gender mainstreaming when it comes to climate change. Click here to read the full policy brief that showcases the speakers' reflections and click here to watch the highlights of the panel discussion.

Through its Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP) program, ADPC in 2019 captured individual stories of change by APP national chapters in each country to highlight how their interventions have benefited different communities at large.

In this particular case study, Ms. Eunice Janolino at the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd) recalls her training on rights-based humanitarian response conducted by APP’s national chapter and notes the important role that parental support plays in protecting families against disasters. Read her full impact story here.

In 2018, ADPC organized a ‘Know Disaster, No Disaster’ camp to teach over 200 students in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand about emergency preparedness. Notable activities included putting out fires using extinguishers, transporting injured persons, rescuing a drowning person and packing a 72-hour survival kit in case of emergencies.

The camp aimed to encourage student participation in building disaster awareness and resilience in their communities and pass on lessons learned to family. Read more about the camp’s success here.

In 2018, ADPC published ‘Stories from the field: Featuring ADPC's widespread work across the region’ that features a collection of stories across Asia and the Pacific and beyond.

This booklet not only showcases ADPC’s extensive work to achieve its vision of safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction, but also governments’ commitment, partners’ support, and the courage of people in disaster-prone nations.

Click here to read inspirational accounts from fighting fires and overcoming gender stereotypes in Bangladesh and safeguarding children and their families against disasters in China and everything in between.