WIP and UNISDR launch the WIP Working Council on disaster risk reduction

The Women in Parliaments Global Forum and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) have set up a WIP Working Council. Its purpose is to work with the recently adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which calls for Members of Parliaments to assist in its implementation at all levels.

The WIP Working Council was launched in Mexico City on the 8th of October, in the context of the WIP Mexico Summit 2015. Female Parliamentarians from Algeria, Burundi, Chile, Ecuador, Georgia, Honduras, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, Russia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Sweden and Thailand immediately signed up to participate.

The partnership with UNISDR is crucial for the WIP Working Council. UNISDR plays a key role in providing the expertise to address the reduction of disaster risk, a challenge that is shared by many countries. The key goal of the Sendai Framework is the substantial reduction of disaster risk, which will diminish the risk posed to the lives and well-being of people from across the globe. The reduction of disaster risk would also lessen the threat posed to the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of the businesses and communities of many different countries.

In the WIP Working Council, female Parliamentarians from all continents shared their experiences in dealing with natural disasters and the different policies on prevention and infrastructure that their respective Parliaments are preparing.

The WIP Working Councils have been created with the aim to address the leading topics in the global arena. They consist of select female MPs and invited experts from business, institutions and academia. The members of the WIP Working Councils meet annually at the WIP Global Summit, and virtually several times a year, to discuss ideas, exchange best practices, explore possibilities of a concrete political action and analyse steps undertaken.

The Women in Parliaments Global Forum invites female Parliamentarians to join the WIP Working Council on Disaster Risk Reduction. For more information, please send an email to [email protected]