What is The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction?

The Platform (GP2022) is an annual conference which provides an avenue for organisations to share knowledge, discuss the latest developments and trends in reducing the risks of natural disasters and climate change, and push for progress. This year is the seventh session and will be organised by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Government of Indonesia from 23rd to 28th May 2022 in Bali, Indonesia.

Why is this important?

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare both how global inequalities and underlying challenges can cause huge disparities in the wake of a disaster, as well as the need for international cooperation and solidarity. 

Seven years on from the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the GP2022 will provide an opportunity to:

• evaluate progress;
• highlight good practices that have been adopted so far;
• emphasise the need for prevention and risk reduction approaches;
• and make key recommendations for policy makers.

This is absolutely vital if we are to reduce losses in lives, livelihoods and health, and achieve a sustainable future for all communities, everywhere.

What is the situation in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is one of the most natural disaster prone countries in the world. Located in the Himalayan Hindu Kush region, the country is highly mountainous and is affected by increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, drought, and extreme weather conditions. Decades of conflict,  instability and poverty mean that the country lacks the infrastructure and capacity to tackle the impacts of these natural disasters. Continue reading >>

What has Afghanaid been doing in this area?

Afghanaid leads a group of international NGOs operating in Afghanistan in a consortium called the Afghanistan Resilience Consortium (ARC), which supports Afghan communities to fight natural disasters and climate change.

Between 2015 and 2019, the ARC implemented a large-scale project supporting 705 communities across Afghanistan to reduce the risks of disasters in their local area. From 2019 to 2021, the ARC supported 245 communities to restore their local ecosystems and conserve water. This work not only reduced the risks posed by yearly flash floods, it also supported the communities to adapt to the changing climate, and reduce the likelihood of drought within their degraded mountain ecosystems. 

Supporting communities in Afghanistan to deliver climate action

Watch our video, A Source of Hope, to hear from people involved in this work and find out more:

Afghanaid at GP2022

We are looking forward to giving a presentation about climate action in Afghanistan, and sharing learnings from the ARC's work, on 26th May at the CP2022 Ignite Stage. The Ignite Stage provides an opportunity to highlight successful initiatives in disaster risk reduction and share ideas for good practice. You can see our section and browse others on the website, and our presentation will be available after the conference has ended.

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