Concept Note: International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024
To achieve the goal of the Sendai Framework of reducing global disaster risks and losses, the theme of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2024, which falls on 13 October, will be on the role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. The theme is aligned with the upcoming Summit of the Future, planned for September 2024, where ‘youth and future generations’ will be one of its five priorities.
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024 calls on countries to harness the education sector to reduce the disaster risks of school-aged children, especially by investing in two key areas:
- Protect children and youth through safe schools and education facilities: children are entitled to be safe in their schools and this starts with ensuring schools are disaster-resilient and are part of disaster early warning systems.
- Empower children and youth to be safe through age-appropriate education to understand and act on the risks they face. This includes building their preparedness to take early action in response to early warnings. Empowered children become agents of change for more resilient communities.
- Endorse and implement the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2022-20303, developed by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), which is chaired by UNESCO and UNICEF.