ActionAid’s Call for Action on The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Indonesia.

1. Since the last 2019 Global Platform on DRR the world has faced several large-scale and numerous small-scale crises and disasters including the ongoing covid19 pandemic and the rapidly worsening impacts of climate change. An estimated 274 million people will face hunger, conflict, and displacement as a result of climate change, disasters and covid19 related impacts in 20221. It is those that have done the least to contribute to these crises have been and will continue to face the most difficult challenges. Meanwhile, despite having knowledge and capacities to reduce the risk of disasters and manage crises, vulnerable communities are the ones with the least resources at their disposal and power in decision-making processes. This unfortunate reality MUST change.

2.The 7th session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), to facilitate transformational changes for disaster proofing the SDGs, must hold countries to account on their Sendai Framework commitments with specific timelines and actions in key areas in order to change the current scenario and achieve transformative resilience.

• Recognise the Covid19-conflict-climate-development nexus:The world’s context has changed drastically since the Sendai Framework for DRR was agreed in 2015. Climate change impacts have greatly intensified, and conflicts have increased. These trends coupled withCovid19 have set the world’s progress on the SDGs back by at least a decade. The causes and impacts of Covid19, climate change and conflicts are now inseparable and the GPDRR2022 must recognise the context that we are living in. Alongside this, the UNDRR and its stakeholders must commit to addressing the root causes of vulnerability driven by unequal and unjust power relations and ensure that all resilience efforts are people centered.
• Increase Public and private Finance for Disaster Risk Reduction:Investing in reducing risk is far more cost effective compared to responding humanitarian crises.Importantly, risk reduction efforts save lives, assets, and protect the livelihoods of those living in poverty. DRR is precondition to achieve the SDGs. It is therefore urgent that all global aid and trade investments are designed to reduce the risk of disasters and climate change. The GPDRR must facilitate a globalDRR financing mechanism that is supported by developed countries with strong assurance of accountability towards the communities living in the front line of crises and disasters.
• Advance the localisation agenda and shift power to the women and young people:the global humanitarian and development systems have been dominated by a colonial mindset, serving corporate interests and attitude driven by profit over people. The GPDRR2022must facilitate a power shift to conflict and crisis affected people, especially to women and young people living in poverty and exclusion.The governments and stakeholders must ensure that disaster risk decision making and implementation of DRR projects are led by those on the front lines of disasters and conflicts. It is critical the SFDRR review process actively promotes women’s leadership, particularly of young women, in locally led risk reduction efforts, conflict resolution and climate action in order to advance the transformative resilience agenda.

3.The Sendai Framework can only be achieved given that the financial commitments are scaled up and delivered, the shifting of power agenda is realised, accountability to the affected communities are ensured. Moving forward, while the SFDRR is under review, we call on all stakeholder to take this as opportunity adopt human-rights based approach in all resilience and DRR strategies and actions advancing the leadership of women and young people in all spaces. We also advocate that SFDRR to adopt principles such as ‘do no harm’ as well as establishes a clear pathways between all other global agreements that contributes to reduce disaster risks and building resilience.