To find out more please check out the press release.
Background
Together with the World Health Organization Sasakawa Health Prize and the UN Environment Programme Sasakawa Environment Prize, the United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction is one of the three prestigious prizes established in 1986 by the founding Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa. The United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction is awarded to an individual or institution that has made active efforts to reduce disaster risk in their community and advocates for disaster risk reduction.
Theme
The central theme for the Sasakawa Award 2022 is “Building resilience through a multi-hazard approach.” Since the 2019 Sasakawa Award, the world has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic, a global disaster of epic proportions, continues to affect millions of people, with devastating economic and social impact. Compounded by climate change, ecosystem degradation, and a range of other risk drivers, the crisis has shown how inter-connected disaster impacts cascade across geographies and sectors. We live in a multi-hazard world where disasters are affecting everyone, while exacerbating existing inequalities and disproportionally affecting the most vulnerable people. Managing complex and interconnected risks is a pressing global challenge of today.
Disasters, economic loss, and the underlying vulnerabilities that drive risk, such as poverty and inequality, are increasing just as ecosystems and biospheres are at risk of collapse. Ecologies, food systems, supply chains, economies, and social services; virtually all global systems are becoming more connected and therefore vulnerable in an uncertain risk landscape. The Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction cannot be reached without accelerated action to build resilience to these multi-dimensional systemic risks.
The Sasakawa Award focuses on the promotion of inclusive and resilient approaches in disaster risk reduction, reflecting the centrality of inclusiveness and resilience in the Sendai Framework. The 2022 Sasakawa Award will honor practices and efforts made by institutions, individuals and groups that have best contributed to building resilience through a multi-hazard approach. The theme is aligned with the 2022 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction which will put the spotlight on Global Sendai Target G of the Sendai Framework (“substantially increase the availability of and access to multi‑hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to the people by 2030”).
What does this Award recognize?
The Sasakawa Award will recognize selected candidates (individuals, groups, organizations, local authorities, etc.) through an award accompanied by a grant. The Award promotes importance of a more people-centered preventive approach to disaster risk, as well as inclusive and accessible disaster risk reduction practices, in line with the Sendai Framework.
Who can be nominated?
Candidates should be among individuals or groups who are already working in the field of disaster risk reduction and are able to present their achievements. However, future activities and visions will also be taken into consideration in the selection process. In addition to recognizing individuals or groups for their achievements, the Sasakawa Award also seeks to encourage and support to continue their good work with the grant and the visibility it brings.
It is possible to nominate an individual or an institution such as a community group, civil society organization, government agency at local or national level, NGO or private sector entity for this Award. Previous winners cannot be nominated again; and a nominator cannot nominate him/herself ororganization where nominator works.
Candidates are advised to have had some engagement with UNDRR-related processes or initiatives, such as the National Platforms, Regional Platforms and Global Platforms, Making Cities Resilient Initiative, and the voluntary commitments by relevant stakeholders and others.
We accept nomination letters from:
- Former United Nations Sasakawa Award Laureates.
- Individuals that are part of the UNDRR thematic platforms and other networks and campaigns(this may include national or local government officials, NGOs, academic institutions, the private sector, regional organizations and those who took part in sessions of the Global Platform for Disaster RiskReduction, Regional Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction, Making Cities Resilient).
- Representatives of institutions dealing with disaster prevention and mitigation, including government, local level actors, civil society and academia.
- United Nations agencies, funds and programmes and United Nations resident coordinators.
- Permanent Missions to United Nations offices around the world.
Awards
The winners of the Sasakawa Award receive a prize, in most cases accompanied by a grant. The amount of the grant shall be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Key dates
- 7 February 2022: Official start of the Sasakawa Award nomination process
- 6 March 2022: Final deadline for receiving nominations
- March - April 2022: Evaluation process
- May 2022: Winner(s) announced at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
Criteria
Selection of the Jury members will be based on the diversity principles reflecting geographical, gender and stakeholder balance. Jury members will focus on evidence of concrete performance and material advances, rather than on new ideas of which origins and impacts are difficult to demonstrate already. When evaluating the received nominations, the jury will be assessing candidates against the following criteria:
- Demonstration of a multi-hazard approach
- Level of inclusiveness and equality
- Degree of innovation and sustainability
- Enhancement of community empowerment
- Improvement of social protection measures
- Reduction of exposure to hazards
- Coherence generation between several domains, groups, operations, other normative frameworks
- Potential for scaling up
- Relevance for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Contribution to analysis and understanding of multi-hazard approach
Prize-giving ceremony
The prize will be awarded at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will take place in May 2022 in Bali, Indonesia.
Short listed candidates
We are very excited to announce that after many deliberations the Jury has finalized their decision on the shortlisted candidates.
In the "Individual" category, shortlisted candidates are Mr. Ben Fredrick Regner Rodriguez, Mr. Glen Suerte Felipe Banaguas, Ms. Myriam Urzúa Venegas, Mr. Rajib Shaw, and Ms. Tahira Afrasiyab.
In the "Organization" category, shortlisted candidates are Atullya Foundation Pvt. Ltd; Cyclone Preparedness Program; Pacific Disaster Center; Save the Children Philippines; Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS).
We will announce the winners at the Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 ceremony. Please join us for the ceremony that will take place during the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction on 25 May at 7:30 PM at Nusa Dua Hall. A reception will be organized at 7:00 PM prior to the Ceremony, outside of the Nusa Dua Hall. We are cordially inviting all GP20222 attendants to join it. More details are available here.