3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk ReductionFor inclusion of disability perspectives in disaster prevention

Over 1,600 persons with disabilities lost their lives in the Great East Japan Earthquake, which was twice the mortality rate of the victims as a whole. In addition, international measures from 2005 to 2015, under the Hyogo Framework for Action, make hardly any reference to people with disabilities.

At the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, The Nippon Foundation will provide support for people with disabilities, including arrangements for inclusive design and ensuring access to information, such as through sign language interpreters. Further, via the main conference and related events, the foundation will also emphasize the importance both domestically and internationally of including disability perspectives in disaster prevention.

The following is information on the related sessions.

1. Main Conference – Proactive Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Inclusive DRR for All

In order to emphasize the importance of including persons with disabilities in preparing for disasters on both a domestic and international scale, The Nippon Foundation, beginning in 2012, has held international conferences in Incheon, South Korea; Geneva, Switzerland; New York, US; Rikuzentakata City and Sendai City, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; on the issue of global disaster prevention for persons with disabilities, and lobbying by NGOs to international organizations and governments worldwide. This has led to a session focusing on persons with disabilities being held for the first time at this 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Organizer United Nations
Venue Exhibition Hall 1, Sendai International Center
Date 16:00 - 17:30 on 17 March (Tuesday)
Program Opening Speech (Yohei Sasakawa, The Nippon Foundation Chairman)
Panel Discussion
Call for international partnerships to work on disability inclusiveness in regional disaster prevention and the implementation of the post-Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA2)

2. Public Forum – Post-2015 Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Building Resilient Society through the Whole-community Approach including Persons with Disabilities

This forum is being held to discuss post-2015 inclusive DRR how persons with disabilities can be included in the post-2015 framework. In times of disaster, persons with disabilities do not need to be viewed as vulnerable and can, through participation in disaster prevention planning and evacuation drills and living, contribute to building a resilient society. Panelists including deaf MEP Adam Kosa will appear.

Organizer The Nippon Foundation, Sendai City, Sendai City Welfare Association for the Disabled, Tohoku Fukushi University
Venue Hall B, TKP Garden City Sendai (1-3-1 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi)
Date 09:30 - 15:00 on 17 March
Program
09:30 - 12:00
Part 1 – Recommendations for Disability Inclusive Urban Disaster Prevention
13:00 - 15:00
Part 2 – Community Plan for Inclusive Disaster Prevention

Please see the attached for information on related events.

Contact

Public Relations Section, Communications Department
The Nippon Foundation

E-mail
cc@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp