International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2023

IOM Director General Amy E. Pope's Message on International Disaster Risk Reduction Day

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is celebrated on the 13th of October to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction (DRR). It aims to raise awareness and call for citizens and governments to take part in building more disaster-resilient communities and nations.

This year's campaign is celebrated under the theme "Fighting inequality for a resilient future" and takes place after the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030, where the UN General Assembly in May 2023 adopted a political declaration to accelerate action to strengthen disaster resilience. This year, IDDRR continues to align with the Sendai Framework in exploring the reciprocal relationship between disasters and inequality. Inequality and disaster vulnerability are two sides of the same coin: Unequal access to services leaves the most at risk further exposed to the danger of disasters; while disaster impacts exacerbate inequalities and push the most vulnerable  further into poverty.

The IDDRR is a reminder that the international community must mobilize international action to address inequality and poverty, and limit the impact of disasters, including displacement. IOM is committed to working together with communities to strengthen their resilience to the impacts of disasters and climate change.

IOM stands with UNDRR and our partners in promoting the following key messages for the 2023 IDDRR:

• Poverty, inequality and discrimination are causes and consequences of growing disaster risk. 

• Inequality creates the conditions that render people exposed and vulnerable to disasters. Disasters also disproportionately impact the poorest and most at risk people, thus worsening inequality. Reducing vulnerability to disasters requires addressing these dimensions.

• By 2030, with current climate projections, the world will face some 560 disasters per year. An additional estimated 37.6 million people will be living in conditions of extreme poverty due to the impacts of climate change and disasters by 2030. A “worst case” scenario of climate change and disasters will push an additional 100.7 million into poverty by 2030.

• We can curb the destructive power of hazards—in other words, stop them from turning into disasters—through careful and coordinated planning that is designed to reduce people’s exposure and vulnerability to harm. 

• Greater investments are needed in the collection and use of disaggregated data, both to better understand disproportionate disaster impacts and exposure, and to inform resilience-building plans. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction can be found here.

More information can be found on https://iddrr.undrr.org/