RED CROSS RED CRESCENT SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISASTER
REDUCTION
The
International Federation today (Wednesday, October 8) marked International Day
for Disaster Reduction with a call for greater investment in reducing vulnerability
to disasters in least-developed countries.
"Disasters are on the rise and they continue to target the world's poorest
and least developed. In 2002 we saw more disasters than in any other year of
the preceding decade affecting over 600 million people. Of those killed in 2002
just 6% lived in countries of high human development. There must be greater
investment in disaster reduction rather than high-profile response efforts,"
said Abbas Gullet, director of disaster management at the International Federation.
The
International Federation based in Geneva also announced today that it is hosting
the ProVention Consortium, a global partnership of international organizations,
governments, academic institutions, private sector and civil society dedicated
to reducing the impact of disasters in developing countries. ProVention was
initially launched and hosted by the World Bank.
"There is a lack of political will to address the underlying causes of
vulnerability - to reduce risk before disaster strikes rather than reacting
afterwards. Disaster reduction saves lives and property in countries of high
human development like Japan where nobody died in a massive earthquake last
month that would have devastated towns in least-developed countries where there
is no money for risk reduction," said David Peppiatt, manager of the ProVention
Consortium secretariat.
Founded in 1919, the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest volunteer-driven, humanitarian organisation,
providing assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious
beliefs, class or political opinion, and promoting the humanitarian activities
of its 178 member National Societies among vulnerable people.
The Federation, the National Societies and the International
Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) together constitute the International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement, which here in Azerbaijan is represented by the delegations
of IFRC and ICRC, and the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society
(AzRC).
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