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1: End Poverty in all its forms everywhere

1.1: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day.

1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.

1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.

1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance.

1.5: By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.

2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.

2.2: By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.

2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.

2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.

2.5: By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed.

3: Ensure health lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.

3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.

3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.

3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.

3.6: By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.

3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.

3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes

4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere

5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation

5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate

5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life

5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences

6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through trans-boundary cooperation as appropriate

6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.

7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all

7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services

7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7 per cent gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries

8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors

8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services

8.4: Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead

8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value

8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms

8.8: Protect labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment

8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

8.10: Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all

9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.2: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.3: Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.

10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

10.1: By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average

10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality

10.5: Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations

10.6: Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions

10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies

11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons

11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations

11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities

12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

12.1: Implement the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries

12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

12.7: Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

14.4: By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

14.6: By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

14.7: By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and dry-lands, in line with obligations under international agreements

15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

15.4: By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

15.6: Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

15.7: Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

16.4: By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime

16.5: Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

16.8: Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

16.9: By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration

16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Finance

17.1: Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

17.2: Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

17.4: Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

17.5: Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

Technology

17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

17.7: Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favorable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

17.8: Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

Capacity-Building

17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

Trade

17.10: Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

17.11: Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

17.12: Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

Systemic issues

Policy and Institutional coherence

17.13: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

17.15: Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development

Multi-stakeholder partnerships

17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Data, monitoring and accountability

17.18: By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

17.19: By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

Stakeholders

The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet:

People

To end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment.

Planet

To protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.

Prosperity

To ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.

Peace

To foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development.

Partnership

To mobilize the means required to implement this Agenda through a revitalized Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders and all people.

Major Groups and other stakeholders

It is a well-established principle that sustainable development cannot be achieved by governments alone, it requires the active participation of all people. The Major Groups, representing key sectors of society, help channel the engagement of citizens, economic and social actors, and expert practitioners in United Nations intergovernmental processes related to sustainable development.

These Major Groups are formalized into nine sectors of society as the main channels through which broad participation would be facilitated. The nine sectors are, Women, Children and Youth, Indigenous Peoples, Non-Governmental Organizations, Local Authorities Workers and Trade Unions, Business and Industry, Scientific and Technological Community, and Farmers.

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Sustainable Development Goals 

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Throughout history, opportunities and connections attracted people to cities. But today, with the added pressures of rapid urbanization and climate change, urban residents are facing increasing disaster risks. As a growing proportion of the population lives in cities, it is critical to build strengthen urban resilience and ensure that city inhabitants are prepared for the increasing and changing shocks they face.

As more and more people live in cities, urban disaster preparedness is crucial to ensure safety and well-being of urban residents. Mumbai, India. Photo: © Simone D. McCourtie / World Bank

Urban preparedness in the context of raising disaster and climate risks

Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, and the urban population continues to rise by about 1.4 million people every week. By 2050, it is projected that more than two-thirds of the world population will live in urban areas. According to the UN, developing countries in Asia and Africa will account for 90% of the population growth, with majority of the growth happening in small and medium size cities.

This rapid urban growth often leads to newcomers, poor and marginalized communities, settling in hazardous area, characterized by limited access to basic services, exclusion from governance and protection systems, and insecurities due to lack of property rights and sustainable livelihoods. The COVID-19 pandemic, which took greater toll on urban areas, highlighted that the poor and marginalized are usually affected the most in terms of health and socio-economic impacts.

Many cities around the world lack the proper infrastructure and resilient systems to withstand hazards and disasters, making vulnerable communities even more susceptible to environmental, social, and economic shocks. Women, minority groups, refugees, and internally displaced people (IDPs) may face additional inequalities due to climate change, subsequent resource scarcity, and inability to influence household mitigation measures in certain cultures.

Poor and marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters in urban areas as they tend to live in cities’ most hazardous areas. Photo: © Helkin Rene Diaz / IFRC

Coastal cities and sea level rise

By 2050, over 800 million people, living in 570 cities, could be at risk from sea level rise if emissions don't decrease. Coastal communities face threats from extreme weather events like hurricanes, storms, tsunamis, and floods, as well as long-term risks like erosion, salinization, and sea level rise. According to the IPCC's August 2021 report, if coastal communities don't adapt, the risk of flooding will increase by 2–3 orders of magnitude, reaching catastrophic levels by the end of the century.

Coastal cities play a crucial role in economic growth as they often are centers of tourism, transportation, and finishing. While sharing many of the hazards and climate risks with inland cities, they face some unique challenges, which requires a more integrated approach between urban planning and ecosystem management (coastal management).

Coastal cities, like South Kalimantan in Indonesia, face increasing disaster risks due to climate change and rising sea level.

Urban heat island

Due to the heat island effect, groups such as the elderly, people living in slums and informal settlements, outdoor workers, people with pre-existing health conditions are increasingly affected by the extreme heat caused by the climate change. To reduce near- and long-term risks, it is important to take proactive actions such as strengthening early warning systems, developing heat action planning, urban greening, and urban planning.

Cities often have high levels of poverty and vulnerability, where crisis is regarded as a new normality and ‘living with risk’ becomes a part of daily life for many communities. The large scale, together with the complex economic, social and political processes that unfold in cities, makes persisting humanitarian support both necessary and complicated.

Urban Action Kit

The Urban Action Kit is a quick-start, low-cost, do-it-yourself guide to urban resilience activities that will increase local actors' visibility and engagement on urban issues.

Read More

The Red Cross Approach to Urban Preparedness

RCRC National Societies already have branches and millions of volunteers in cities and towns providing services such as first aid trainings, blood donation, and community disaster preparedness. As the disaster landscape is rapidly urbanizing, many National Societies have been exploring new areas and ways of working in urban areas ranging from building social cohesion among refugees and host communities to community-based waste management and setting up city resilience coalitions to tackle priority risks in cities. What we have learned from these experiences leads us to overarching features of urban context to inform our approach and operational framework. These are:

• Cities are complex systems. There are many interrelated, co-existing formal and informal networks, diverse communities and a much larger range of actors making decisions and taking actions. There are also a multitude of “communities of identity” that often overlap (e.g. people can be part of different networks religious, professional, or family networks) in cities.

• A lack of adequate and reliable access to basic services, when coupled with exposure to hazards and limited economics means, is one of the most important determinants of vulnerability in cities. Access is controlled and enabled by laws and policies, as well as culture and social norms, during disaster and non-disaster times for formal and informal systems in cities.

• The complexity of urban environments requires repeated engagement with a larger, more diverse group of stakeholders and partners and over longer periods to build relationships to ensure the sustainability of the interventions.

• Many of the hazards, risks and vulnerabilities that communities face in cities and towns cannot be fully mapped or understood without a city scale perspective. Similarly, community-based resilience efforts will not have the desired impact unless they are linked to city level key stakeholders, most prominently the local governments and municipal authorities.

• Urban disasters and crises intrinsically are fluid and dynamic; the changing level of severity and needs and the unfolding of new vulnerabilities demand that response capacities and preparedness plans be flexible and allow for complementarity and redundancies.

• Understanding of inter-linkages with rural and peri-urban areas and reflecting those in the action plans are critical. Urban areas do not exist in isolation, and disasters do not have administrative boundaries. Cities often serve larger catchment areas in the surrounding areas.

More on the topic:

IFRC Urban Resilience

Urban Collaboration Platform

Urban Resilience Toolkit

How Can Communities Prepare For Heatwaves?

Anticipatory Humanitarian Assistance in the Urban Context

IFRC Urban Resilience

Urban Collaboration Platform

The post Urban Preparedness appeared first on PrepareCenter.

Coronavirus COVID-19

Cold Wave (Dzud)

Communicable Disease

Drought

Earthquake

Flood

Heat Wave

House Fire

Hurricane Typhoon Cyclone

Landslide

Nuclear Radiological

Technological Emergency

Thunderstorm

Tornado

Tsunami

Volcano

Wildfire

The post Hazard appeared first on PrepareCenter.

The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a new strain of coronavirus first found in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses found in both animals and humans. Some infect people and are known to cause illness ranging from a cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

As the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and related deaths continues to rise, so does the need for awareness and preparedness actions in cities, communities, households and businesses across the world. Using an "all of community” approach, the goal is to slow the transmission of COVID-19, reducing illness and death, while minimizing social and economic impacts. There are still some things we don’t know about the virus, but there are many actions we can take to prevent transmission.

Household

If an outbreak occurs

• Stay home if you are sick to avoid infecting others
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Practice good coughing etiquette (cough into your sleeve/elbow, or disposable tissue, not your hand).
• Seek medical care early if you or your family member has a fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
• Call your doctor or health provider before coming to the clinic. You should also call if you have traveled to an area where the COVID-19 virus has been reported.
• If caring for a sick person: - Use barriers such as a face mask and gloves to reduce your risk of getting sick.
• Disinfect reusable supplies that are used to care for sick people.

Useful COVID-19 Resources for Families

Tips on Social distancing, quarantine and isolation during a disease outbreak

Coping with stress during the COVID-19 outbreak

UNICEF Tips - How to talk to your kids about coronavirus

American Red Cross Tips for Caring for someone with COVID-19

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Workplace

Businesses play a key role in epidemic preparedness in communities.

Some Useful Resources for Businesses:

• The Atlas: Ready for Business mobile app helps you to plan and prepare using a tailored crisis and recovery plan for your business. Download the app today! Android / iOS

• Getting your workplace ready (WHO)
• UNDRR COVID-19 Small Business Continuity Toolkit
• US Chamber of Commerce
• US Small Business Administration - Emergency Preparedness
• Organize a virtual event - Platforms recommendations

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Community Organization

WHO Country & Technical Guidance on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Critical preparedness, readiness and response actions (WHO)

Responding to community spread of COVID-19 (WHO) 

IFRC Online Course: Coronavirus - Basic Knowledge and Prevention Measures

Up-to-date case information from Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center - Useful for Public Health and Disaster practitioners

IFRC Communications Resources (Infographics)

Unicef Guidance for safe schools & children

What do I need to know? THE BASICS

Transmission

A healthy person can get the virus through close contact with an infected person. “Close contact” means physically touching them, touching items they have used or coughed/sneezed on, or spending a lot of time within 1 meter of them while they are sick. The virus spreads through direct contact with ‘drops’ of saliva. These fluids come out of the nose or mouth. For example: - When an infected person coughs or sneezes, these droplets can enter the eyes, nose or mouth of another person - If an infected person sneezes and coughs into their hands and touches another person or a surface - When a person touches surfaces and objects that are contaminated by those droplets. It may also be possible for the virus to spread through contact with the feces of someone who has COVID-19, but this is less common.

Symptoms

Symptoms of COVID-19 normally begin within 2-14 days after exposure, usually around 5 days. For most people, coronavirus is mild and similar to a cold (runny nose, fever, sore throat, cough and shortness of breath). It can be more severe for some persons and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties. If the disease becomes severe, organ failure can occur and this can be life threatening. The disease can lead to death, but this is rare.

Prevention

• Wash your hands frequently using soap and water. If soap is not available, alcohol based hand gel may be used to wash away germs.
• When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth or nose with a tissue or your bent elbow. Try to not sneeze and cough into your hands because then you will spread the virus with your hands. Throw the tissue into a bin. If you cough/sneeze into your hand, don’t touch anything and immediately wash your hands with soap and water.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is coughing, sneezing, or sick. Keep at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance and encourage them to go to a nearby healthcare center.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces which can be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your contaminated hands, you can transfer the virus from the surface to yourself.
• Contact your doctor if you have a fever, cough or feel that it is difficult to breathe. This is the best way to look after yourself and stop the infection spreading to your family and others. Make sure to first call the doctor and let them know your symptoms so you don’t infect other people.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with chlorine- or alcohol-containing cleaning solution. It is not yet known if and how long the virus lasts on surfaces, but a disinfectant with 70% alcohol can kill it.

Treatment

Currently there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for the virus that causes COVID-19. Treating the symptoms of COVID-19 can help people to recover. Community-based interventions such as school dismissals, event cancellations, social distancing, and implementing employee plans to work remotely can help slow the spread of COVID-19. Individuals should always practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Pandemic Situation Update

Decisions about the implementation of community measures are still being made by local and national public health authorities, in consultation with the World Health Organisation and others, based on the scope of the outbreak and the severity of illnesses in respective countries. Implementation will require extensive community engagement, with ongoing and transparent public health communications. While pandemic preparedness materials have not been developed for the newly emerged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is a respiratory disease which bears many similarities to the flu. Content that has been developed to prepare for, or respond to an influenza (“flu”) pandemic is generally applicable. Guidance and tools developed for pandemic influenza planning and preparedness can serve as appropriate resources now that the COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a pandemic.

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Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies across the world contribute to disaster risk reduction and preparedness in public schools. Typical school-based activities include disaster risk reduction, first aid, hygiene, health promotion, road safety and water sanitation. The activities are part of a series of recommended actions included under GADRRRES’ Comprehensive School Safety Framework, involving school disaster management and risk reduction and resilience education activities such as disaster awareness raising activities, disaster drills / simulations, and training.

Emerging extended reality (XR) technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality have an enormous potential in the field of emergency management and disaster preparedness training and education. Recognising this, the GDPC presents a new research study exploring the benefits of implementing XR in these activities, to complement and enhance traditional approaches. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and partner organizations are increasingly using immersive technologies for a range of aims, including building empathy, fundraising, awareness raising and behaviour change. Examples of all of these are captured in this research.

The goal of the research is to provide information and options to all organisations globally interested in pursuing immersive technologies and serious gaming as a disaster preparedness educational tools. The research includes two parts: a meta analysis highlighting key learning points to be applied for future deployment of this type of technology for school and youth preparedness; and ten case studies which document the intersection of effective technologies and disaster risk reduction and preparedness education, capturing the breadth of innovative emerging technologies related to school safety and identifying good practices, effective approaches and technological features that support disaster preparedness programming in schools.

Gap analysis of School Based Disaster Risk Reduction (SBDRR) limitations & XR opportunities

Many traditional SBDRR methods of delivery are effective in conveying disaster knowledge and raising awareness of disaster management for children and adults. There are however a range of identified shortcomings in traditional methods of delivery and learning. The challenge of the main SBDRR activities – training, drills/simulations and awareness raising – often lies in conveying knowledge in an engaging and effective manner that can change behaviour while allowing for contextualisation and dissemination at a wide scale.

XR technologies have the potential to change teaching methodologies and overall reach, suplementing the already established practices and procedures applied in schools. Find some opportunities listed according to the key activities in SBDRR:

1. Disaster awareness raising activities
2. Disaster drills and evacuations
3. Training (first aid and disaster management)

ZIKA360 is an innovative learning tool implemented by the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC) Regional office in America, to bring a new approach to the fight against the Zika virus. Find more case studies in the Research paper.

Disaster Risk Reduction

•  Disaster Preparedness: The IFRC defines as: “measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters. That is, to predict and, where possible, prevent disasters, mitigate their impact on vulnerable populations, and respond to and effectively cope with their consequences.”₁
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) “aims to reduce the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones, through an ethic of prevention.”₂
• School based disaster preparedness or risk reduction is the application of the above in the school community and targets everyone involved in the teaching and learning activities (students, teachers, education personnel, support staff, headteachers).

 Technology Definitions

• XR (extended reality): Extended reality, also known as cross-reality and hyper-reality, is an umbrella term that encompasses human-machine interactions generated by computer technology with devices or wearables to create real and virtual environments which include VR, AR, and mixed reality.
• Mixed reality (MR): Mixed reality is a hybrid definition combining both AR and VR.
• Virtual Reality (VR): Virtual reality is a technology that creates an immersive experience and content in most cases using a VR headset, a head-mounted display (HMD) or a fully immersive space. The current reality viewed by the user is replaced with a new computer generated environment in which the user is isolated from the real world.
• Augmented Reality (AR): Augmented reality is an immersive technology superimposing layers of digital content into the physical world to enhance the user’s real world experience.
• Serious Games (SGs): games whose primary purposes are training and education, rather than pure entertainment.
• Haptic technologies: Haptic technology, also known as kinaesthetic communication or 3D touch, refers to any technology that can create an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user.₃
• Simulation: In science, a simulation is the creation of a model that can be manipulated logically to decide how the physical world works.₄ Simulation has become the defacto design technique for all control systems design of today. In computers, a simulation (or “sim”) is an attempt to model a real-life or hypothetical situation on a computer so that it can be studied to see how the system works. By changing variables in the simulation, predictions may be made about the behaviour of the system. It is a tool to virtually investigate the behaviour of the system under study.₅
• Avatar: refers to a representation or a manifestation of a particular person or character, usually used in video games, virtual experiences and internet applications. An avatar can be used to represent the self or other characters in the virtual space.

Sources: 

1. Disaster Preparedness, IFRC, website.
2. Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR, website.
3. Haptic technology, Wikipedia, website.
4. Gran, Richard. What is simulation?, MatLab-YouTube.
5. Banks, J; J. Carson; B. Nelson; D. Nicol (2001). Discrete-Event System Simulation.

https://preparecenter.org/wp-content/sites/default/files/topics/gdpc_xr_fullresearch.pdf

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Disasters disproportionately impact persons with disabilities, leaving them more vulnerable to harm, loss, and disruption. Ensuring disability inclusive disaster preparedness and risk reduction (DRR) efforts is crucial to minimize these disproportionate effects and enhance the overall resilience of this group. emergencies. Investing in business preparedness and emergency planning saves valuable time when a disaster strikes.

In the aftermath of a winter storm, a Red Cross volunteer provides assistance to an individual seeking refuge at a Red Cross shelter due to a power outage. Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross.

The Importance of Disability Inclusive Disaster Preparedness

Persons with disabilities make up 16% of the global population as of 2023, with 80% residing in the Global South. Evidence shows that they are more vulnerable to disasters, with mortality rates two to four times higher than that of non-disabled populations. Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected in disaster, emergency, and conflict situations due to inaccessible evacuation, response (including shelters, camps, and food distribution), and recovery efforts.

The intersectionality of poverty and disability further exacerbates vulnerability, as individuals living in poverty are more likely to have a disability, and vice versa. This vicious cycle underscores the necessity of disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Management (DRM) strategies that proactively address the distinct needs, barriers, and disproportionate impacts faced by persons with disabilities.

Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) is understood as the process of reducing barriers and strengthening enabling actions to ensure meaningful engagement of persons with disabilities in community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) programs, making them more visible and prioritized in disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery initiatives and to ensure all these levels are inclusive of persons with disability.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly emphasize the importance of including and empowering persons with disabilities in all disaster risk reduction policies, practices, and decision-making processes, recognizing them as critical stakeholders.

Challenges in Disability Inclusive Disaster Preparedness

A young American Red Cross volunteer prepares to help out during a "Sound the Alarm" event in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Adam Jennings for the American Red Cross

Despite global commitments, the recent Global Survey on Persons with Disabilities and Disasters highlights the limited advancement in disability inclusion in DRR over the past decade, with no significant regional differences. The key findings of the Global Survey paint a concerning picture:

• 84% of persons with disabilities reported not having a personal preparedness plan for disasters, a decline from the 2013 survey.
• While adequate early warning enables persons with disabilities to evacuate with fewer difficulties, 17% would still face a lot of difficulties evacuating and 6% would be unable to evacuate, even with sufficient advance warning. 
• 56% reported a lack of awareness or access to disaster risk information in accessible formats within their communities. Only 11% reported being aware of disaster risk reduction plans at the national level, and 14% at the subnational level. 
• 86% of persons with disabilities reported no participation in community-level DRR decision-making and planning, although 57% indicated a willingness to participate. 

 Key persistent challenges in disability inclusive disaster preparedness include: 

Limited Access to Disaster Risk Information

Persons with disabilities often encounter significant barriers in accessing crucial information and resources about risks they face. They frequently lack access to early warning systems and disaster preparedness programs, which increases their vulnerability during emergencies.

Challenges in Evacuation

Evacuation plans often overlook individuals with functional limitations. Those with sensory disabilities may struggle to evacuate safely due to inadequate warning systems. Transportation for evacuation is frequently inaccessible to wheelchair users, separating them from vital assistive devices and support.

Limited Participation in DRR Efforts

Many preparedness and risk reduction efforts do not adequately account for the needs, rights, and perspectives of persons with disabilities. Risk analyses often fail to consider the existing social exclusion of persons with disabilities, which can be exacerbated during emergencies, leading to diminished resilience and disproportionately negative outcomes.

Emergency preparedness plans also frequently lack input from persons with disabilities, hampering their ability to evacuate effectively or access shelters and response initiatives. First responders often lack training and tools to respond appropriately to the specific needs of persons with disabilities.

Data Disaggregation

The absence of unified national registries or systematic data disaggregation limits the leverage of national information systems related to disability-inclusive DRR, indicating a need for improved data collection mechanisms. 

Community Engagement and Partnerships

Transparent discussions within households and community socialization activities are necessary to ensure equitable distribution of assistance, with a focus on addressing the needs of persons with disabilities. Partnering with disabled persons' organizations (DPOs) and specialist organizations is essential for accessing expertise, ensuring inclusive planning, and providing necessary support during emergencies. 

For comprehensive guidance on disaster safety for people with disabilities, including specific steps they can take to prepare for emergencies, explore the guide by the American Red Cross.

A woman receives assistance after a tornado. Photo by Kevin Suttlehan/American Red Cross.

Mainstreaming Disability Inclusion in Disaster Preparedness

Ensuring the full participation of persons with disabilities in disaster preparedness and risk reduction efforts is crucial. Governments, humanitarian organizations, and civil society must play a central role in mainstream disability inclusion and enhancing the resilience of this vulnerable group. To achieve this, a comprehensive approach encompassing the following key steps is recommended: 

Adopt a Multidimensional Approach

Address underlying risk factors and vulnerabilities among persons with disabilities by considering sociocultural and humanitarian contexts when mainstreaming disability inclusion in disaster risk reduction. 

Formalize Commitments

Establish mechanisms for formalizing commitments to Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) through collaboration between governments, organizations of people with disabilities, NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and other key stakeholders. 

Develop Clear Guidelines

Create clear guidelines for Member States to adopt disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction at the national level to ensure systematic resource allocation and effective inclusion. 

Ensure Meaningful Participation

Enable the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction by establishing accessible communication channels, consultation platforms, and tailored support for active engagement. 

Address Data Collection

Focus on improving disability data collection in disaster risk reduction by reducing cultural stigma, securing resources, building capacity, involving organizations of people with disabilities, and enhancing coordination among stakeholders for reliable data collection and exchange. 

Invest in Capacity Building

Make meaningful investments in organizations of people with disabilities at all levels to enhance their capacities in disaster risk reduction efforts. 

Mainstream Disability Inclusion

Integrate disability inclusion into all pillars of initiatives like Early Warnings For All (EW4All) while closely working with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations at various levels. 

Minimum standards for protection, gender and inclusion in emergencies

This guidance sets minimum standards for emergency programs by the Red Cross Red Crescent to ensure dignity, accessibility, and safety for all affected by disasters. The standards promote practical approaches to engage diverse community members and address their distinct needs effectively.

Learn More

The Role of Red Cross Red Crescent in Disability-Inclusive Disaster Preparedness

In emergency situations, ensuring the rights and needs of persons with disabilities are met is paramount. National Societies should collaborate with authorities to develop inclusive preparedness plans, ensuring that persons with disabilities and disabled people's organizations (DPOs) play a key role across all aspects of disaster preparedness.

Disability awareness in preparedness planning

National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies hold pivotal roles in national preparedness and contingency planning. However, disabled people's organizations (DPOs) are often excluded from these processes, despite representing individuals among the most vulnerable during emergencies. To enhance disability awareness, organizations must: 

• Map existing networks and DPOs working for persons with disabilities in their areas, supporting their involvement in community planning activities. 
• Coordinate across different sectors to avoid mixed messages and establish clear responsibilities in emergencies. 
• Review existing plans with national authorities and disability stakeholders, ensuring shelter and settlement preparedness adequately addresses the needs of persons with disabilities. 
• Identify national laws or guidelines for accessible design, establishing inclusive practices within disaster preparedness frameworks.

Inclusion in VCA, PASSA and other participatory assessment tools

Participatory assessment planning approaches, such as Enhanced Vulnerability Capacity Analysis (EVCA) and Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA), must actively involve persons with disabilities from the outset. Training initiatives should incorporate disability issues, providing clear, accessible messages and understanding the social status of persons with disabilities in communities.

Classroom with students and teacher at Ofa Tui Amanaki school for students with disabilities in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, run by Tonga Red Cross since the 1970s.

Targeted early warning systems and evacuation

All procedures a National Society plans to use to activate a response, including early warning systems, should be accessible for persons with different types of disabilities. An inclusive early warning system will consider the diverse communication needs and capacities of persons with disabilities to act on early warning messages. 

Accessible emergency evacuation shelters

Inaccessible shelters put persons with disabilities' rights to protection, dignity, and assistance at risk. Emergency shelters, whether purpose-built structures or converted schools or community centers, must adhere to accessibility guidelines. Accessibility of public buildings is not only a preparedness measure but also a requirement under Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

More On The Topic:

Case Study: Integrating Persons With Disabilities in CDRT and CERT Training

Inclusive Warnings – Involving everyone in warning processes

The Missing Voices Approach Manual

Different. Just like you: A psychosocial approach promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities

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Crowdsourcing, coupled with the proliferation of mobile technology and social media, is rapidly changing the face of disaster response. Crowdsourcing combines the two words “crowd” and “outsourcing” and refers to the idea of tapping into the unlimited resource pool of public intelligence to gather information and perform tasks that would otherwise be limited or outsourced to a few actors. This technological clout is being increasingly felt in the world of disaster response. By pooling the contributions of the many to pinpoint trouble areas, gather critical information, and perform time-sensitive tasks, crowdsourcing can serve as a dynamic tool and nexus for collaboration for on-the-ground responders, policy decision makers, and researchers during humanitarian emergencies.

Access to, and management of, data is a critical element in disaster planning and response. For response agencies and governments, some of the greatest hurdles in disaster response include the lack of organization, coordination, and information management. During a natural disaster, emergency responders must understand, but often lack, information reflecting real-time movements on the ground in order to identify and prioritize needs and coordinate service delivery. Crowdsourcing taps into the collective intelligence and capabilities of the public, including victims on the ground and volunteers from all over the world. Crowdsourced data helps fill the information gap and provides responders with contextualized, real-time information in disaster areas where conditions and needs on the ground are constantly shifting. Crowdsourcing also carries the unique advantage of capturing direct feedback from beneficiaries and leveraging local intelligence that often gets overshadowed by other information sources.

After the Haiti earthquake in 2010, thousands of affected Haitians and volunteers with access to a cell phones or laptop mobilized to create comprehensive, real-time maps, translate SMS messages from Haitian Creole to English, and identify specific emergencies, all for little to no cost. The collaborative efforts of the public at large contributed to the work of humanitarian workers by allowing them to target, accelerate, and coordinate response efforts. The remarkable display of crowdsourced work reflects a shift away from exclusively traditional information-gathering approaches and acknowledges the power in number through mass collaboration.

Since Haiti, crowdsourcing disaster response has grown in sophistication and organization, and mainstream humanitarian organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are integrating crowdsourced data with traditional sources in their response efforts, like after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Crowdsourcing has paved the way for non-experts and volunteers to act as “digital humanitarians,” “crisis mappers,” and key contributors to disaster response and knowledge management, alongside more established players such as national space agencies and commercial satellite-image providers.

As crowdsourcing technology advances, software companies are partnering with other stakeholders to find new and creative ways to gather user-generated data in order to track and provide real-time alerts on weather patterns and damages caused by natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes. Moving forward, crowdsourcing will continue to play an important and dynamic role in strengthening disaster risk management and achieving greater levels of community preparedness.

Crowdsourcing, according to Crowdsourcing.com, has been a popular crisis mapping tool. “Used to map a wide range of issues, crowdsourcing makes it easier for a large group of people from all over a region, city, country, etc., to document where problems are occurring and when. This information is used to help respond to problems, provide aid to regions that need it and keep the public up-to-date on issues as they progress.”

Crisis mapping, according to CrisisMappers.net, is “the real-time gathering, display and analysis of data during a crisis, usually a natural disaster or social/political conflict (violence, elections, etc.).”

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Crisis mapping is the real-time gathering, visualizing, and analysis of data during conflict and disaster settings. With increasing use of mobile technology, internet connectivity, and social networking, information technology is playing a vital and evolving role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of disaster response. Through free and open-source software such as Ushahidi, Sahana, and OpenStreetMap, thousands of citizens from all over the world can simultaneously collaborate and contribute to the gathering of crisis information to create comprehensive, interactive, and up-to-date maps. Crisis mapping, thus, has emerged as a flexible, value-oriented tool by which emergency responders and practitioners can quickly gather, retrieve, and visualize real-time information, thereby enabling them to better prepare, mitigate, and respond to emergencies.

Crisis mapping first became popularized in the media in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake through Ushahidi (Swahili for “witness”), a tech non-profit that specializes in developing free and open-source software for information collection, visualization, and interactive mapping. After the earthquake, Ushahidi launched a crisis map that allowed volunteer mappers from all over the world, in various time zones, to begin plotting, merging, and mapping information gathered from disparate sources, including social and mainstream media and the affected community (via SMS/Internet), in order to display and visualize representation of real-time reports on incidents, damages, and requests for support. OpenStreetMap, on the other hand, mapped out the Haitian crisis by synthesizing a comprehensive digital map of Haitian infrastructure, including roads, buildings, and camps, by crowdsourcing volunteer input gathered from satellite imagery and GPS surveys. The organization’s collective data were then used by various relief organizations, including the World Bank. [Source: MIT Center for Civic Media]

Source: Ushahidi

Undergirding effective crisis mapping is the practice of crowdsourcing done right. Through free, open-source software and access to data, crisis mapping is placed in the hands of the general wide public. Ushahidi and OpenStreetMap’s initiative in Haiti reflects the power and benefits in utilizing crowdsourced, user-generated data for the purposes of collecting and disseminating information “much more quickly and directly between citizens and relief workers than the customary assessments of traditional humanitarian entities” [Source: EmergencyMgmt]. It is essentially a consumer-oriented and consumer-driven tool that relies on the crowdsourcing of information and data to achieve the goal of producing rich visualizations and interactive, real-time maps. It can serve as a valuable tool in disaster settings for providing updated information, developing situational awareness and analysis, and improving coordination efforts among aid agencies. For example, the geospatial management of data in Sahana Eden enables emergency responders to visualize geospatial data, such as incidents, organizations, warehouses, hospitals, shelters, and projects on the ground [Source: Geoinformation for Informed Decisions]. It essentially equips disaster responders with the tools “to minimize the negative effects from devastating disasters through tracking the needs of the affected people and coordinating emergency agencies and aid resources” while enabling different actors to access and share the needed information in times of crises.

[Source: MIT Center for Civic Media]

Although information technology in humanitarian emergencies is not new, the recognition and uptake of crowdsourced information by practitioners and aid agencies in disaster settings, as illustrated during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, is quickly spreading to a broad array of stakeholders, including policymakers, aid agencies, scholars, and affected communities. Crisis mapping can serve as a valuable and flexible tool for responders to visualize needs, simplify coordination and improve response, and quickly adjust to their work based on the evolving and expanding needs on the ground. As the technology revolving around crisis mapping improves, practitioners and various stakeholders can better prepare, mitigate, and respond to emergencies.

Crisis mapping, according to CrisisMappers.net, is “the real-time gathering, display and analysis of data during a crisis, usually a natural disaster or social/political conflict (violence, elections, etc.).”

Crisis mappers, according to Crisismappers.net, are people who “leverage mobile & web-based applications, participatory maps & crowdsourced event data, aerial & satellite imagery, geospatial platforms, advanced visualization, live simulation, and computational & statistical models to power effective early warning for rapid response to complex humanitarian emergencies.”

Crowdsourcing, according to Crowdsourcing.com, has been a popular crisis mapping tool. “Used to map a wide range of issues, crowdsourcing makes it easier for a large group of people from all over a region, city, country, etc., to document where problems are occurring and when. This information is used to help respond to problems, provide aid to regions that need it and keep the public up-to-date on issues as they progress.”

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Successful measures for disaster risk reduction and preparedness require the balanced and active participation of all genders and age groups. Gender roles and relations are critical but often ignored in disaster management. To be effective, practitioners should understand how gender affects vulnerability and risk to disasters in different societies. Stakeholders should also support women’s leadership and capacity to build resilience in disaster-prone communities. 

Women and children of all ages gather at a nearby community center to learn about disaster escape routes in San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo: © Brad Zerivitz/American Red Cross

Why are women disproportionally affected? 

Existing gender inequalities across society increase women’s vulnerability to disasters and their impacts. In many societies, the different roles and responsibilities that women carry in the household leave them overburdened in times of disasters and emergencies, leaving them with distinct survival disadvantages compared to men. When disaster strikes, women and children are 14 times more likely than men to die, demonstrating the disproportionate risks they face.

According to a policy brief by UNDRR “gender inequality, coupled with climate and environment crises, is the greatest sustainable development challenge of the present time”. Women and girls face distinct risks and needs that often go overlooked, from lack of access to sexual and reproductive healthcare to increased exposure to gender-based violence.

Some of the barriers that prevent addressing these issues are the lack of sex, age and disability disaggregated data, the lack of women in decision-making positions, and the lack of gender analysis in disaster and climate risk management. These barriers can be overcome by mainstreaming gender in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action, which can reduce the impacts of disasters and create opportunities for women and girls, as well as balance the exposure to hazards.

According to a long-term study, in a sample of up to 141 countries over the period 1981 to 2002 "natural disasters lower the life expectancy of women more than that of men. In other words, natural disasters (and their subsequent impact) on average kill more women than men or kill women at an earlier age than men”. Acknowledging the risk disparity and gender inequalities by incorporating gender mainstreaming in assessing the implications for women and girls of any planned action, including legislation, policies or -programs, particularly in preparedness and response to risk and disasters.

Gender-responsive Disaster Risk Reduction

Women take an active role among the thousands of volunteers trained for the Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP) in Bangladesh. Photo: © Brad Zerivitz / American Red Cross

Gender-responsive disaster risk reduction (DRR) is an approach that considers gender-based differences and issues in the design of policies, strategies, plans, or programs, and promotes gender equality in their implementation. The impact of gender norms, roles, and relations on people’s lives within a given culture and society is critical to understanding and reducing disaster risk, with gender discrimination often limiting the control that women and girls have over decisions that govern their lives, as well as their access to resources and opportunities.

Gender-disaggregated data (GDD)

When we use a gender-aware approach, it's important to recognize that women and men have different vulnerabilities, capacities, needs, life experiences, and expectations. Gender-disaggregated data (GDD) helps in understanding these differences better. This means breaking down information by sex and gender when assessing needs and planning programs. Sometimes this involves asking questions in a different way, at other times it entails going back to the information source and attempting to see if more disaggregated data is available.

It is critical to think of disaster risk reduction by incorporating a gendered perspective. Even though gender roles may change during a disaster, gender analysis can serve as a lens to better understand community dynamics and how people may react in crises. This analysis enables more effective preparedness and response.

Inclusive leadership and decision-making

To make disaster risk reduction effective, both men and women should be equally involved in planning, decision-making, and identifying preparedness activities. Policymakers and practitioners should consider the gender roles of a society when planning for disasters and actively work to include gender perspectives in disaster management.

There's a positive shift in recognizing and promoting grassroots women in disaster-prone communities as leaders. Women are actively contributing to building resilience in their communities by adapting to changes, organizing collectively, and using traditional knowledge. Despite facing challenges, experiences show that poverty and marginalization don't make women passive in the face of disasters or development challenges.

By learning from existing initiatives and focusing on women's strengths, knowledge, and experience in managing community resources, RCRC National Societies and other organizations can make significant progress. This includes reducing post-disaster gender disparity, increasing diversity and women's involvement, and making communities more resilient to natural hazards and climate change.

Protection, Gender And Inclusion In Emergencies

Disasters impact different people differently depending on their personal and social characteristics. Factors such as sex, gender identity, age, physical ability, race, nationality and others can influence their recovery and resilience in situations of conflict and crisis. Emergencies can also deepen existing inequalities and existing inequalities and disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as women, children and the elderly.

The IFRC's minimum Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) standards provide an integrated approach to address the causes, risks and consequences of violence, discrimination and exclusion. These standards help identify people's needs and capacities to protect and support marginalized groups.

Minimum standards for PGI in emergencies

PGI is the IFRC's approach to tackle the causes, risks and consequences of violence, discrimination and exclusion in an integrated way.

Learn More

The IFRC’s Minimum standards for protection, gender, and inclusion (PGI) in emergencies is now in its second edition, available in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic. For a more in-depth approach an online course is available through the IFRC learning platform, we recommend this to get basic knowledge about Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), better identify of people’s needs and capacities, and confidently use PGI in your work to protect and support people who are marginalized or in vulnerable situations.

Sexual and Gender based violence in disasters

There is a growing recognition that affected populations during disasters can experience various forms of gender-based violence (GBV). When people have to evacuate, relocate or return to their homes, they may face increased risks of different forms of GBV, such as sexual and physical assault, intimate partner violence, prostitution, child and/or forced marriage, and trafficking for sexual or labor exploitation.

This report on laws, policies and institutional frameworks aims to promote gender equality and prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in disasters, it considers national laws and community experiences to evaluate their effectiveness in protecting against disaster related SGBV and ensuring gender equality in humanitarian response.

The report explores case studies in Ecuador, Nepal and Zimbabwe and takes an in depth look to the laws and response systems, one of the conclusions points at the need to better educate responders and better coordinate with actors such as police, military and post – disaster services like shelters, improves Sexual and Gender Based Violence protection.

More On The Topic:

Gender Perspectives: A Collection of Case Studies for Training Purposes

ONLINE COURSE: Introduction to Protection, Gender and Inclusion at the IFRC

Flood Early Warning Systems In Nepal: A Gendered Perspective

Unseen, Unheard: Gender-Based Violence In Disasters Asia-Pacific Case Studies

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