North West commemorates United Nations International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
Today the North West Provincial Government in connection with the National Department Cooperative Governance, through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), played host to the United Nations’ International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR)– with the theme ‘’Older persons and Disasters”.
Disaster risk reduction officials and political leadership from the North West municipalities -joined by other provinces, national government, state-owned enterprises, and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction representatives - convened in Rustenburg where a renewed commitment to create communities that are resilient to disasters was made.
In commemorating the day, emphasis on older persons and disasters theme was reinforced with officials acknowledging the importance of integrating older persons in disaster risk management.
Resulting from this commitment and commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, North West municipalities will later today pledge their commitment to 10 essential international standards to allow them to go back to basics making their communities resilient to disasters.
The United Nations established the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction which serves as a global platform to coordinate disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations member states and associations. This is to ensure multi-disciplinary approach in order to effectively prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to the impact of disasters.
North West communities are exposed to disaster such as droughts, floods, dam failures, urban and rural fires, mining induced earthquakes and sinkholes. Disaster management officials are often faced with complex challenges when dealing with the poor, older persons, the child-headed households, persons living with disabilities and people with different types of special needs during disasters.
Severe disasters impact these groups which are least-equipped to cope with such threats resulting in greater economic losses.
This 2014 United Nations IDDRR commemoration is part of capacity building and stakeholder awareness of the United Nations effort towards building and promoting disaster resilient communities.
North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and Local Government MEC Collen Maine will tomorrow extend the celebrations of the province’s disaster risk reduction efforts in the Bojanala district at Rustenburg Olympia Park Stadium. Media is invited to the event, which will take place from 09h00 to 13h00 – confirmation of attendance must be lodged with the following officials:
Thebeetsile, North West Department of Local Government and Human Settlement
Cell: 082 797 6955
Nkanyiso Ndadane, National Department of Cooperative Governance
Cell: 076 059 6546
Enquiries:
Ben Bole, Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 0715661399
E-mail: msbole@nwpg.gov.za
