Starting in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction, the International Day for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction is held every 13th of October. This day was declared to honor the ways in which people and communities around the world are lowering their risk of being affected by catastrophes and increasing awareness of the value of limiting the dangers they face.
It serves as an opportunity to recognize the progress made in preventing and reducing disaster risk and losses to lives, livelihoods, economies, and basic infrastructure and aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The Sendai Framework focuses on the implementation of actions that address the three aspects of disaster risk: exposure to hazards, vulnerability and capacity, and characteristics of hazards, in order to prevent the emergence of new risks, lessen current risks, and boost resilience.

In 2023, under the theme ‘fighting inequality for a resilient future’, IDDRR will focus on how inequality and disasters are correlated. As inequality and disaster vulnerability are two sides of the same coin most people at risk have become more vulnerable to disasters. Due to unequal access to services like finance and insurance, the most vulnerable people are pushed deeper into poverty.

Through thoughtful and coordinated planning that intends to decrease people’s exposure to danger and vulnerability to harm, we can lessen the destructive force of hazards, preventing them from becoming disasters.