March 16, 2009

 

Invitation to International Conference on Gender

and Disaster Risk Reduction

 

Dear Madame/Sir,

 

The All-China Women’s Federation and secretariat of the United Nation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) are very pleased to invite you to the International Conference on Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction. The Conference will be held on 20-22 April 2009 in Beijing, China. It will be hosted by the All-China Women’s Federation and co-hosted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China.

 

The Conference aims to review the progress made and challenges faced in mainstreaming gender into disaster risk reduction, and share good experiences and practices. Special consideration will be given to issues of poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, and community resilience. The conference is expected to achieve a consensus regarding a set of concrete concerted actions to be taken in order to mainstream gender into disaster risk reduction by the end of 2015. The result of the conference will be shared and communicated to the 2^nd Session of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction to be held on 15-19 June, 2009 in Geneva.

 

Both gender and DRR are cross-cutting development issues. To achieve sustainable development, it is win-win option for governments and other stakeholders to mainstream gender perspectives into DRR and vice versa. This will not only contribute to making nations and communities more resilient to disasters, but also help address gender inequality in a comprehensive manner by promoting gender equality in the political, social, technical, developmental and humanitarian aspects of disaster risk reduction.

 

The Conference will bring together ministers and high level government officials responsible for issues related to gender, disaster risk reduction or development from different countries. Members of international organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, the media and non-governmental organizations are also welcomed to participate and make contributions to the Conference. It will be a unique opportunity to highlight the connections of gender and DRR which is too often lost in international discourse and actions, and provides thoughts for renovation, better planning and more effective programs for a better future.

 

The Conference itself is free, with no charge for registration fee, meals and hotel expenses (4 days) in China. However, all participants are kindly requested to shoulder their own international travel.

 

For more inquiries, please contact the International Department of the All-China Women’s Federation (Tel: 8610-65103282, 3281, 3283; Fax: 8610-65136044. Email:[email protected]). It will be much appreciated if you would confirm your attendance to the above address before Mar. 25, 2009.

 

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Warm regards,

 

 

                                

             

Meng Xiaosi

                   Vice-President                                       Sálvano Briceño

All-China Women’s Federation                          Director, UNISDR