GPDRR25: Day one update

The first official day of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025saw GNDR and our members continue to share stories of best practice from civil society as we look to ensure that community voices are at the forefront of discussions. Read, share and join our GPDRR25 Call to Action. 

The Swiss Booth Session

Six GNDR members were welcomed by the Swiss DRR NGO Platform to the Swiss Innovations booth for a session celebrating success stories of the localisation of DRR. They shared the challenges they face, the gaps that remain, and what their organisations have done for the communities that they serve. 

Gilberto Romero Zeballos (Predes, Peru) – “Disasters are not natural – hazards can be natural. We need to focus on natural capacities within the community. At Predes we work with indigenous, mountainous communities, and support the use of their traditional activities to build resilience to climate-related risks.” 

Gulshan Akhundova, (Woman, Development, Future Public Union, Azerbaijan) “We must inform communities about risk and translate technical modules into actionable messages. Co-creating, hand-in-hand with the community, is the best way to go.”

Meshac Nakanywenge Mazingonoko (Union pour la Promotion/Protection, la Défense des Droits Humains et de l’Environnement en sigle, DRC): “We face different hazards in the DRC. Flooding is rampant and communities are very vulnerable. Development and community investments are washed away by floods. And there is no legal framework to manage DRR in DRC. We support communities to measure the water level in the rivers. We used water level information from the community to activate the trigger. There are traditional ways communities use to protect themselves from rising water levels. We need to make information available through WhatsApp, Radio, TV etc.”

Jose Ramon Avila (ASONOG, Honduras): “We take a people centred approach to DRR working with communities. People should be involved in the process of tackling climate change. There is a lack of government support in tackling certain disasters.”

Najoua Tunisia (Association APEDDUB, Tunisia): “Women are vulnerable to climate change in Tunisia. We must see income generation as part of building resilience. Lack of water has led to displacement. It’s so important to listen to communities to get solutions – they have the solutions we need. 

Harnessing risk understanding for a safer future: Are we keeping up?

GNDR co-organised this session which brought together key public and private stakeholders to share successful practices and real-world experiences related to risk knowledge ecosystems that actually work for risk-informed decision-making for a more resilient future for all

The panel considered how government and stakeholders could address future risks.  

A solution: to invest in resilience and improve planning. Increased knowledge of risks and action to combat the digital divide will shape disaster resilient futures. The panel also stressed how equal access to technology and finance is critical.

Keynote speaker: President of Palao, Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr.: Food sources, infrastructure are under threat. Tourism faces a double explosion from natural calamities. Droughts have caused critical water shortages in Palau. President Whipps made the important point that blending science and traditional knowledge is essential in developing infrastructure. DRR should be viewed as a global social responsibility.

Members of the panel also highlighted the need to recognise non economic losses after disaster, such as trauma, and mental mental health; the need for inclusivity in early warning and action; and that risk data has to be a public good – and that data needs to be as inclusive as possible. 

Strengthening disaster risk governance for transformative action and outcomes

GNDR’s Global Board representative for North Africa & West Asia, Ghada Ahmadein, featured on a high-level dialogue that dissected the strengths and challenges of regional disaster risk governance. 

Alongside her on the panel were representatives from the Pacific, Brazil, the Horn of Africa and Germany.  Ghada described how in her region, it is conflict that is affecting all development plans. People are increasingly being displaced, which is putting huge pressure on resources across the region – this is particularly problematic when you consider the existing challenges of food security and droughts. Disaster management is not the responsibility of one actor. 

Local government cannot be blamed for poor coordination and governance if they don’t have the necessary resources – like data, and importantly, localised data. Here Ghada discussed GNDR’s innovative VFL methodology, which has proven the important role of civil society in participatory data collection.

Key Takeaway: Greatest risk is the failure to act in the face of disasters; Risk informed investing and financing is essential. 

Ignite Stage

Heroines of Resilience: Women at the Forefront of Anticipatory Action in Southeast Asia

GNDR’s Regional Lead, Asia Pacific and Europe, Ipsita Sircar, and our Global Board representative from South East Asia & East Asia, Eena Geslaine Barrun, took to the Ignite Stage. They shared inspiring stories of women leaders from Southeast Asia who demonstrate that when we invest in women’s leadership, we foster inclusive and adaptive systems that address the growing impacts of natural hazards and climate change. 

Human-Tech Nexus: Building a Safe Haven for Coping with Climate Extremes

Later in the day, GNDR’s Head of Programmes, Shivangi Chavdaa, was on stage to deliver a talk on the Human-Tech Nexus (HuT) project, which addresses the escalating impacts of climate change through a unified ‘all-hazards’ approach. It promotes the use of trans-disciplinary risk management tools and approaches, and employs innovative disaster risk reduction solutions that could be adopted and used extensively across Europe.

Donor Roundtable

The day ended with a special event organised by GNDR that brought together the donor community to share civil society’s priorities, and to grow space for collaboration and coordination to promote localisation.