Dealing with Disasters Conference

Health Centred Disaster Risk Reduction: A New Agenda for a New Era

The focus of the conference is to stimulate debate, innovation and advances in answering to recent demands for greater progress in health centred disaster risk reduction. Improved health is both a prerequisite and outcome of disaster risk reduction. Whether in relation to individuals, communities, institutions, the state of the nation or ecosystems, our health is the more tangible aspect of what is implied by resilience.

With increasing awareness of health as integral to disaster reduction and development we offer this special theme as the 9th Dealing with Disasters Conference, 2015. The event will draw from organisational and individual levels of analysis and engagement. At global level the event answers to a need for learning, research and developments required by this year’s; i) resetting of targets for disaster risk reduction through the Sendai Framework for Action, ii) realigning of sustainable development goals, iii) negotiations on climate change agreements, iv) fluctuating economies and v) societal health risk exposure through demographic change including migration. Health centric approaches are fundamental to caring communities through physical, mental and social wellbeing, to offset impact or propensity of major crises. In brief, improved health and health care services significantly reduce disaster. Whilst the event will be informed by multiple health professions, it is intended to benefit a wide range of experts and those developing their interests in the emergence of a new agenda in disaster risk reduction, including for example in allied fields of environmental science, social science, planning, engineering, anthropology and more.

The Conference provides the opportunity to review the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) and the implications for all sectors, including the focus on public health. Public health officials, such as representatives from Iran, Mexico, Moldova and the United Kingdom (supported by the international community with the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, UNFPA and UNISDR), took active roles in advocating for health in the negotiations of the Sendai Framework. Speakers at the DwD Conference will include reflections on their experience in the negotiations. Outcomes of the DwD Conference, including reports, case studies and suggested next steps for strengthening disaster risk management for health, will be shared with the World Health Organization, Public Health England and other relevant bodies to inform planning for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Conference Features

• Includes plenary and parallel sessions with options for posters, panel and doctoral sessions.
• Several publishers interested in providing outlets for the event.
• Hosted by Disaster and Development Network (DDN) / Department of Geography, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University and partners.
• The conference includes a special workshop on mapping the UK disaster research capacity and expertise, organised by the UK Collaborative on Development Sciences (UKCDS). Further details to follow.

Speakers for the conference include

• Chadia Wannous - Focal Point for Health, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), on behalf of the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary - General for Disaster Risk Reducation
• Jonathan Abrahams - Focal Point for Disaster Risk Management, World Health Organisation HQ
• Lt Col Gareth Moore - Head of Army Environmental Health Unit, British Army
• Dr Michael Von Bertele CB, OBE, FRCP - Global Humanitarian Director, Save the Children
• Prof. Virginia Murray - Consultant, Disaster Risk Reduction, Public Health England and UNISDR Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG)
• Prof. David Alexander - Professor of Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London and Editor in Chief of International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
• Prof. Norio Okada - Kwansei-Gakuin University, Japan and President of the Integrated Disaster Risk Management Society (IDRiM)
• Dr. Alistair Humphrey - Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand
• William F. Pilkington - Chief Executive Officer, Cabarrus Health Alliance, USA
• Chad Priest - Assistant Dean, Indiana Schools of Nursing and of Medicine, USA
• Tim Stephens - Chief Executive Officer, MESH Coalition, USA
• Prof. John Rees – Natural Hazards Theme Leader and Science Champion, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK and Chair of UKCDS Disaster Risk Reduction Group
• Stephen Groves – National Lead for Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response for NHS England

Further speakers: from Bangladesh, Brazil, Germany, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Zimbabwe.

For late applications to present, sponsor or variously contribute please contact the conference Chair. Prof. Andrew Collins andrew.collins@northumbria.ac.uk or email the conference organsiers sz.dwdconf@northumbria.ac.uk.