First consultative meeting of the Global Network of NGOs for Disaster Risk Reduction

The First Consultative Meeting of the Global Network of NGOs was organized by UNISDR on 25-26 October 2006 in Geneva, in collaboration with the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation of the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok. The meeting was attended by 14 representatives of NGOs and NGO networks from Asia, Africa, Europe, the US and Latin America.

As a result of this meeting, participants have endorsed the Global NGO Network concept, prepared a first draft of its Terms of Reference (ToR) and agreed upon the next steps to be taken. Since then, participants in the Consultative Meeting have served as the driving force for developing the Global Network of NGOs. They have suggested the Global Network initially focuses on specific activities, which they have carried out throughout
the period October 2006 - June 2007 with the support of UNISDR.

Such activities have included:

1. Facilitating wider consultation on the draft ToR for the Global Network, compiling the inputs received, and preparing a revised draft for further discussion.
2. Preparing an “NGO Position Paper”, highlighting NGOs’ concerns and key messages to be conveyed during the GP/DRR.
3. Facilitating the publication of a compilation of “Good practices and lessons learned in Community-Based DRR" , to be collected through existing NGO networks and other channels.