High-Level Panel 4: Safer Schools and Hospitals

  • Date & Time: Thursday 18 June (09:30 - 11:00)
  • Room: 1
  • Interpretation: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

Description

High Level Panel 4 on "Safer Schools and Hospitals" will review progress on making schools and hospitals safer from disasters, by strengthening structural, non-structural and emergency preparedness elements. Panellists from all geographical regions will provide experiences from global, national and local level to illustrate both successes as well as challenges for providing safe environments both in schools and for health care. Participants will also be informed by this related background paper, which presents statistical evidence and also draws lessons from the implementation of the ISDR World Campaigns on “Disaster risk reduction begins at school” (2006-2007) and “Hospitals Safe from Disasters (2008-2009)” with its detailed annex. A key consideration for the debate will be the question why – despite the availability of appropriate technology and practices which are proven to be effective – children, teachers, patients and health workers are at risk because HFA priorities for safe education and health facilities have not been implemented.

Session Objectives

The objective of this session is to achieve a commitment to reduce disaster losses by addressing the safety and preparedness of health and education facilities and to prevent unnecessary death and suffering when our schools and hospitals fail in emergencies. The expected outcomes are:

1. A shared understanding of the critical factors required to effect a change in policy and practice at national and local level (drawing on the successes and challenges presented during the session).

2. The identification of regional, national and local mechanisms (including cross-sectoral collaboration) or modalities that can be supported by Governments and National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction or the wider ISDR System and partners.

3. A set of suggested targets up to 2015. The session begins with introductory remarks by the moderator to introduce the topic and the objectives. The speakers from selected countries will present stories (focusing on what worked as well as what did not). The speakers will be representatives of the countries with experience of implementation of these projects. Seven brief presentations will cover examples from health and education sectors.


MODERATOR

Dr. Virginia Murray, Professor, Consultant Medical Toxicologist, Health Protection Agency, United Kingdom


Background Papers

> Concept Note Annex [201.80 Kb]
> Concept Note [93.42 Kb]
> Meeting presentations [690.44 Kb]

Outcomes

Note: this is an interim report pending publication of the Conference Proceedings from the 2009 Global Platform.

> Report from HLP4 [PDF, 226.00 Kb]

Last updated: 04 December 2020