Planning disaster risk communication to support early warning and early action


Happening on 14th October 2026 during the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction celebrations week, the sessions will examine whether current approaches to disaster risk reduction adequately account for information risks and communication vulnerabilities; whether public institutions, media and telecommunications systems are prepared to communicate effectively before and during crises; and how behavioural, inclusive and culturally grounded approaches can improve the way people understand and respond to risk.
The Disaster Risk Communication Hub supports practitioners across sectors to plan and deliver public risk communication that helps people understand risk and take informed action.
Drawing on practical guidance from the Risk Information for Early Action project (BBC Media, 2024), the Hub supports practitioners through the main stages of a risk communication strategy:




Expert pieces
Effective disaster risk communication goes beyond sharing information – it influences decisions and saves lives. In this section, experts share lessons from the field, unpack communication challenges and offer practical insights to improve how risk messages reach and resonate with people at risk.

Main publications
This hub draws from the comprehensive guidelines presented in the Pocket guide and Guide for essential research publications, produced by BBC Media Action in partnership with UNDRR, which offer key insights into risk communication strategies. Access and download the documents below.
The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).



Case studies
Explore a series of real-world case studies that highlight successful risk communication practices in diverse contexts. These examples offer valuable lessons for practitioners, illustrating how tailored communication approaches can lead to better outcomes in risk awareness and action.
Further resources
Dive deeper into risk communication with curated content collections from PreventionWeb, offering up-to-date research, tools, and best practices. These resources support professionals with the latest knowledge and techniques to enhance their risk communication efforts.





Hazards do not have to turn into disasters.
To break the vicious cycle of "Disaster, respond, recover, repeat.", we need a better understanding of disaster risk, in all its dimensions.