Lebanon: U.N. official supports new proposed disaster planning law

Talking at the national conference on disaster risk reduction in Lebanon, United Nations Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström stated that "two projects, a national disaster response strategy and a data collection program, already in motion, can lay the ground work for preparing for those disasters." She added that women’s exclusion from disaster preparations leads their individual concerns to be excluded, and they must be included in the process. "If you are not part of the plan they will not consider your situation. Preparedness does not take into account that women have specific needs."