An addendum to the UNDRR Gender Action Plan: strengthening the inclusion of gender and sexual minorities in disaster risk reduction

This addendum responds to the findings of the global Inclusive by Design conference, examining the continued exclusion of gender and sexual minorities from disaster governance systems and advancing practical recommendations for inclusive risk reduction. This publication strengthens the Gender Action Plan (GAP) by explicitly recognising that gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sex characteristics are relevant factors in shaping disaster risk, access to assistance, and the ability to participate in recovery and governance. It seeks to ensure that disaster risk reduction frameworks reflect and respond to the full diversity of gendered experiences.

The conference affirmed that gender-responsive disaster risk reduction must explicitly consider the realities of gender and sexual minorities. The recommended actions build on the existing GAP in areas where greater inclusion of gender and sexual minorities is needed to achieve truly intersectional and rights-based disaster risk reduction. The seven recommendations are listed below:

1. Action 34: Recognise and integrate diverse care and support structures, including chosen families and informal care networks, within emergency planning and response systems.
2. Action 35: Ensure participatory and community-led data practices that respect anonymity, dignity, and self-identification, particularly for marginalised or criminalised groups.
3. Action 36: Address intersecting structural inequalities that compound risk for gender and sexual minorities, including legal exclusion, poverty, healthcare access, and criminalisation.
4. Action 37: Establish formal roles for gender and sexual minority-led organisations within DRR governance frameworks and ensure their meaningful participation in decision-making.
5. Action 38: Promote inclusive and decolonial approaches.
6. Action 39: Develop inclusive public communication strategies and early warning systems that reflect the lived realities of gender and sexual minorities.
7. Action 40: Promote institutional transformation by creating dedicated roles or focal points for GSM inclusion within DRR institutions.