UNDRR offer of support on the Implementation of the Doha Political Declaration

The Doha Political Declaration outlines several priority actions geared towards reducing disaster risk and enhancing resilience. Disasters triggered by natural and manmade hazards, as well as related biological, technological and environmental risks, continue to undermine progress on social development, including on poverty eradication, employment, and social inclusion.

In line with mandates and building on ongoing initiatives, some of the actions that UNDRR is committed to supporting in the implementation of social development include:

• Support countries in embedding risk considerations into social protection systems. Shock-responsive safety nets, disaster-responsive and anticipatory cash transfers, and risk-informed budget tagging help protect households from falling into chronic poverty during crises. In Cambodia, UNDRR partnered with the National Committee for Disaster Management to update flood and drought vulnerability maps, guiding anticipatory action and social protection measures, and informing national policy and planning.
• Support countries to shift from reactive to proactive approaches in recovery and reconstruction by strengthening 'recovery readiness', ensuring governance arrangements, policies, financing mechanisms, and technical and human capacities for resilient recovery are in place before disasters strike, to make sure recovery is faster, less costly and more inclusive.
• Break down silos between climate and disaster risk reduction agendas, by adopting a comprehensive risk management (CRM) approach, which supports the coherent development and implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies, National Adaptation Plans, and other governance instruments as appropriate. For example, UNDRR has supported Comoros to enhance the integration of climate information into the development of national disaster risk reduction strategies and action plans, under the Comprehensive Risk Management initiative.
• Scale-up investment in climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure, applying UNDRR's Principles for Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Methodology for Infrastructure Resilience Reviews developed by UNDRR and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. For example, in Tonga, a detailed assessment of the water sector led to strengthened village water committees to improve emergency preparedness and water security. In Chile, stress-testing identified drought and water scarcity as critical risks, prompting stronger institutional responses.
• Apply tools such as the Guide for Resilience and Adaptation Finance to help all relevant actors identify, track, and increase investments that strengthen resilience.