Abstract
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) is the first global policy framework of the United Nations’ post-2015 agenda. It represents a step in the direction of global policy coherence with explicit reference to health, development, and climate change. To develop SFDRR, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) organized and facilitated several global, regional, national, and intergovernmental negotiations and technical meetings in the period preceding the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) 2015 where SFDRR was adopted. UNISDR also worked with representatives of governments, UN agencies, and scientists to develop targets and indicators for SFDRR and proposed them to member states for negotiation and adoption as measures of progress and achievement in protecting lives and livelihoods. The multiple efforts of the health community in the policy development process, including campaigning for safe schools and hospitals, helped to put people’s mental and physical health, resilience, and well-being higher up the disaster risk reduction (DRR) agenda compared with the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015. This article reviews the historical and contemporary policy development process that led to the SFDRR with particular reference to the development of the health theme.
Highlights
Disasters destroy lives and livelihoods around the world
World Health Organization (WHO) representatives have recognized that Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) is ‘‘[...]very different from what we saw in Hyogo because it’s not just about protecting people’s health but the recognition that health is at the very centre of disaster risk reduction (DRR)’ and that ‘[h]ealth and DRR are deeply connected; healthy people are resilient people and resilient people recover more quickly from disasters’’ (UN News Centre 2015)
(3) The World Conference on Disaster and Emergency Medicine held in Cape Town, South Africa on 21–24 April 2015 whose closing statement concluded that the conference participants should endorse the precepts outlined in SFDRR, and support continuing and renewed initiatives to assist in meeting the healthrelated goals and priorities as outlined in SFDRR (WADEM 2015)
Summary
Disasters destroy lives and livelihoods around the world. Between the years 2000 and 2012, it is estimated that over 700,000 people lost their lives; more than 1.5 billion people were affected by disasters in various ways, with women, children, and several other groups impacted disproportionately. This requires collaboration, communication, and capacity development across the scientific disciplines and technical fields, and with all stakeholders including representatives of governmental institutions, communities of policy making, scientific and technical specialists, the technology sector, and members of the communities at risk, in order to guide scientific research, set research agendas, and support education and training (Aitsi-Selmi et al 2015) This year—2015—presents an unparalleled opportunity to align landmark UN agreements through the convergence of three global policy frameworks: the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015–2030 (March 2015), the Sustainable Development Goals (September 2015; SDGs), and the Climate Change Agreements (December 2015; COP21). These major global policy instruments need to align urgently to facilitate and encourage better participation in DRR, sustainable development, and climate-change mitigation and adaptation from the science and technology communities
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
