The Risk Reduction Index addresses one of the most urgent issues of today’s international efforts of building more resilient communities capable of identifying more sustainable ways out of entrenched poverty and vulnerability.
An enormous problem
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in 2008 alone, more than 300 disasters killed over 235,000 people, affected more than 200 million others and caused losses and damage worth USD 181 billion. Since 168 governments signed the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA), much has been achieved in the area of raising general awareness on hazards, disasters, and the risks they pose to different populations as well as the need to act in order to reduce their impact over population and livelihoods.
A gap in global understanding
Although many countries have developed policies and strategies to reduce the impact of natural hazards, there are very few indicators that assess the effectiveness of such risk reduction activities. By focusing on the identification of what works and what does not, the Risk Reduction Index will fill an important gap in global understanding and help reduce the impact of natural phenomenon on vulnerable communities.
