WORKING SESSION
Education and Knowledge in Building a Culture of Resilience
Brief & Concept Note
Brief
1. Why is this topic important?
The Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) emphasized education and public
awareness as key priorities for action to achieve effective disaster risk reduction. Emphasis
was placed over the past ten years on strengthening networks and promoting dialogue and
cooperation among disaster experts, technical and scientific specialists, planners and other
stakeholders to build an overall culture of safety and resilience through knowledge sharing
and education. Disaster risk reduction has been integrated as part of formal, non-formal,
informal education and training activities. Providing the relevant knowledge and skills to
children and youth was recognized as a priority to help them better understand exposure to
hazards, opportunities that exist to prevent a natural hazard from turning into a disaster and
how they can contribute to assess risks in their community.
Community-based approaches to education and knowledge for disaster risk reduction, in
which solutions to local problems are explored collaboratively by community members have
begun to gain profile during the last 10 years. Since the HFA was adopted, child-centered
disaster risk reduction education has been introduced in early childhood programmes in a
number of countries. The organization of evacuation drills of communities with cooperation
of schools is another example of the utilization of schools as base communities (eg.
secondary students played a leading role in the evacuation of people during the Great East
Japan Earthquake of 2011).
General public awareness strategies aiming to stimulate a culture of risk reduction and
resilience have been undertaken. Over 50 countries have mainstreamed disaster risk
reduction into the educational curriculum. Significant progress towards evidence and
consensus-based key messages for disasters were adopted and promulgated in various
countries and are expected to serve as good basis for the institutionalization of disaster risk
reduction in the education sector.
Disaster risk reduction has been increasingly promoted and integrated into teaching and
learning as a key sustainable development issue. The “Decade on Education for Sustainable
Development” reinforced the link between disaster risk reduction education and knowledge
with sustainable development.
1
2. What gaps need to be filled?
Education and knowledge will be fundamental for the years to come in building a global
culture of safety and resilience. Significant challenges remain, such as an insufficient
integration of disaster risk reduction in national development policies and education plans; a
lack of coordination across ministries and institutions and between different stakeholders;
and, too limited higher education opportunities on disaster risk reduction.
Innovative approaches are needed to expand education and knowledge related to disaster
risk reduction. The effective use of e-learning or Technology Enhanced Learning approaches
to further education and knowledge of disaster risk reduction may help in the coming years.
The combination or linkages of educational processes with the media community and social
media are also important. Blended learning, mobile learning and massive open online
courses (MOOCs) will be new modalities for education and knowledge in disaster risk
reduction education. More public awareness coupled with better information and knowledge
generation, dissemination and use are required to facilitate an effective implementation of a
post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.
Measuring the impact of education on attitudes and behavioural changes also remains a
challenge. Some more research, evidence base and practice are required to determine
impact.
3. What commitments are expected to be achieved?
Commitments expected from the session:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Support a shift in approaches towards disaster risk reduction in higher education
(including Master and PhD level education) which understands the need to involve
students, higher education leaders, authorities, and private sector interests;
Identify innovative learning mechanisms, particularly by using ICT and Technology
Enhanced Learning approaches;
Promoting community-based approaches to disaster risk reduction education and
knowledge through common messaging and a systematic partnership between
education authorities, practitioners and the media community to reach out to and
educate communities on disaster risk reduction;
Develop indicators and targets which will support and measure progress in the area
of education and knowledge for governments are expected to commit on reporting
against these indicators.
Establishment of an international working group to move forward the agenda of
information and communication for effective disaster risk reduction.
2
Concept Note
Schedule
Tuesday 17 March 2015, 14:00-15:30
Room and Venue
Exhibition Hall 1, Sendai International Conference Centre
Organizing Team
Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in
the Education Sector
UNISDR Focal Points
Christel Rose ([email protected])
Background and
Rationale
The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) defined among its
priorities (Action 3) to use knowledge, innovation and
education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all
levels. Disasters can be substantially reduced if people are
aware, well informed and acquire the relevant life-saving skills
to protect themselves, their extended family and wider
community against the devastating impact of disasters.
An effective and systematic collection, compilation and
dissemination of relevant knowledge and information on
hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities is required to build a
solid evidence basis for disaster risk reduction and resilience
education.
A number of governments have expressed the need that
policies and practices for disaster risk reduction be based on
an understanding of risk in all its dimensions of vulnerability,
capacity and exposure of persons and assets and hazards
characteristics.
As highlighted by the HFA Mid Term Review in 2011, the
continued incorporation of disaster risk education, including
preparedness, in educational curricula at all levels, in
particular in higher education, in informal education systems
and in professional education, remains a priority.
More emphasis needs to be placed on the use of media and
ICT to promote disaster risk reduction education at the
community level and build risk- informed communities.
Session Objectives
The session will:
 Look at the progress made on implementing disaster risk
reduction education and knowledge at national and local
levels (sector and country report)
 Identify gaps, needs and education aspects that received
insufficient attention during the HFA implementation.
 Address the challenges and set priorities and actions for
strengthening education and knowledge as expressed in a
3

Discussion agenda and
structure





Expected outcomes



post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction in
particular in the area of higher education, teachers’
training professional education and institutionalization of
disaster risk reduction education as part of national
development policies.
Highlight how public awareness and innovation,
particularly in ICT and media outreach, can significantly
contribute to further education and knowledge of disaster
risk reduction and build resilient communities.
Welcoming remarks by the Moderator (5min)
Introductory keynote (10 min): Importance of disaster risk
reduction education and progress reporting on priority 3
implementation.
Panel discussion: Sharing of experiences and lessons
learned in the last ten years, challenges and recommended
priorities by each panellist (50 min)
Audience interaction (20 min) – Formulation of
commitments.
Wrap up and way forward (link with Commitments to Safe
School and Children and youth sessions) (5 min)
Clear priorities for action for the promotion of education
and knowledge identified with elements of commitments
and implementation beyond 2015.
Good practices and concrete guidance provided to further
integrate disaster risk reduction in the curriculum and
higher education.
Modalities for the adaptation of global education
campaign at the community and local levels, including
through the use of media and ICT.
Commitment / special
announcement in support
of a post-2015 framework
for DRR
See Brief.
Expected number of
participants
500
Background documents
 Worldwide Initiative for Safe School
(www.wcdrr.org/engage/safeschools)
 UNESCO Roadmap for Implementing the Global Action
Programme on Education for Sustainable Development
 Shaping the Future We Want, UN Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (2005-2014)
 Comprehensive School Safety Framework
 DRR integration in school curriculum – Cases from thirty
countries
4
 Towards A Learning Culture of Safety and Resilience Technical Guidance for Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction
in the School Curriculum
 Children’s Charter for Disaster Risk Reduction
 Public Awareness and Public Education for Disaster Risk
Reduction: Key Messages
 Outcomes of the Second International Conference on
Public Awareness as A Cornerstone of Disaster Risk
Reduction (December 2014, Yerevan, Armenia)
5