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International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

Michele Zaccheo, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), said that on the occasion of today’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN Secretary-General had issued a message, in which he stressed that this year’s theme, “Resilience Starts at Home”, was so critical because safety began where we lived, and preparedness at the household level — understanding the risks, having a plan, and acting swiftly — could mean the difference between life and loss.

Jeanette Elsworth, for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), stressed that resilience indeed started at home. Housing accounted for 43 per cent of direct economic disaster losses reported by countries through the Sendai Framework Monitor, highlighting the urgent need for greater investment in safer homes and household preparedness. Resilience was not only about buildings; it was also about people. Launching today in London, new findings from the Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2026 showed the importance of household preparedness. Among those people who had received an advanced warning during a disaster, only 27 percent had neither a household disaster plan nor confidence in their ability to protect themselves and their families were able to act on that warning. By contrast, 83 percent of those who had both a plan and confidence in their ability to respond were able to take action. The findings also pointed to inequalities across income groups, highlighting the importance of ensuring that all households have access to risk information, early warnings, and the resources they need to protect themselves.

UNDRR was therefore calling on governments, the private sector, and communities to put housing resilience at the center of disaster risk reduction efforts by building in safer locations, enforcing resilient building standards, retrofitting existing homes. Ms. Elsworth said that UNDRR’s message today was straightforward: reducing disaster impacts required both resilient homes and prepared households. If we wanted to reduce disaster losses and protect communities, resilience had to start where people lived. Reducing disaster impacts would require that homes that were built to last and households that were empowered to act.

Further details are available here.

Maria Moita, Director, Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that for many families, the end of a disaster was only the beginning of a much longer struggle to return home, restore livelihoods and rebuild their lives. What was done before disasters struck could reduce their impact, while what was done afterwards could determine how quickly people could rebuild their lives and reclaim their dignity. In 2025, Ms. Moita informed, IOM had reached 1.4 million people across 39 countries through disaster risk reduction programmes, supported 1,194 communities and helped extend early warning coverage to more than 1.2 million people. These investments helped communities prepare, protect lives and livelihoods, and reduce displacement risks.

Ms. Moita pointed out that recent emergencies showed why preparedness had to be connected to recovery. Nepal, for example, highlighted why reliable information mattered. Knowing where people had been displaced, what they needed and the risks they faced helped direct assistance and orient recovery to build back better. In Venezuela, following the June earthquakes, assessments found that more than half of affected households had identified housing repairs as a priority. Families faced difficult choices: remain displaced, return home or relocate elsewhere. The lesson was clear: recovery planning had to begin early, before temporary displacement became prolonged. In Colombia, following the August earthquake, rebuilding homes alone was not enough. Communities also needed functioning services and opportunities to rebuild their lives. Ms. Moita stressed that the experiences of these three countries pointed to one shared priority: preparedness, emergency response and recovery must work together. Sustained investment in early warnings, local preparedness, safer housing and recovery efforts had to begin from the outset.

Announcements

Michele Zaccheo, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that in New York today, the General Assembly would vote for new members of the Human Rights Council, while the Secretary-General would present the 2027 programme budget.

In Geneva, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was reviewing the report submitted by Paraguay. During this week, the Committee would also review reports submitted by Togo, Angola, and Cabo Verde.

The sixth Forum of Mayors was continuing in WIPO, while the UNHCR’s Executive Committee was meeting at the Palais des Nations throughout the week.

Mr. Zaccheo also informed that the head of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, was traveling in Asia, where he would visit Thailand, Nepal, and the Philippines. All details are available here.

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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 13 October 2026

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