Virtual meeting held on Parliamentary Action for Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness in the Caribbean
ParlAmericas, in conjunction with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, UN Women Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, and the World Food Programme (WFP) Multi-Country Office for the Caribbean, hosted the virtual meeting “Parliamentary Action for Disaster Risk Reduction and Preparedness in the Caribbean.”
The event brought together Caribbean parliamentarians and subject-matter experts to explore parliamentary interventions and receive focused guidance on how to enhance disaster prevention and response to address the increasing intensity and frequency of natural hazards spurred by the impacts of climate change. It commenced with opening remarks from the Honourable Bridgid Annisette-George (Trinidad and Tobago), Speaker of the House of Representatives and Vice-President of ParlAmericas.
The panel session was moderated by Senator The Honourable Dr. Erecia Hepburn Forbes (The Bahamas), and featured insightful presentations from several key speakers: Jair Torres from UNDRR discussed the importance of multi-hazard early warning systems; Tonni Brodber, Representative of UN Women Caribbean, highlighted strategies for gender-responsive disaster risk reduction; Nicholas Gainger from WFP explored the connections between shock-responsive social protection and disaster risk financing to enhance preparedness; and Cristobal Lopez Maciel from UNDRR focused on resilient infrastructure.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks by Member of the National Assembly Radjendrekoemar Debie (Suriname), Vice-President for South America of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network on Climate Change and Sustainability (PNCCS).
