Gender & Child Cell (GCC), in collaboration with UNWOMEN Pakistan, UNICEF Pakistan, Catholic Relief Services, Islamic Relief, Hands, and Welthungerhilfe (WHH), hosted a successful “One-Day National Dialogue on the Role of Women and Girls in Disasters” at the Marriot on 6th August, 2024. This event spotlighted the critical yet often underutilized contributions of women and girls in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and management. Participants discussed how women and girls possess invaluable knowledge and capacities that significantly enhance community resilience and recovery, yet their contributions are frequently overlooked in formal DRR frameworks. Chairman NDMA Lt General Inam Haider Malik and Prime Minister's Coordinator on Climate Change Romina Khursheed Alam attended the Dialogue. In his keynote address, Chairman NDMA emphasized the importance of proactive responsiveness and social resilience in disaster management. He stressed the need for adaptive measures to address climate-related challenges. The Chairman acknowledged that disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, particularly women and girls. However, their potential for resilience-building remains largely untapped within formal disaster risk reduction (DRR) and anticipatory action frameworks. He also highlighted that this platform aims to facilitate the sharing of experiences, identify best practices, and develop actionable strategies. Chairman NDMA underscored the critical contributions of women and girls, address the barriers they encounter, and advocate for gender-sensitive policies and practices in Pakistan's DRR efforts. The dialogue brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, humanitarian organizations, civil society groups, and women leaders from disaster-prone communities. Guest speaker Ms. Romina Khursheed, Chair of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, emphasized in her speech, "Women are not just victims of disasters; they are agents of change and resilience. Their unique perspectives and capacities must be integrated into our disaster management strategies to build a stronger, more inclusive Pakistan." The event facilitated knowledge exchange on best practices, identified challenges and opportunities for enhancing women's participation in disaster efforts, and developed actionable recommendations for gender-sensitive policies. This event marked a significant step towards empowering women in DRR, contributing to Pakistan's overall disaster management capabilities. It was funded by NDMA, UNWOMEN, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, Islamic Relief, WHH, Federation Handicap International, HANDS, and STEP.
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