CSW66 Special Event ‘Fireside chat: Women Reducing Disaster Risk’

The Fireside Chat on Women Reducing Disaster Risk will be launched on March 18, 2022, on the anniversary of the adoption of the SendaiFramework for DRR. Stay tuned for more details!

The theme of the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, provides an
opportunity to celebrate women who are reducing our collective disaster risk and look at how
the UN system can more effectively support their efforts. This fireside chat will bring together
the President of the General Assembly, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Disaster Risk Reduction, and women working in disaster risk reduction at all levels to share
stories of resilience and discuss the impact of women’s leadership in reducing disaster risk.

The PGA will engage in an informal conversation-style discussion with Ms. Mami Mizutori,
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and four female
leaders working in the field of disaster risk reduction to:

• Recognise and celebrate the leadership of women in disaster risk reduction at all levels.
• Identify the institutional changes that are needed to better support women’s leadership
  in disaster risk governance, and how the barriers that women face can be reduced.
• Explore ways to ensure education, training and skills of women and girls, particularly
  in STEM fields, as the foundation for knowledge and participation in disaster risk
  reduction.
• Highlight the benefits of strengthening the participation and leadership of women, in
  all their diversity, in building resilience and reducing future disaster risk.
• Discuss how the UN system can better engage directly with grassroots women’s
  organizations to centre their voice, agency, and leadership in disaster risk reduction.

Violet Shivutse, from Shibuye Community Health Workers, Kenya and Chairperson of Huairou’s Governing Council is one of the four grassroots leaders participating in this event.