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New UNESCO Chair for Gender and Vulnerability in Disaster Risk Reduction
The first UNESCO Chair for Gender and Vulnerability in Disaster Risk Reduction at Kobe University Japan was launched on 06 April 2018 This new Chair will help raise awareness on the importance of building disaster risk reduction DRR policies and programs that are both gender sensitive and inclusive
Mr Hiroshi Takeda President of Kobe University gave the opening speech at the Kickoff Symposium followed by speeches from Mr Kazuaki Kawabata DirectorGeneral for International Affairs of the Ministry of Education Culture Sports Science and Technology for Japan Ms Saniye Gülser Corat UNESCO Director for Gender Equality and Mr Takeo Fukui from UNESCOs Section on Earth Sciences and GeoHazards In her speech Ms Corat mentioned that women comprise 70 of the worlds poor and are more vulnerable to the impact of disaster due to existing socioeconomic political and cultural disadvantages At the same time women play a critical role for the protection and safety of their communities
Mr Kazunori Uchida Executive Vice President for Public Relations and Community Cooperation at Kobe University introduced the new UNESCO Chair His speech was followed by a panel discussion on the theme The Importance of International Collaboration in Addressing Disaster Visions and Realities of Gender and Vulnerability Disasters The speakers came from different partner institutions including Gadjah Mada University Indonesia MERCY Malaysia Malaysia National Kaohsiung Marine University Taiwan National Womens Education Center Japan Network for International Development Cooperation Thammasat University Thailand and University Tunku Adbul Rahman Malaysia
Kobe University was the only national university located at the center of damage and destruction during the 1995 HanshinAwaji Earthquake It has accumulated extensive knowledge on disaster risk reduction as well as the support needed to help reconstruct affected communities Those most affected by disasters are generally populations whose access to services are already limited women and girls With fewer resources and less mobility they are put in exceptionally vulnerable situations when crises arise and are further exposed to genderbased violence and sexual exploitation This is the reason why Disaster Risk Reduction activities can only be successful if they are built around the needs strengths and vulnerabilities of men and especially girls and women
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