The Challenge in Disaster Reduction for the Water and Sanitation Sector: Improving Quality of Life by Reducing Vulnerability

This new joint publication (PAHO, UNICEF, the ISDR and the IFRC) was introduced at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico in March to draw attention to the importance of ensuring that water and sanitation systems remain fully operational in the aftermath of natural disasters. This is critical if countries are to avoid setbacks to the hard-won achievements of the recent past in terms of access to these services. Additionally, it will allow countries to meet, by the year 2015, the target of reducing by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to drinking water and basic sanitation. Risk management is an important tool for the fulfillment of global challenges to provide water and sanitation services to all at all times. A limited number of print copies of the publication is available from the CRID. Download the full-text publication from PAHO’s web site at www.paho.org/disasters (click on Publications Catalog)

Read PAHO’s Annual Report
on Disaster Reduction

PAHO’s 2005 Annual Report on disaster preparedness, mitigation and response is now on the web at www.disaster-info.net/AnnualReport05. Among the many activities that took place in Latin America and the Caribbean, the report looks at efforts to plan in earnest for pandemic influenza and, following the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, to rally around the “Safe Hospitals” initiative. The report also discusses support to disaster response efforts in other regions of the world.