In many years, Japan and the World Bank have been working together to support Disaster Risk Management (DRM) efforts by disaster-prone developing countries.  In April 2013, the Government of Japan announced Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming DRM in Developing Countries.  Subsequently, World Bank DRM Hub, Tokyo was established within the World Bank Tokyo Office. As part of its outreach and knowledge activities, Tokyo DRM Hub and the World Bank Tokyo Office will co-organize a public seminar titled “Social Risk Management for Mitigating Social and Economic Impacts from Natural Disasters”.

Natural disasters and climate change are among the greatest threats to development. As a result of their increased frequency, the economic and social costs of disasters are mounting. Natural disasters and climate change can push people into chronic and transient poverty and force them to adopt negative coping strategies. Social protection programs play an important role in protecting poor and vulnerable people from these impacts and helping them reduce their exposure and vulnerability to them.

The seminar features how to protect the poor and vulnerable from the economic impacts generated by a natural disaster.  In recent years, cash transfers, social pensions and public works programs have been utilized to respond to rapid onset natural disasters in countries like Turkey, Pakistan, Honduras, and Madagascar.  Economic and social considerations remain the main factor determining the impact of disasters although improved detection, prediction, construction standards, disease controls etc. could certainly help manage disaster risks better.  For this reason, it is critical to integrate Disaster risk management into Social risk management.

Program

Opening Remarks

Yasusuke Tsukagoshi     Special Representative, Japan, World Bank Group

Presentation

Arup Banerji     Senior Director, Social Protection & Labor, World Bank Group
Presentation Material: Social Risk Management for Mitigating Social and Economic Impacts from Natural Disasters (PDF) 

Commentary

Yasuyuki Sawada     Professor, Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo
Presentation Material: Social Risk Management for Mitigating Social and Economic Impacts from Natural Disasters (PDF)

Gabriel Kazuo Tsurumi   Vice Chariperson, Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation / Executive Managing & National Director, Plan Japan
Presentation Material: Lessons Learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake from a point of Japanese CSOs’ Perspectives (PDF)

Q & A’s

Moderator
Yuka Makino    Senior Operations Officer, Disaster Risk Management Hub, Tokyo, World Bank Group