D

elegations from 50 countries and various other organizations attending the fifth Asia Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction agreed on Friday to implement the “Yogyakarta Declaration on Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia and Pacific 2012” over the next two years.

The agreement underlines the need for accommodating disaster risk reduction (DRR) at the local level and adapting national development programs to address climate change.

The declaration, which was read out at the forum by the chairman of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Syamsul Maarif, also requires countries in the Asia Pacific to strengthen regulations and laws as well as institutions and disaster risk reduction management for better DRR and adaptation to climate change.

BNPB’s prevention and preparedness deputy chairman, Sugeng Triutomo, said the declaration focused more on the local administrations of the respective countries in the region in the implementation of disaster risk reduction as stipulated in the Hyogo Framework Action (HFA), a global blueprint for disaster management.

The declaration recommends that every country in the region conduct disaster risk assessments at the local level and fund-raising for local communities, develop resilience among local communities and pay attention to vulnerable people, including women, children and the disabled.

“The Yogyakarta Declaration, therefore, is a commitment to make HFA well rooted at the local administration and community levels through mainstreaming at the national development level, fund and risk assessment and management as well as partnership,” Sugeng said.

The Yogyakarta Declaration contains 11 statements from various mass organizations. The statements in general call for disaster risk reduction for disasters caused by nature and those by climate change to be given equal priority.

Sugeng said the Yogyakarta Declaration would be presented at the global conference on DRR to be held in May 2013 in Geneva.

Separately, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) secretary-general Margareta Wahlstrom said in her remarks that countries in the world deserved to copy what Indonesia had done in implementing DRR. Such things include the establishment of the Indonesia Disaster Risks Index, in which Indonesia identified that of its 490 regencies, 396 were considered to be highly prone to natural disasters.

“This declaration is not only read in Asia, but also other parts of the world. So, we are counting on that we also inspire other countries, particularly on the challenges, on how you can make sure that the capacity of local governments and local level community can be strengthened,” Wahlstrom said.

During the conference, a number of disabled people, who were victims of natural disasters, and residents living on the slopes of Mount Merapi held a people’s conference for disaster risk reduction at the same venue.

Sukaryanto Robby Reppa of the Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU) said that private citizens were the main actors in DRR.

The people’s conference also came out with a “people’s declaration”, calling on countries in the region to seriously and sustainably implement the declaration by involving all people.

“We also say no to any form of loan to fund disaster risk reduction programs as it would create new disasters,” Sukaryanto said.