The Old Mutual Foundation champions disaster resilience and fights inequality on International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Johannesburg, South Africa (26 October 2023) – Every year, on the 13th of October, we mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), a day that highlights the progress we’re making in reducing vulnerability and building resilience worldwide.
This year, the theme, “Fighting inequality for a resilient future,” shines a spotlight on the critical relationship between disasters and inequality.
Disasters do not discriminate; they affect communities regardless of borders, but their impact can be disproportionately severe on those who are most vulnerable. Poverty, inequality, and discrimination are both the causes and consequences of growing disaster risks. The 2023 IDDRR theme emphasizes how inequality and disaster vulnerability are interconnected. Limited access to essential services, financial resources, and other significant opportunities increases vulnerability and leaves the most marginalized exposed to the perils of disasters. These challenges are compounded by the rapidly rising cost of living, increasing interest rates, inflation, and declining economic conditions, along with rising debt levels that strike at the heart of vulnerable communities.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) underlines the need for dedicated action to address the underlying drivers of disaster risk, such as poverty and inequality. It emphasizes that disaster risk reduction requires a collective effort and partnership that involves all segments of society. This approach should empower and ensure inclusive, accessible, and non-discriminatory participation, with special attention to those disproportionately affected by disasters, particularly the poorest among us.
This year, the Old Mutual Foundation has taken a significant step in supporting the UN-sanctioned global initiative to commemorate IDDRR on the 13th of October, aligning with the SFDRR’s call for action.
The team marked this day at the Boarammelo Combined Primary School in Jagersfontein, in the Free State Province. This community had experienced the devastating consequences of a mine wall dam collapse in 2022, which resulted in the loss of livelihoods and employment. This catastrophe further exacerbated the economic conditions of the area.
The commemoration at Boarammelo Combined Primary School underscored the importance of disaster risk reduction programs and social safety nets that can improve the resilience of households and communities in the face of disasters and displacement. The Old Mutual Foundation’s commitment to being an inclusive, transformative, development-focused, and sustainable socio-economic organization is at the heart of their passion for finding solutions to uplift, empower, and enable the communities in which they operate. Their goal is to create an environment where our nation can thrive.
“The IDDRR promotes a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. The Old Mutual Foundation understands that disasters do not discriminate and know no borders, but their impact does. They disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable communities because they exacerbate structural and social inequalities and are harmful to economic growth. Our commitment to being an inclusive, transformative, development-focused, and sustainable socio-economic organization drives our passion to find solutions to uplift, empower, and enable the communities in which we operate, allowing our nation to thrive,” says Khotso Tsotsotso, Acting Head of the Old Mutual Foundation.
It’s heartening to see organisations like the Old Mutual Foundation stepping up to make a positive difference in a world often filled with challenges and adversities. Their support for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and their work in vulnerable communities is a shining example of how we can come together to create a safer and more resilient world.
Together, we can fight inequality and build a brighter, more secure future for all.
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