REGIONAL PROCESS SESSION DESCRIPTION FORM 2.
10TH WORLD WATER FORUM
Regional Session Code and Title:
Session Code: RP5Title: Strengthening Resilience: Capacity Building for Gender-Inclusive Proactive Disaster Risk Reductionand Management
Regional Session Coordinators (Name, Position, Organization, email, mobile number):▪

▪

Coordinator 1: Ms. Kusum Athukorala Steering Committee Member Women for Water
Partnership/Regional Chair Global Water Partnership South Asia , Colombo, Sri
Lankamkusumathukorala@gmail.com, +94722442426,Coordinator 2: Dr. Jayati Chourey , Executive Director, SaciWATERs (South Asia Consortium forInterdisciplinary Water Resources Studies), Hyderabad , India
jayati@saciwaters.org +91 9949420410

Regional Session Description including objectives and expected outcomes (500 words maximum):South Asia is recognized as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate risks. The increasing intensity
and complexity of disaster risks underscores the need for proactive, inclusive disaster management
strategies, with gender mainstreaming being a essential element. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction (SFDDR) (2015-30) recognizes the crucial need for integrating a gender perspective intodisaster risk reduction. Achieving effective gender mainstreaming in disaster risk reduction requires aninvestment in capacity building through skill development and education. This effort should becomplemented by the creation of an enabling societal environment, advocating for gender-responsive
policies, inclusive institutions, and community engagement to empower women in disaster risk reduction
efforts. Additionally, it necessitates the reorientation of curricula to incorporate a gender perspective intraining professionals for disaster risk reduction.
In a commitment to gender and social inclusion, organizing partners – GWP-South Asia, SaciWATERs,
WWF-EDM & University of Kelaniya – have launched various capacity-building initiatives at different
levels across South Asia related to climate change and proactive disaster risk reduction. While significant
progress has been made over two decades, the journey continues towards realizing the envisioned
paradigm shift, marked by successes, lessons learned, challenges faced, and future needs &opportunities.
In this context, the organizing partners propose a session at the Bali World Water Forum to underscorethe urgency of prioritizing gender perspectives in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience efforts inSouth Asia. The session aims to share successful initiatives from the region, focusing on capacity-building
for gender-inclusive proactive disaster risk reduction. It will also facilitate discussions on challenges andstrategies for integrating gender into water, disaster risk management, and climate change curricula,leveraging the valuable insights and lessons gained from the South Asian experience to inform and inspire
similar initiatives worldwide. By advocating for gender-inclusive proactive strategies in disaster riskreduction, the proposed session at the Bali-WWF ultimately aims to contribute to a more resilient andinclusive future for South Asia and beyond.

Objectives:• Raise awareness about integrating gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction in South Asia,emphasizing capacity building.
• Showcase successful capacity-building initiatives, ranging from formal higher educational
programs to community-based initiatives, in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India for genderinclusive disaster risk reduction.
• Discuss challenges in mainstreaming gender in water, disaster risk management, and climatechange curricula, and explore strategies.
• Identify innovative approaches for overcoming barriers to gender mainstreaming in disaster risk
reduction.
• Promote international collaboration among stakeholders in disaster risk reduction and genderinclusion, emphasizing capacity-building exchange.
Expected Outcomes:• Increased understanding of women's vulnerabilities to climate-related disasters in South Asia,with a focus on building capacity.
• Recognition of gender-inclusive approaches in building resilience to disaster risks, supported bycapacity-building efforts.
• Dissemination of practical tools for integrating gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction
efforts.
• Opportunities identified for cross-sectoral collaboration to mainstream gender considerations,leveraging capacity-building initiatives.
• Recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and educators on prioritizing genderinclusion, with a focus on capacity-building strategies.
• Establishment of networks to support ongoing efforts in gender-inclusive disaster risk reduction,emphasizing capacity building.
Detailed Regional Session Plan:
Venue: BICC, 1st Floor, Nusantara 3. Date: 22nd May 2024 I Time: 9:50 am- 11:20 am
ESTIMATEDITEM DESCRIPTION / ROLE
TIMING
8 mins
Welcome and Opening Remarks:
Women and Youth Collaborating for
Change10 min

8 mins10 mins

Keynote Address

SPEAKERS
Ms. Kusum Athukorala, Steering Committee
Member, Women for Water Partnership, Sri
Lanka
Mr. Nitish Barole, Founder, Youth for
Resilience , India

Hon Jeevan Thondaman, Minister of Water
Supplyand Estate Infrastructure Development, Sri
Lanka
Presentation of Findings from theDr. Jayati Chourey, Executive Director – TheSouth Asian Sub-Regional Consultation South Asia Consortium for Interdisciplinary
on Disaster Risk Reduction and Gender Water Resources Studies (SaciWATERs),IndiaBridging Science and Community for
Dr. Younghyun Cho, Principal Researcher, KGender-Sensitive Disaster Risk
water Research Institute, Korea
Reduction: A Theatrical Presentation
Dr. Jayati Chourey , Ms. Kusum Athukorala
Mr. Nitish Barole35 mins▪ Panel Discussion and Audience
Questions“Empowering Resilience: Exploring
Gender-Inclusive Approaches toDisaster Risk Reduction Across Diverse
Landscapes”
Moderator: Dr. Santosh Nepal,Researcher, International Water
Management Institute, Nepal

14 minDocumentary Premiere

5 minsWrap-Up and Closing Remarks

Ms. Lajana Manandhar,
Regional Convenor, Freshwater Action
Network South Asia (FANSA), NepalProfessor Srinivas Chary Vedala, the Centre
Director, the Administrative Staff College ofIndia (ASCI). Dasra- NFSSM Alliance, India
Mr. Amar Gunatilleke, Executive ViceChairman, Marga Institute- Centre forDevelopment Studies, Open University of SriLanka.
Mr Sugath Dharmakeerthi, Senior Secretary,
Ministry for Water Supply and Estate
Infrastructure, Sri Lanka
Nazmun Naher, Country Coordinator,
Bangladesh Water Partnership (BWP),
Bangladesh'The Bleeding Tides'- Impact of climatechange on women’s menstrual andreproductive health in the Sundarbans, India
by SaciWATERs & Réel Nomads, India.
Changhua Wu, Asia Pacific Water Forum