2015-10-28

UN Observances//ContentCo-GNN/ – 28 Oct, 2015 –

Featured News Report on the Historic UN-IDDR Observance 2015.

By: UNISDR Special Correspondents.

Disasters can occur anywhere, anytime, at any location, to any society. The past few decades have witnessed a significant increase in natural disasters. According to the UN statistics, nearly 400-500 natural disasters and calamities take place annually. Major vicissitudes and overall global variations like climate change, loss of biodiversity, constant and rapid environmental degradation, ozone forfeiture mutilations and global warming are the key reasons and causative emancipations to disasters increase. The devastative consequences of such cataclysms, that are posed with the detrimental damages to the global communities, their infrastructures and in their overall socio-economic set-ups, are becoming exceedingly and alarmingly high. Asia’s 2004-Tsunami alone, devastated over 6 countries, leaving over 3 million as homeless, hundreds of thousands as displaced, with a toll rate exceeding 2,80,000.

IDDR and its Importance:

In view of the afore-mentioned corresponding facts, the United Nations designated an International Observance Day for Disaster Reduction, in 1989 with the approval by it’s General Assembly. The UN General Assembly sees the IDDR as a way to promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Originally celebrated as per resolution 44/236, 22 December 1989, the UN General Assembly decided to designate 10/13 as the date to celebrate the IDDR (resolution 64/200, 21 December 2009).

International Day for Disaster Reduction is a day to celebrate how people and communities are reducing their risk to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of DRR. It’s also a day to encourage every citizen and government to take part in building more disaster resilient communities and nations.

The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva, seizes the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) as an opportunity to reflect on the risks and dangers in one’s community.

The Impact-significance of IDDR 2015:

As the year 2015, categorically marks the last round-up for Hyogo Framework of Action, and serves as the concluding-finale for the United Nations’ MDGs, the celebrations got an extraordinary extended elegance.

Last year, the ‘Step-up Initiative’ (2011-2014) focused on a different group of partners every year leading up to the World Conference for Disaster Reduction in 2015.

The 2015’s theme for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was ‘Knowledge for Life’. The focus of this year’s IDDR was on the traditional, indigenous and local knowledge which complement modern science and add to an individual’s and societies’ resilience.

The day and its theme “Knowledge for Life” were used to boost multi-segmental awareness of disaster risk reduction across the world.

The IDDR Observance Adherences around the Globe:

Various organizations, groups and institutions around the world; from Kathmandu to Canberra, and from Addis Ababa to Beijing. are celebrating the UN-IDDR from 11/13 through end of the month, followed by different workshops, thematic seminars and symposiums.

During the institutional celebrations, people find themselves in a transformative sort of company alongside the UN family, the Kofi Annan Foundation, the International Telecommunications Union, Global Health Workforce Alliance, the World Meteorological Organization, the Tear Fund, ODI, UNESCO-SAARC Academic Alliance,  the Axa Research Fund, SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc Academia, Inspectorate for Emergency Situation Petrodava Romania, Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA), SAIRI Research Initiative Pakistan, NARRI Consortium Bangladesh, Plan International Laos and several others UNISDR’s partner for this year’s campaign.

Noteworthy IDDR events were hosted by the Lisbon City Council through the Civil Protection Department Portugal, Save the children International, Department of Health Washington DC, Conference Centre of Tien Giang People Committee, Saritsa Foundation, India, SAARC-ASEAN Postdoc Academia and Global Health Workforce Alliance.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) of Jamaica joined the United Nation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in commemorating International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) 2015.

Indonesia marks IDDR by piloting a National Conference on Community Based DRR, organized by Indonesia’s Disaster Management Society, in collaboration with Plan International.

Plan International also organizes a National Symposium on DRR and Resilience, in Kathmandu. Nepal.

In Asia, this year, the special focus of the International Day for Disaster Reduction (UN-IDDR) observances across the region was on DESPO-Asia Appraisal’s indicators, including the needs and priority recommendations for a better planning and understanding of disaster risk in disasters prone communities. IDDR 2015 intended to switch on and amplify the critical DESPO indications, now and for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.

The United Nations IDDR-WSDPD Convergent Observance:

Since the role of science cannot be over-sighted in the DRR contexts, the fortnight-long celebrations across the globe are followed by a 10 days ‘SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc DRR Thematic Confluence’, which would be concluded up by a convergence of IDDR to the UN’s World Science Day for Peace and Development UN-WSDPD-2015 observance.

Special Focus on Marginalized Groups and DESPO Recommendations:

According to the world statistics, there are some 1970 million marginalized people (disables+ Pregnant women + people aged over 60) – that’s over 25% of the global population. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be nearly as many people aged 60 or over as children under 15: 2.02 billion compared with 2.03 billion, according to the world statistics.

The statistics-based, facts correspondingly invoke the irrepressible essentiality of a mandatory and obligatory call for disasters’ preparedness at all levels, i.e. the governments, the NGOs, the private sectors and the public segments, all have to step up for an ‘Integrative Preparedness’ for Disasters Risk Reduction (IP-DRR).

The IP-DRR cross-disciplinary and cross-sectorial Deca-archic ISDR Model of disaster management, was first conceptualized and introduced by SAIRI’s multi-disciplinary arch-researcher and Asian DRR P.I. Professor Qadhi Aurangzeb Hafi of Pakistan, who foremostly brought forth and orchestrated the concepts of ‘disability-inclusive and pregnancy-inclusive protocols’ in disasters management policy frameworks during the first epidemiological assessment appraisals of Tsunami 2004. Now the IP-DRR modus-operandi of Aurangzeb Hafi Deca-archic ISDR Model and DESPO appraisal, have been formally adopted as a principal operative modality for Post-Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks of Action, by all major initiatives for disasters risk reduction, led by the UN.

Key-Findings of Asian DESPO-DRR 2015:

According to Asian Post-DESPO appraisal of 2015, “Malnutrition rates in children, particularly those in Bangladesh’s and Myanmar’s refugees camps is becoming thrice the emergency threshold, measured as per the UN’s WFP-WHO laid parameters.”

“A considerable number of cases suggest ‘evident presence’ of Leptospirosis, that is appearing for the 1st time at a substantial extent, on post-disastrous scenes in recent history of natural catastrophes,” cautions DESPO-Asia 2015.

In most of the hard-hit areas of Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar and Pakistan poorly maintained sewers are overflowing, carrying along heavy toxins and remnant industrial waste thus contaminating the drinking water supplies. Many samples from the disaster effected and IDPs camps, bear high toxicity concentrations and strong evidence suggests the presence of arsenic along with a considerable number of other toxins coming from industrial sewers. And if, the situation prevails for another 10-15 days, it would be emerging as a host to a number of hazardous ailments, especially among pregnant women and small children.

The present disaster is perhaps the first known in recent history to carry-forth a considerable number of ‘Leptospirosis’ leading to severe Pulmonary Haemorrhage Syndrome (PHS), Lymphocytic Chorio-Meningitis (LCMV), Acute Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

DESPO warns of more cases bearing the disease-pattern in near future. Most of the identified cases are within the flood effected areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. However the same cannot be ruled out for India and Pakistan.

Major indicators have been identified suggesting the strong potential of pandemic outbreaks such as cholera and diarrheal diseases that are directly linked to cell mediated immunity (CMI), mal-nutrition and mal-absorption.

Impaired absorption of water, electrolytes and minerals causes impaired formation of Micelle + C complex, which in turn results in multiple mal-absorption complications. The presence of either both types of deficiencies, or any one of the above mentioned factors can seriously affect the C.M.I. (cell mediated immunity) leading to pathological complications in young babies.

Malnutrition rates have become thrice the emergency threshold in Tier-3 (India, Bangladesh) and Tier-4 (Myanmar) zones.

Cross-referential data-statistics obtained from reliable sources, determined even prior to the present flooding scenario that, in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, the long-persecuted ethnic minority Rohingya’s children confined in squalid detention camps are having acute malnutrition rates from 30%-35%, which is far beyond of 15% level set by the World Health Organization.

“The European Community Humanitarian Office, reported that the area had acute malnutrition rates hitting 23 percent, which was still beyond that of the emergency level declared by WHO,” relates further DESPO appraisal, citing from SAIRI report for UN, on the subject.

There remains a considerable number of people, especially the children, the elderly and pregnant women, who live along the coastal belts, the river shores and road-sides who remain predisposed to consequential vulnerabilities, indicatingly points DESPO.

There are heightened concerns about the risk of outbreaks of infectious diseases such as water-borne diseases, vector-borne diseases and air-borne diseases.

In addition, acute respiratory infections, in areas of overcrowding and where water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) systems have been disrupted.

DESPO’s Pressing Concerns:

1. Measures must be taken on a priority-based ‘prompted plan’ frame, to mitigate the anticipated increase in waterborne diseases. (A rapid increase anticipated in next 2 months, especially in Tier-2,3 and 4 zonal territories.)

2. Immediate provision of safe drinkable water, emergency hygiene-kits and secure sanitation.

3. Sendai and Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) along with customized DRR modalities must be followed in all of the affected zones including the temporary shelters for IDPs.

4. There are ongoing needs of tents for medical and maternity services in all affected areas.

5. The ‘3-key marginalized’ hardest-hit locations, must be annexed to a considerate focus.

6. The disabled, should be compassionately dealt with and taken care of.

7. Special attention must be paid to target the displaced (children and pregnant women especially.

8. The continuing needs for the health care include the management of post trauma cases, restoration of disrupted primary health care services and rehabilitation support for patients who have discharged from the hospitals.

9. There is a need for access to first line mental health for people (especially in Myanmar and Bangladesh) who are incapacitated and already vulnerable due to pre-existing mental disorders.

Key Recommendations of DESPO-Asia:

1. An overall rescue + response operation in all of the Asian Tier-4 zones (mainly Myanmar), Tier-3 zones (parts of India & Bangladesh) and Tier-2 zones (Pakistan), is needed and should be prioritized.

2. An immediate launch of ‘Risk Assessment Appraisals,’ in remote areas, where data is not easily collected.

3. Southeast Asia should devise or develop a ‘Systematic Early Appraisal/Warning Capability’ (SEAWC).

4. Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Systems should be revised, in accordance with the UN-DRR framework.

5. The WHO should organize with local actors the health care industry to provide workshops in hard-hit areas and potential hot zones.

6. Early detection systems of ‘Toxic Risks’ must be employed at all three stages of disaster risk reduction. ‘Toxicology Data Collection’ must be considered as an mandatory tool for the potential forthcoming hazardous situations.

7. Strategies should be devised to face the inevitabilities with a particular focus on, ‘No racial/ Ethnic Discriminatory Policies in Natural Disasters or Emergency Situations.’

8. Refugee camps or other provisional settlements should be provided promptly, and are among those ‘to be prioritized’ in earlier phases of emergency response.

9. The disaster alert, response and rehabilitation systems, that are not compatible with the circumstantial situations of remote rural areas must be revised with a core focus on circumstantial compatibility.

10. Coordinated efforts by the local administration must be coupled with the technical inputs, in view of the emergency.

11. The Emergency Health Response Operations (EHROs) must be decentralized with a targeted focus on local or district response and planning. Emergency health operations officers should stationed in all of the hard-hit areas to support the Local Health Officials (LHOs) in coordinating response and strengthening disease surveillance.

Myanmar’s Ongoing Discrimination Highlighted in DESPO-Asia 2015:

The flood has overshadowed many apprehensions besides the Rohingyas’ worst humiliation. Despite that the UN has declared an emergency situation, Myanmar persists on it’s long-enduring discrimination.

Years of persecution has been continued in the disaster situation.

According to Burma Times, “In Kyauktaw, Rohingyas were turned out of shelters while in Akyab they have been warned not to move out of their neighbor-hoods even when they are submerged in flood water.”

For more information, visit:
http://www.thestateless.com/2015/08/01/rohingyas-turned-out-of-flood-shelters/

Level-3 ‘State of Emergency’:

The ‘flood-soaked’ are predisposed to become the ‘blood-soaked.’ Rohingya children’s pre-existing crisis, after entering the post-flood situation constitutes essentially, a ‘state of humanitarian emergency,’ and therefore, is being declared unanimously hereby a ‘Level-3 Emergency’ situation, according to the institutionally laid out ER parameters.

“It is a highly vulnerable hour for humanity,” states the UNESCO ascribed DESPO-Asia’s ‘full-bench’ 45 members DRR experts quorum, primed by SAIRI Post-doc Multiversity for the United Nations MDGs.

As they are not allowed to stay in the emergency shelters, nor are they permitted to leave the flood-soaked vicinities.

DESPO points out that the directives sent by the authorities for the phases of emergency response and rehabilitation, dearth certain methodological facets on technical accounts, that are inevitable to accomplish the set targets concerning the DRR.

The Appalling Condition in Myanmar:

Rohingya people are effectively confined in a state of statelessness, and are deprived of all kinds of basic civil rights including emergency medical relief, the necessary provisions of food and water, and other humanitarian aid. The situation escalates when it comes to children, pregnant women or the disabled.

UNICEF describes the situation of chronic and acute malnutrition in the Rakhine state, where the Rohingyas are largely located.

Children living in Rakhine are more likely to suffer from chronic malnutrition, more likely to be malnourished than the average Myanmar child, with almost 50 per cent of children stunted.

For more information, visit:
http://www.unicef.org/eapro/media_22655.html

Rohingya children are confined into the isolated squalid camps in Rakhine.

‘Need-of-the-Hour’:

“The UN, rights groups and other agencies are urged to rescue them from the situation – if they feel obligation to save the precious lives of these desperate children,” compels DESPO-Asia 2015.

“The floods are hitting children and families who are already very vulnerable, including those living in camps in Rakhine state,” said Shalini Bahuguna, an official of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Beyond the immediate impact, the floods will have a longer-term impact on the livelihood of these families,” she warned. Arakan has already been declared a calamity-hit area, she maintained.

For more information, visit:
http://www.thestateless.com/2015/08/04/140000-rohingya-children-affected-by-floods-says-un/

Hitlerian Tactics:

Dr. Muang Zarni, a Burmese analytical expert and research fellow at London School of Economics, describes the situation as ‘Neo-Nazism’ being demonstrated by hatemongers. He has explicitly named the manifestations as ‘Hitlerian Tactics’, which are being administered to ‘purify’ the country by getting rid of the Rohingyas, according to Dr. Muang.

“There is a parallel between what we saw in Nazi Germany and what we are seeing today in Burma,” says Dr. Muang quite cautiously.

Note: Many bi-partisan researchers, human rights experts and activists have termed the whole scenario as neo-Nazism. For e.g., see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/27/the-burmese-bin-laden-fueling-the-rohingya-migrant-crisis-in-southeast-asia/

The entire race of Rohingyas would be massacred if the world doesn’t respond, believes Muang in conjunction with the opinion of many other experts.

Very apt, pertinent and propos was the statement, that was voiced by the operational adviser of Holland-based ‘Doctors Without Borders’, Reshma Adatia:

“It’s important for foreign governments and international actors to really push that access to essential humanitarian assistance is required, and it’s required today,” she said. “We’re talking about hundreds of thousands that are at risk right now,” voiced Adatia well-ago, but it applies still, to the moment!

The Fact-in-Existence:

The desperate and lonely children of this longsuffering ethnic minority Rohingya, are facing the same extents of the pre-existing heavy jeopardize, even in the floods-emergency situation, with ‘multiplicative factors’.

In contexts of the previously prevalent circumstances, and a convoluted interplay of complex and tortuous factors, Rohingya children’s worsening situation is effectually getting inward-bound to a ‘loggia of multi-factorial endangerment’ having a a surplus of ‘multiplicative factors’.

SAIRI, prior to the present appraisal, in a separate report to the UN, has documented the nature, extent and magnitude of the ongoing persecutions and the unimaginably desperate circumstances, that these children are pre-disposed to.

For more information, visit:
http://drhabibsiddiqui.blogspot.com/2015/07/sairi-report-of-rohingya-children-is.html

Notably as well as awfully, the international community is standing aside, silently looking at what is happening along-side.

No one dares to thumbs-up for the actual severity of the situation. No one stands or comes forth to open up lucidly-clear talks with Myanmar, on accounts of hardline ethico-moral standings and humanistic boundaries, that everyone is inexorably bound to remain within.

Myanmar’s Sittwe Camps detainee Rohingya children already being long-starved are converting more sick, dehydrated malnourished and deep-traumatized after watching the horrendous scenes of merciless ‘inhumaneness’, and unprecedented brutality long manifested upon them.

In fact, prior to the present disastrous situation, they are living in a far precarious, pre-existing ever-worsening state-of-affairs, that has been constituted by a dangerous game of enflaming sentiments of xenophobic racial inhumaneness that has crossed all such extents, which can be expected or even imagined and thought of!

Closing Plea for Myanmar’s Dying-alive Rohingya Children:

These dying-alive, ‘flood-soaked’, and finally ultimately prone be ‘blood-soaked’ lonely Rohingya children are once again ‘on their knees’ before the global community-with their blank eyes looking for anyone to come forth to rescue them – with their horror-struck eyes engraved with mind-numbing scenes-already enough traumatized after having seen their homes burned down – their mothers beleaguered – their small siblings beaten mercilessly and brutally – their fathers’ heads smashed on roads and streets inhumanely – now call on the collective conscience of the world – the UN – the trans-regional hierarchies, and – the entire humanity – to take a ‘moral stand’ by mounting an urgent response to this most ‘vulnerable hour’…!!!

“By means of the DESPO appraisal’s testimony, the SAIRI Post-doc Multiversity hereby re-voices and re-supplicates to the global community that:

“These long suffering ‘stateless’ and ‘restless’ entities-the Rohingyas and their desperate children-are calling on the entire humanity to rescue them promptly-right now.”

“These glimmering flowers are being reduced and converted to dusky coffins, floating on the Andaman Sea.”

“The world has become a global village; we are all inhabitants of the same planet to which they belong, and-where alongside, they are being oppressed, thrashed, beleaguered and de-humanized-their homes being burned down-their heads being smashed on roads-their bodies being ruined and crumpled in streets-their small children being enslaved-their women being made sex-slaves-and, due to the unapproachability and inaccessibility to food and water they are forced to drink their own urine to survive…!!!

They are like us all-their lives are as precious as our’s-their small babies are like our own small kids – the children that are now crying to seek a rescue – ‘begging-for-their-lives’ – these desperate kids are not, but like ours…!!!”

“We have to raise voice for those with little or no voice!”

“And, if by now, we fail, therefore, to respond at this vulnerable hour, or if the global community continues to shy away from taking a ‘moral stand’, then, there can be no more justifiable reason for the pursuit of a humane society or for persisting and sticking to even the least realms of humaneness!” pleads SAIRI’s principal investigator, Professor Qadhi Aurangzeb Al Hafi.

“We all have to strive for an ‘immediate-resolve’ of the ‘Rohingya Children Crisis’ as a ‘Moral Imperative’ – if not a legal requisite,” urges and presages categorically Prof. Dr. Aurangzeb Hafi the principal investigator of DESPO-Asia 2015 appraisal by SAIRI Post-doc Multiversity of the United Nations MDGs studies.

The Asian DESPO-2015 assessment report was prepared by SAIRI Multiversity’s research collaboration with the SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc Academia and UNESCO. The appraisal has been primed under the aegis of UNESCO Adjoined Monitoring Cell for Asian floods 2015, by a cross-regional group of 45 interdisciplinary researchers and epidemiologists, mainly from the South Asian region. The cross-disciplinary investigative group led by SAIRI’s multi-disciplinary P.I. Professor Dr. Aurangzeb Hafi from Pakistan, prepared the appraisal in collaboration with UNESCO chair for watershed management at University of Punjab, Lahore.

DRR experts and academics from the Southeast Asian region, have extended strong recommendations to address the impeded set-back, by incorporating the DESPO indicators in the disaster management policy frame-works.

SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc Academia’s Executive Director H.E. Justice (R) Dr. S.S. Paru L.L.D. (Indonesia), Regional Director, Dr. Faiser N.M. (Sri Lanka), Dr. Salawal Salah, Professor Emeritus Dr. Zaki, Dr. Bareera N.B., and Lt. Col. Azhar Saleem also urged the international bodies to make prompt-prioritizations of DESPO-2015 DRR indicators.

A summary of DESPO-DRR indicators to SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc Academia has been presented at NPAW-2015 observance, as well as to the UN and regional authorities.

The Keynote Messages:

On the occasion of IDDR 2015, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a message highlighting the significance of indigenous knowledge in disaster risk reduction (DRR), “Traditional and indigenous knowledge is the indispensable information base for many societies seeking to live in harmony with nature and adapt to disruptive weather events, a warming globe and rising seas.”

Keynote messages for IDDR observance and the relevant themes, include those from: Kristalina Georgieva – The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, UNISDR Head, Margareta Wahlstrom, Toby Porter – Chief Executive Help Age International, Justice(R) Dr. S.S. Paru – Chancellor Emeritus SAARC-ASEAN Postdoc Academia, Dr. Rick Brennan – WHO’s Director of Emergency Risk Management and Humanitarian Response, Professor Aurangzeb Hafi – P.I. SAIRI Post-doc Multiversity for the UN-MDGs, Dasho Dzongdag – Governor of Punakha Dzongkhag The Department of Disaster Management under the Ministry of Home & Cultural Affairs, Bhutan, Peggy Keller – MPH, Director of Community Preparedness and Resilience, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Administration Washington DC, Professor Emeritus Dr. Zaki and Dr. Faiser N.M. – Directors, SAARC-ASEAN Post-doc Academia, Silvia Stefanoni-Director of Policy and Strategy, HelpAge International,  Noel Arscott – Jamaica’s Minister with responsibility for Disaster Management, Tom Mitchell-Head of Climate and Environment, Dr. Khalida M. Khan – Holder of the UNESCO Chair for Watershed Management, Dr. M.S.S Salawal Salah – Consultant SAARC Disasters Management Committee and Dr. Wickrema Weerasooria – Former Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Zealand and Australia.

Advent-emergence of KAKHTAH Multiversity DRR Scholarship in Asia:

The official citation of the United Nations’ IDDR-WSDPD Observance of 2015 states that,

“As a testament of the meritorious renderings that made some ‘difference’ in DRR executional framework reprieves in the aftermaths of the Asian Tsunami of 2004 – the highest-observed devastating catastrophe of the recorded history of last millennium’s natural cataclysms, a ‘DRR Selection Slate’ was made with a view to reckon-surmise the real ‘on-ground impact factor’ of different institutional entities, relief projects and individuals with reference to the UN’s Sendai and Post-HFA frameworks in global DRR perspectives.

Besides the utmost wreckage-desolations, that quite austerely devastated and shattered almost 9 main oceanic sectors of Asia, including the hard-hit coastal zones of Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Sumatra, and its unprecedented scale of destruction, Tsunami-2004 brought forth a way to measure the real impact factor in terms of the actual ‘on-ground renderings’ conceded thereupon.

The DRR Selection Slate draped a summing-up of 17 out-scored projects and 21 organizations.

Noteworthy amongst them are; Save the Children, SOS, Rotary International, the Oxfam, MAVSO Intl, Shadow Intl., and some regional and local organizations.

In order to typify the ‘difference’ introduced thereupon, an opinion poll was customizedly commissioned in hard-hit areas, in order to have the affectees their own say for- ‘who did what for them’ – that brought some meant-content for them in the aftermaths of the crucial most catastrophe.

The outcome of ‘Tsunami Opinion Polls’, coupled with inter-institutional and academic consensus, evoked the unanimity in lieu of a historic resolution for instituting KAKHTAH multiversity medal, named after those who became responsible for bringing forth some real ‘difference’ during the hard test of human solidarity, through their meritorious renderings.

The On-ground DRR Impact Factor (DRR-IF):

“The highest impact factor (IF), particularly in DRR perspectives, is the actual ‘On-ground IF’ of the ‘Humanitarian et Meritorious’ renderings – which do speak for themselves and, deservedly worth to be solidified in history archives’ testimonials for the centuries and generations to come” the SAARC-ASEAN HFA Confluence of IDDR-WSDPD Convergent Observance of 2015, hereby adopts the resolution and acclaims under the UN resolutions and conventions on the subject, entailing the DRR/HFA, for posthumously instituting a multiversity ‘KAKHTAH’ scholarship medal for outstanding doctoral and post-doctoral research studies on DRR,” says the UN IDDR-WSDPD Convergent Observance of 2015.

The multiversity ‘KAKHTAH’ scholarship gets its standing-ovation to be named after; 1. Kofi Annan – the former UN secretary general, who paid prompt visits in far-remote affected areas with an aim to have a first-hand knowledge of the ground situation. He himself prompted for the actual circumstantial state-of-affairs, instead of relying on the executive summaries – rightly setting a new custom and tradition in the hierarchical pyramids, 2. Helen Keller Intl – a US based international organization that immediately incited the emergency humanitarian services in Tsunami’s Indonesia’s hardest-hit regions, saving the lives where needed right by the moment of need, 3. Tzu-chi Intl – a multi-regional NGO from Taiwan, having one of the largest networks with representations and physical presence in almost all continents throughout the world, whose volunteers remained on-board for over three years for long-term Tsunami relief works, 4. Aurangzeb Hafi – an independent multidisciplinary arch-researcher and philanthropist from Pakistan, who foremostly conceptualized, directed, and almost single-handedly kept-paced all major research projects concerning the disability related constituencies and ivories during Tsunami. On account of ‘disability inclusiveness’ trend-settings, Prof. Hafi can justly be credited for pioneering the cutting-edge concepts of pre-birth multiple disabilities risk assessment, embryonic toxicity and teratogenic proneness factor analysis among pregnant women and the disability+pregnancy inclusive special protocols in cataclysmic emergencies and DRR modus of executional frameworks.

Distinct acknowledgements, on account of furthering the DRR goals in HFA and Post-HFA perspectives, have been made for the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN, which helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.

IDDR celebrations of 2015 would end up by the concluding term of SAARC-ASEAN NPAW-DRR Symposium and UN IDDR-WSDPD-2015 Convergent Confluence under the aegis of UNESCO, by 11/10/2015. The confluence consists of 23 formal academic sessions, over 67 workshops and 49 high-level round the table panel discussions.

Well-attended by the academic luminaries across the planet, IDDR-2015 celebrations embrace more than 3000 policy papers on disasters management policy frameworks. The research precis of policy frameworks are primed for UN-DRR Hyogo-Sendai Frameworks and other segments of relevance.

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