The International Conference on Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction, organized by the UN International Strategy for Risk Reduction (UN/ISDR), was held from 20-22 April 2009, in Beijing, China.

Over 200 participants, including ministers and parliamentarians from 50 countries, gathered to discuss how women and men can participate equally in driving early warning systems, risk assessments, preparedness exercises and national and local plans to implement disaster risk reduction policies.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Wahlström noted that progress in mainstreaming gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction remains inadequate and that women should not be regarded as victims, but they should play an active role in preventing and managing disasters.
The recommendations on actions needed to mainstream gender into disaster risk reduction processes will inform the Beijing Declaration for Action and the Hyogo Framework for Action to be implemented by 2015.
Links to further information
UN News Centre, 17 April 2009
International Conference on Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction