Disasters affect the well-being and safety of people, communities and countries, as a whole.  Globally, the most common hazardous events are road accidents, natural disasters, and industrial injuries. Approximately 190 million people are directly affected annually by emergencies due to natural and technological hazards, with over 77 000 deaths. A further 172 million are affected by conflict (UNDRR). From 2012 to 2017, there were recorded more than 1200 out­breaks in 168 countries, including those due to new or re-emerging infectious diseases. In 2018, a further 352 infectious disease events, including the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), were tracked by the World Health Organization.

All communities are at risk of emergencies and di­sasters, including those associated with natural disasters, infectious dis­ease outbreaks, conflicts, technological and other hazards.  Particularly in the context of increased urbanization and climate change, frequency, severity and impact of disasters are crucial. The health, economic, political and societal consequences of these events can be devastating for developed and developing countries. 

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recommend scaling up the implementation of holistic disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies and plans, as means to improve resilience to disasters globally (SDG 11.B). Reducing the impact of disasters is a top priority. 

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Office for Northeast Asia (UNDRR ONEA), along with its Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) are offering this e-learning course to serve as a tool to guide humanitarian action in adopting a risk-sensitive approach when planning humanitarian needs and responses.

• Language: English
  To register, please click here.

2023 Session: 6 September 2023

Particularly in the context of increased urbanization, the urban risk continues to rise. The vulnerability of cities to disasters is growing especially as poor people settle in high-risk urban areas. Unfortunately, the planning and development of cities have given little consideration to the consequences of hazards such as earthquakes, hydro-meteorological risks, and others. The implication of this reality is the need for countries to focus on creating a safer world for urban dwellers and developing a series of innovative approaches to build resilience.

On the basis of these needs, UNITAR in partnership with UNDRR has developed the e-learning course “Making Cities Resilient: Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Strategies”.

• Language: English
  Lessons are accessible (audio transcription and sign language interpretation) for persons with some types of hearing and visual disabilities.
• To register, please click here
  2023 session: 6 September 2023.

​​​​​​En el contexto de la creciente urbanización, el riesgo urbano sigue aumentando. La vulnerabilidad de las ciudades a las catástrofes aumenta, especialmente a medida que las personas de bajos recursos se asientan en zonas urbanas de alto riesgo. Lamentablemente, la planificación y el desarrollo de las ciudades han tenido poco en cuenta las consecuencias de peligros tales como los terremotos, los riesgos hidrometeorológicos y otros. La consecuencia de esta realidad es la necesidad de que los países se centren en la creación de un mundo más seguro para los habitantes de las ciudades y en el desarrollo de una serie de enfoques innovadores para aumentar la resiliencia.

• Idioma: Español
  Las lecciones son accesibles (interpretación de audio y lenguaje de señas) para personas con algunos tipos de discapacidades auditivas y visuales.
• Para inscribirse, haga clic aquí
  Sesión de 2023: 6 de septiembre de 2023.  

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) along with its Global Education and Training Institute (GETI), and the World Health Organization (WHO) are offering this e-learning course to present the Public Health System Resilience Scorecard for Cities and the Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework as tools to integrate disaster risk management strategies and public health, while following a multi-sectoral approach.

• Language: English
  To register, please click here.

El Instituto de las Naciones Unidas para la Formación y la Investigación (UNITAR), la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas para la Reducción del Riesgo de Desastres (UNDRR), junto con su Instituto de Educación y Formación Global (GETI por sus siglas en inglés), y la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) ofrecen este curso de aprendizaje electrónico para presentar el “Cuadro de mando de la resiliencia ante desastres para ciudades” y el marco de gestión del riesgo de desastres y emergencias sanitarias, como herramientas para integrar las estrategias de gestión del riesgo de desastres y la salud pública, siguiendo un enfoque multisectorial.

• Idioma: Español
  Para inscribirse, haga clic aquí.

Through its global network of 30 training centres called the “CIFAL Global Network”, UNITAR offers training opportunities to develop more effective disaster response and preparedness strategies. One key objective of the CIFAL Centres is to encourage city-to-city collaboration and multi-stakeholder cooperation amongst government officials in the most vulnerable regions facing disasters - Latin American, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific. The CIFAL centres specialized on Disaster Management are listed below:

CIFAL Durban, South Africa

Area of training:

• Disaster Management Strategic Planning

CIFAL Jeju, South Korea

Area of training:

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation 

CIFAL York, Canada

Area of training:

• Disaster Risk, Emergency Management and Humanitarian Actions

CIFAL Merida, Mexico

Area of training:

• Hurricane Preparedness and Response Planning

CIFAL Malaga, Spain

Area of training:

• Intervention, Emergency and Catastrophe Management 

CIFAL Newcastle, Australia

Area of training:

• Government approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction
• Private sector approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction

For more information, please contact: disaster@unitar.org