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L to R: Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Mr. Michele Cocchiglia (Mr.)NGO Liaison Officer International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
(UN/ISDR) Dr. Inke Weissbecker

health and psychological and developing education and monitor mental health Secretary General on ISDR
well-being: and training programs about needs, build community to the General Assembly.
physical and mental health capacity, provide resources Enquiries can be directed to
We, the government repre- preparedness in community for interventions, and deve- the webs ite: www.prevention-
sentatives, UN agencies, and institutional settings. lop education and training web. net/globalpiatform,
NGOs in consultative status The side-event report submit- programs to increase psycho- which serves as a portal to
with the United Nations, and ted to the Secretariat of the social preparedness in com- compile and disseminate ses-
related stakeholders suggest ISDR included the following munity and institutional set- sion documents from the
that the following statement recommendations: tings. These efforts should Committee on Mental
be included in the two-page 1) The protection and pro- employ established social, Health. Questions can be
summary statement for the motion ofpsychosocial well- organizational and clinical sent to the ISDR secretariat
Global Platform for Disaster being and the prevention and psychological theories and at globalpla'formun.org or
Risk Reduction conference treatment of mental distress practice. tel: +41229178895.
in Geneva: "Health and men- should be recognized as inte-
tal health/well-being are gral to humanitarian efforts Important webs ites suppor-
integral to humanitarian and social development, and ting this cause are:
efforts and social develop- as essential to build resilient http://www.mentalhealthn- Dr Mary K. Weed
ment, negatively impacted by communities for disaster risk go.org, http://wwwhumanita-
disaster and essential to reduction. nan info. org/iasc/mental-
build resilient communities 2) Psychological issues and health_psychosocial sup-
for disaster risk reduction. experts should be integrated port,http://wwwwho.int/men-
Therefore, it is recommended into all policies, plans and tal _health/emergencies/en/,
that physical and mental programs in the ISDR sys- andHttp://www.adequate.org
health issues and experts be tem, in the implementation of
integrated into all policies, the Hyogo Framework for
plans and programs in ISDR Action, and in all sectors The outcome of the Global
and in the implementation of (e.g. health, education, secu- Platform will be reflected in a
the Hyogo Framework for rity, shelter sanitation, orga- report prepared by the ISDR
Action. This includes asses- nizational management and secretariat, summarizing the
sing and monitoring physical systems) through inter-agen- discussions and suggestions
and mental health needs, cy collaboration. raised during the June 2007
providing resources for 3) All ISDR policies, plans event. This report will be an
appropriate interventions, and programs should assess input to the Report to the UN
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