Haiti's Civil Protection Launches 2026 Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness Campaign
DGPC marks International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction with a conference-debate and school outreach in the North-East under the theme 'Resilience starts at home.'
To mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, observed annually on October 13, Haiti's General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) hosted a conference-debate at its headquarters under the theme "Resilience starts at home," according to icihaiti.com. An accompanying awareness campaign was conducted in several schools across the North-East Department.
The DGPC said the first response to hazards is local, beginning within families and strengthened through coordinated institutional action. A thematic presentation was delivered by Paul Judex Édouarzin, Deputy Representative and Country Programme Manager for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Discussions emphasized that preparedness begins before an emergency: understanding household risks, creating a family emergency plan, identifying evacuation routes and designated shelters, gathering essential supplies, and monitoring official alerts.
The directorate stressed that preparation must account for the needs of children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and anyone requiring special assistance. The school-based campaign aimed to educate students, teachers, and administrators on actions to take before, during, and after a disaster, with the DGPC noting that practical drills and stakeholder engagement remain crucial to reducing school vulnerability.
The DGPC called on Haitian families to make prevention a daily practice and reaffirmed its commitment, alongside other SNGRD bodies, to strengthen information, preparedness, and coordination nationwide.