Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the COVID-19 Pandemic was approved at the online HELP 15th Meeting on May 29, 2020.

In the current COVID-19 environment, immediate attention has been placed on mitigating COVID-19 infections and treating those who become ill. However, the threats of water-related disasters remain as imminent now as before COVID-19. Competition and complications among DRR emergency responses and COVID-19 health care responses could magnify negative impacts in some countries and cities.

With this global crisis in mind, HELP created Principles to Address Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the COVID-19 Pandemic to help leaders, DRR and COVID-19 managers, and all stakeholders cope with these challenges by the co-occuring disasters. The Principles were finalized through consultation with leading UN agencies, international organizations, governments, NGOs, private sector, unions, and youth, gender and major stakeholder groups. HELP calls for immediate use of the Principles in countries, cities, and hospitals and fields to better manage the critical challenges that may even happen tomorrow.

Although it covers all key items of disasters and COVID-19 thoroughly, the document remains will be updated periodically since COVID-19 is still unknown in many aspects and emerging challenge items associated with the pandemic should be readily addressed.

Contact: HELP Secretariat helpprinciples_covid19@wateranddisaster.org.