Subjective Committee Discussion Program (IT and Media) under the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
Jan 23, 2022
The Subjective Committee Discussion Program (Media) under the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was organized by DPNet in collaboration with National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) on NDRRMA hall on 13th Jan, 2022. The program was chaired by Mr. Om Prakash Ghimire, Co-coordinator of Media Subjective Committee. Mr. Kailash Rijal, General Secretary of DPNet welcomed everyone and highlighted the objective of the program.
Major Highlights
Major Highlights
- Dr. Dijan Bhattarai, Under Secretary of NDRRMA shared about the NPDRR Guideline and its implementation in all levels. He also shared about the working area of NDRRMA and shared the importance of coordination and collaboration with different stakeholders highlighting risk information, strengthening the system at the federal, state and local levels, promoting public and private investment for risk mitigation, preparedness response, early warning systems, reconstruction and rehabilitation, financial management and the DRR&M challenges. He further explained the DRRM Act, Policy and Strategic Action Plan of Nepal. He highlighted the importance of media in DRR&M. Media is very sensitive during the disaster and highlights information collection, research and social awakening during the disaster.
- Dr. Raju Thapa, Vice Chairperson of the DPNet highlighted the importance of IT and Media groups in effective and efficient disaster management. He elaborated that the media contributed to the pre-disaster situation and acts as an effective channel for disseminating public awareness. Even in a disaster situation, the media can be a useful medium in spreading situation reports and other vital information like relief materials distribution, helpline, medical camps, emergency phone numbers and other needs of the people. He further stressed the role of the media to achieve the last goal of SFDRR i.e. substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation. As the entire disaster management community is focusing on this last goal in 2022, he requested the media group to be more active in the NPDRR system. He also expected that the media group would gather good practices and lessons learned to be presented in the upcoming ‘Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference in DRR’ and 'Global Platform for DRR' in 2022.
Major Discussions
- It was discussed about the media addressing the issues in the disaster.
- The perspective of awakening from the media is quite lacking, so the media should address early warning systems, information such as relief distribution, medicine and vaccination sharing.
- It is important to coordinate and collaborate with the government and media for authentic information flow.
- Media can flow information on international platforms, help in pre and post disasters as well.
- Traditional mediums of public awareness like folk songs, street dramas play a vital role in disseminating information.
- Media should give priority to such indigenous and traditional public information sharing systems.
Mr. Om Prakash Ghimire, from Netizen Media highlighted the importance of media in disaster. Media has been working and upgrading in disaster reporting patterns. He said that it is important to make disaster reporting manuals for journalists. He then thanked everyone and closed the program.
