In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly designated 13 October as the “International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.” Within this scope, on every October 13, it is aimed to reduce the disaster exposure risk and raise awareness on the importance of risk prevention in the people and communities around the world.
“Disaster Risk” is defined as “the possibility of losses that a certain hazard can cause to humans, human settlements, and natural environment in proportion with their vulnerability and damageability in case it occurs in a specific period of time in the future,” in the Annotated Dictionary of Disaster Management Terms of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD).
UN has put forth various policies to identify disaster risks and reduce those risks to a minimum. 2005-2015 was designated as Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) was published. After 2015, with sharing Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), it was aimed to reduce disaster risk by working in areas such as understanding of all aspects of disaster risk regarding exposure, vulnerability and characteristics of the hazard better; strengthening disaster risk governance, including national platforms; identifying stakeholders and their roles; mobilization of risk-sensitive investments to prevent the emergence of new risks; making health infrastructure, cultural heritage, and workplaces resilient; strengthening international cooperation and global partnership.
In our country, activities related to disaster risks are carried out through the works done in coordination with AFAD. Within this scope, Türkiye Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (TARAP) for the country as a whole and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (İRAP) which strengthening the local in 81 provinces.
Türkiye is a country where many forms of disaster happen at a significant frequency. In addition to many natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, floods and avalanches, many humanitarian crises which can be called man-made disasters also happen due to its geopolitical position. Finally, there were two major earthquakes in our country, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, which occurred at 9-hour intervals on February 6, 2023, and epicenters of which were Pazarcık and Elbistan district of Kahramanmaraş province, respectively. In this disaster of the century, more than 50.000 people lost their lives and more than 100.000 people were injured. More than half a million buildings, communication and energy infrastructure in the region were damaged and huge financial damages were incurred due to the earthquake.
The devastating effects of disasters can cause hard-to-repair damages to human rights. In the disaster regions, exercise of rights such as right to health, education, housing and work can be impeded due to force majeure. Therefore, reducing disaster risk is important because of both people's right to live in a safe environment and human rights problems that may arise after disasters.
As Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, main mission of which is to protect the right to equal treatment of persons on the basis of human dignity and prevention of discrimination in exercising the legally acknowledged rights and freedoms, we commemorate our citizens who lost their lives due to the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes which happened on February 6, 2023 on the occasion of October 13, World Disaster Risk Reduction Day, and we emphasize that building societies which are cautious against disasters is a human right and hope that this day will fulfill its purpose.
Respectfully announced to the public.