The workshop aims to strengthen knowledge and skills in Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) with a focus on social protection and security policies.

Social security is understood as the set of institutionalised regimes that guarantee health, retirement, occupational risk, disability and other economic benefits to people who meet the established requirements, generally by means of mandatory contributions.

Social protection encompasses a broad set of policies and programmes such as cash transfers, subsidies, employment programmes and access to basic services, designed to reduce vulnerability and social exclusion and strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities, especially those living in poverty or belonging to vulnerable groups. In the context of IDRM, social protection and security play a key role in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, ensuring timely and effective support mechanisms.

The workshop is structured in four modules that combine theory on IDRM and social protection and security; analysis of best practices; case studies; exploration of the interrelationship between IDRM and social protection and security; as well as the role of public-private partnerships in scaling up these systems. In addition, applied exercises are included to ensure the immediate relevance and usefulness of learning in local contexts.

It is aimed primarily at civil servants in public institutions involved in social protection and security.

The frequency and intensity of disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean make it essential to adopt a comprehensive approach that links public policy systems that focus on disaster risk management with those that deal with social protection and security.

At present, disaster risk management focuses on civil protection, which is essential for immediate response. However, in order to address the economic and social consequences that affect the population in the medium and long term, it needs to be complemented by social protection and security policies. Loss of jobs, reduced income, deterioration of health and food insecurity are just some of the impacts that can last beyond the emergency phase. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the link between both public policy systems, ensuring not only disaster risk reduction and response, but also the sustained recovery and protection of affected people in situations of exposure and vulnerability.

In this context, the workshop is a space to foster multi-sectoral coordination and collaboration among key actors in public policy systems. Its purpose is to generate an effective dialogue among those involved in disaster risk management and in social protection and security, promoting joint strategies to strengthen the resilience of target populations. Through the exchange of knowledge and experience, it aims to promote inclusive and sustainable solutions that not only improve emergency response, but also contribute to regional adaptation to climate change, taking advantage of social protection and security networks as fundamental pillars in this process.

The collaboration between the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) and the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) has given rise to chapters of the workshop in Honduras, Belize and the Dominican Republic during the period 2022-2024, consolidating it as a reference in the region. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Network of Social Studies on Disaster Prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean (LA RED) have collaborated in the training sessions.

The workshops have involved civil servants, decision-makers and technicians from different governmental institutions in charge of risk management, social protection and security. In addition, civil society organisations and international agencies have made valuable contributions. These meetings have promoted an innovative approach by exposing and integrating the particular risk management perspective of each participating institution based on previous experiences that have been faced in the countries at local or national level.

The primary objective of the workshop is to promote skills and knowledge in IDRM with an emphasis on social public policies of social protection and security systems in order to favour the sustained recovery of communities and people affected by disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The target audience is the CISS-SELA joint membership, civil servants, technical and decision-making people from the social protection and security system and risk management, as well as key actors involved in disaster risk planning and response.

1. Promote skills and knowledge in Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) with emphasis on public policies of social protection and security systems to favour the sustained recovery of communities and people affected by disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean.
2. Strengthen knowledge and skills in Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRM) with a focus on social protection and security policies of participating officials.

The workshop is structured in four modules that combine theory on IDRM and social protection and security; analysis of best practices; case studies; exploration of the interrelationship between IDRM and social protection and security; as well as the role of public-private partnerships in scaling up these systems. In addition, applied exercises are included to ensure the immediate relevance and usefulness of learning in local contexts.

Training will focus on the following elements:

1. Exploration of the fundamental concepts of IDRM, risk analysis and disaster assessment with a focus on the affected population and the social protection and security systems as a key response.

2. In-depth study of social policies for risk reduction and sustained recovery with an emphasis on cross-sectoral collaboration and the role of partnerships in disaster risk management.

• Target audience:

CISS-SELA joint membership, officials, technical and decision-making people from the social protection and security system and risk management, as well as key actors involved in disaster risk planning and response.

• Format:
• Face-to-face over two days.
• Timetable: 9:00 to 13:00 and 14:15 to 16:30.
• Duration: 14 hours.
• Size of groups: 25-30 participants.

• Main activities during the sessions:
• Presentations by the facilitators.
• Team exercises.
• Video projection.
• Feedback activities and exchange of best practices.

• Instructors:
• Verhonica Zamudio. Researcher. Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS)
• Omar Bello. Focal point for disaster assessment. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• Alonso Brenes. Representative of LA RED
• Leonardo Espinoza, Independent consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank (WB)

• DATE AN VENUE

12 and 13 August 2025. Quito, Ecuador.

• LANGUAGE

The official language of the training will be Spanish.

Tuesday 12 August

Morning