The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), together with the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS), Expertise France and the Social Policy Cabinet of the Dominican Republic, successfully concluded the “Workshop on Disaster Risk Management with a social protection approach” in Santo Domingo, with the participation of more than 40 officials and decision-makers from the country, over two days of presentations, panellists and practical activities. 

In his closing remarks, the Coordinator of Social Development of SELA, Gustavo Herrera, expressed his gratitude for the enthusiasm of the participants, and called for “systematising and trying to make a stronger link, to create and generate public policies, as well as to strengthen capacities in the area.” He added that “it is important to incorporate ideas into society,” stressing the importance of the active participation of civil society in Disaster Risk Management. 

He also expressed his gratitude to the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS), Expertise France and the Social Policy Cabinet of the Dominican Republic for their support during the activity, and to the experts, Omar Bello, Economic Affairs Officer and Disaster Assessment Focal Point of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Verhonica Zamudio, Researcher at CISS; Naxhelli Ruiz Rivera, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Geography of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM); and Laura Acquaviva, from the Network of Social Studies for the Prevention of Disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean (LA RED); for sharing their experiences in the area. 

During the two-day conference, the importance of Disaster Risk Management with a social protection approach in the context of the Dominican Republic was analysed. To that end, activities were carried out to identify the strengths and skills needed to achieve coordination and communication among its various areas. 

The activity aimed to promote disaster risk management skills and capacities from a social protection approach. It also focused on disaster assessment, the registration of affected people, the integration of risk management approaches and the relevance of strengthening public-private partnerships in the creation of social protection tools. 

Disaster Risk Management is one of the issues that SELA addresses in its Work Programme for 2022-2026, with the objective of establishing regional structures that contribute to the reduction of vulnerabilities, the effective response to emergency situations and the care of the most vulnerable populations to extreme natural phenomena, through social protection systems.