The United Nation's (UN) International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) is observed annually on October 13th. The day is designated to raise awareness on disaster risk reduction and actions being undertaken by communities globally, which are aimed at addressing their individual risk, through the implementation of various mitigation strategies. The overall aim is to encourage citizens and governments to build risk reduction into development planning, which assures disaster resilient communities and nations.

The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) in keeping with 2011 theme "Making Children and Young People Partners for Disaster Risk Reduction" did just that. Visits were made by the department's personnel to youth organizations including the national Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Associations as well as to public schools. As a part of the DEM's national outreach effort to promote disaster risk reduction, children, teachers, youth and youth leaders were informed of the history and significance of the IDDR. Young people were given guidelines on how they can play their part in reducing our country's risks to disasters which may occur as the result of the impact of hazards such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes.

During the afternoon of October 13, 2011 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Barbados and the OECS, in partnership with the DEM and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency commemorated the IDDR through the hosting of the event "Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction". The event provided an avenue for the voices of the youth through presentations on issues of disaster risk, mitigation and preparedness.

Above: Participants of the "Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction" event hosted at UN House Barbados