Building public-private collaboration in disaster resilience in the USA and beyond
ARISE was established by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) with this mission:
Welcome to the ARISE-US Network, the US chapter of UNDRR's ARISE Global Network, established to build public-private collaboration in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Our rapidly growing and dynamic network embraces large corporations, small and medium enterprises, DRR practitioners, universities, governments and NGOs, and now, we hope, you.
As you find your way around ARISE, you will quickly see that what you get from it depends in large measure on what you put in. I and the ARISE Board will do our best to help you get started, and we look forward to working with you to build a more resilient world.
Our watchword is "doing well by doing good". We are purely a voluntary organization. We hold free events to build consensus on solutions and create free, open-sourced tools to enable cities and communities to improve their resilience and safeguard lives, livelihoods and economies.
In the process, you will be able to build your networks and boost the profile of your organization. You may also gather ideas for services and products that you can create, for-profit or otherwise. All we ask is that, in exchange for the use of our logo on your letterhead and the cachet of working with ARISE, you do something to justify it!
Make practical, free contributions to awareness of, and solutions for, disaster risk reduction (DRR) issues.
Influence thinking on DRR policies and preparations.
Build an effective network from which our members derive value.
Our work supports the four priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 to 2030.
We value making a difference. We do this by addressing real US and global resilience issues and needs, and providing tools, expertise and perspectives for this purpose.
We value equality between races, genders, orientations and abilities. This is not just for the moral imperative that it is, but because true disaster resilience will never be achieved without it.
We value creating a vibrant and active network that enables our members to make a real difference and that they in turn value being part of.
It is now well-established that disasters have a disproportionate impact on socially and historically marginalized populations[1], including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), rural, and low-income communities. In the United States, marginalized communities are more likely to live in areas that are vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as poorly connected rural areas, the wildland-urban interface, coastal regions, and areas prone to flooding and extreme weather events. Additionally, marginalized communities often have fewer resources and less access to financial assistance and insurance to recover from disaster impacts. These systemic disparities often result in exacerbated social and economic vulnerabilities, especially among older adults, people with disabilities, children, women, LGBTQQIA+, and unhoused people.
Guided by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030)*, The Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement, the ARISE-US network, the United Nations-led private sector alliance for disaster resilient societies, is committed to reduce systemic barriers to disaster resilience and increase opportunities for a sustainable and resilient future for all. We do this by:
[1] In the US, the following are examples of systems that have contributed to marginalization of some communities over others:
Redlining
Segregation
Housing in Hazard Areas/Flood Zones
Urban Renewal Plans
Use of Eminent Domain to Build Infrastructure (e.g. highways)
Restrictive Covenants
Exclusive Single-Family Zoning or Anti-Density
Private Homeowner Associations Rules
Rules, Regulations, Laws and Ordinances (such as Jim Crow Laws (until the 1960s), immigration restrictions and anti-LGBTQ+ laws)
Lack of access to finance and legal services
Uneven Code Enforcement
Historically marginalized communities are groups of people who have been systematically and consistently disadvantaged and oppressed by dominant societal structures and institutions throughout history. These communities have been subjected to discrimination, exclusion, and violence based on various aspects of their identity, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic status. Marginalized communities have been denied equal opportunities, resources, and representation, and have had to struggle to gain recognition and respect. Examples of historically marginalized communities include people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, refugees, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and low-income communities.
* The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) outlines guiding principles for advancing inclusion, participation, and accessibility across its four Priorities for Action, highlighting that “disaster risk reduction practices need to be multi-hazard and multisectoral, inclusive and accessible in order to be efficient and effective... Governments should engage with relevant stakeholders, including women, children and youth, persons with disabilities, poor people, migrants, Indigenous peoples, volunteers, the community of practitioners and older persons in the design and implementation of policies, plans and standards” and that "women and persons with disabilities should publicly lead and promote gender-equitable and universally accessible approaches during the response and reconstruction phases". In 2023, the midterm review of the Sendai Framework recommended the need for advancing equity principles by highlighting "the importance of governing and managing risk in a manner that develops 'all-of-society engagement and partnership' for the effectiveness and equity of disaster risk reduction actions"; and that "disaster recovery plans at the national and local levels must systematically include build back better principles and be accompanied by legal frameworks that require and guide the application of principles of equity and inclusion of vulnerable populations."
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) raises major equity issues. At ARISE US, we recognize that disasters disproportionately affect historically underserved and vulnerable populations, including low-income communities, women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and marginalized groups - and until the needs of these groups are met, no society can be said to be truly resilient. As part of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and in alignment with the Sendai Framework and the 2030 Agenda, all ARISE US projects must incorporate an equity lens, ensuring that our efforts to reduce disaster risks prioritize inclusivity, protection, justice, and access for the whole community.
As a project leader, you commit to upholding these equity standards (as applicable) by:
By embedding equity into the core of our DRR initiatives, ARISE US aims to create disaster-resilient societies that leave no one behind.
There are no fees to join. ARISE-US members contribute their time, knowledge and experience.