A/RES/73/231 Disaster risk reduction 32. Welcomes the annual observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction on 13 October and World Tsunami Awareness Day on 5 November, encourages all States, United Nations bodies and other relevant actors to observe the days to further raise public awareness of disaster risk reduction, and decides to rename the International Day for Disaster Reduction as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction; 33. Encourages Governments to promote the full, equal and effective participation and leadership of women, as well as of persons with disabilities, in the design, management, resourcing and implementation of gender-responsive and disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction policies, plans and programmes, and recognizes in this regard that women and girls are disproportionately exposed to risk, increased loss of livelihoods and even loss of life during and in the aftermath of disasters, and that disasters and the consequent disruption to physical, social, economic and environmental networks and support systems disproportionately affect persons with disabilities and their families; 34. Stresses the importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective and the perspectives of persons with disabilities in disaster risk management so as to strengthen the resilience of communities and reduce social vulnerabilities to disasters, and in this regard recognizes the need for the inclusive participation and contribution of women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as the role of youth, volunteers, migrants, local communities, academia, scientific and research entities and networks, business, professional associations, private sector financing institutions and the media, in all forums and processes related to disaster risk reduction, in accordance with the Sendai Framework; 35. Recognizes that biological hazards require strengthened coordination between disaster and health risk management systems in the areas of risk assessment, surveillance and early warning, and that resilient health infrastructures and strengthened health systems capable of implementing the International Health Regulations (2005), 18 as well as increasing the overall capacity of health systems, reduce overall disaster risk and build disaster resilience; 36. Expresses its appreciation to the Government of Switzerland for hosting the upcoming sixth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva from 13 to 17 May 2019, jointly organized with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, encourages participation across all sectors and ministries at the highest level possible, reaffirms the importance of the Global Platform as a forum to assess and discuss progress on the Sendai Framework and advance coherence between disaster risk reduction, sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation, including financing, and recognizes the outcomes of the Global Platform as a contribution to the high-level political forum on sustainable development; 37. Also expresses its appreciation to the Governments of Armenia, Colombia, Fiji, Italy, Mongolia and Tunisia as the hosts, in 2018, of the regional platforms for disaster risk reduction, jointly organized with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, recognizes the platforms as important mechanisms for cooperation to implement the Sendai Framework and to assess and discuss progress, and also recognizes their outcomes as contributions to the high-level political forum on sustainable development; 38. Reaffirms that international cooperation for disaster risk reduction includes a variety of sources and is a critical element in supporting the efforts of __________________ 18 8/9 World Health Organization, document WHA58/2005/REC/1, resolution 58.3, annex. 18-22554

Select target paragraph3