REACT Bulletin - January 2015

OSCE AND UNDP PROVIDE TRAINING FOR AARHUS CENTRES AND ENVIRONMENTAL NGOs IN TAJIKISTAN ON RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

A two-day training course for Aarhus Centres and local environmental non-governmental organizations on raising awareness about disaster risk reduction was held at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 16 and 17 December 2014. The training course was delivered by national and international experts and is part of a project to strengthen the capacities of Aarhus Centres to enhance community awareness of disaster risk reduction. The project is implemented under the Environment and Security Initiative and funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation, Finland and the Austrian Development Agency, and is being jointly implemented in seven countries by the OSCE, the UN Development Programme and the Regional Environmental Centre.

Two studies, on the capacities of Aarhus Centres, and on the educational needs of people in Tajikistan on disaster risk reduction, were completed before the training event. The training event will be followed in 2015 by selected Aarhus Centres drafting Action Plans on raising awareness about disaster risk reduction.

The Aarhus Convention is a key United Nations Economic Commission for Europe international convention on access to environmental information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice on environmental matters. Aarhus Centres serve as a link between the Government and civil society, provide a platform for coalition-building and partnership among NGOs in addressing environmental issues, and promote the Aarhus Convention principles at national and local levels.