A step closer to getting animals in disasters on the UN global agenda

At the beginning of October, along with the Mission of Ecuador to UN, we co-hosted a successful breakfast meeting with representatives of United Nations Member States and Agencies bringing us one step closer to getting animals in disasters included on the UN agenda.

Leveraging the opportunity, World Animal Protection CEO Mike Baker emphasized the consideration of animals in disaster management and how including animals in disaster preparedness planning improves resilience and significantly reduces human suffering. 

A warm response

As an influential voice at the UN, we were delighted when Margareta Wahlstrom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, highlighted her long-term knowledge of World Animal Protection’s work and stressed the need for including animals in disaster risk reduction. She also expressed an interest in working closely with us during the development of a concrete action-oriented global plan for disaster risk reduction. 

The warm response garnered from the event serves to highlight the movement forward on getting animals in disasters on the UN agenda and is also recognition of World Animal Protection’s engagement with the UN. 

Helping animals helps people

The event was organized as part of our efforts to advocate for the inclusion of animals in the next set of global development goals that will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after 2015. 

World Animal Protection has been encouraged to organize an animal welfare-specific side event during the January 2014 meeting of the Open Work Group (OWG) on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Animals are important to people and animal welfare is an important element of sustainable development. Global adherence to animal welfare principles will have significant positive impacts on poverty eradication, food security, public health, climate change and biodiversity.