Key dates
23 June 2014: Nominations are open
31 October 2014: Nominations are closed
1 November 2014: Start of Evaluation
December 2014: Longlist is announced
Mid-February 2015: Shortlist is announced
17 March 2015: Winner announced at the World Conference.
What will the 2015 award recognize?
For the 2015 United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction, we are seeking nominations for individuals or organizations that are visionary and able to anticipate future needs. Ideal nominees collaborate with others to manage disaster risk whether at the national, local or community level. They are practical and strive to make the best use of assets – such as funds, human resources, intellectual property, institutions and systems – that are currently at their community’s disposal.
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Criteria
Jury members will focus on evidence of concrete performance and material advances. When evaluating the received nominations, the jury will be on the lookout for distinguishing characteristics that include:
- Being agents of change
Examples:
- What changes have become possible with the help of the nominee?
- What capacities were activated despite the confines of present institutions and have become effective beyond institutional boundaries?
- Acting ahead
Examples:
- Are the nominee’s actions ahead of current climate change and sustainable development policies, and if so did the nominee help start and sustain it?
- Has the nominee contributed to plans that shows foresight (such as work that curbs and adapts to climate change, including reduction of carbon emissions, engaging in new agricultural practices or growing new crops, engaging in risk mitigation in settlements and dwellings)?
- Are the nominee’s actions permanently dedicated to build up a comprehensive, sustainable method for managing disaster risk?
- Does the nominee focus efforts on the reduction of growing economic losses caused by disasters?
- Tackling uncertainty
Examples:
- As context changes fast, how does the nominee manage, plan and cater for uncertainty?
- Do the nominee’s actions constitute good practice in decision-making and programme management, using processes that diagnose limits of knowledge in the system?
- Are the nominee’s actions adaptable?
- Management of resources
Examples:
- Is the nominee able to harness financial resources in a sustainable way for managing disaster risk?
- Regular monetary flow is instrumental – does the nominee use tools for managing such flows, including information, incentives and opportunities directed at all actors?
- Inclusiveness
Examples:
- Is the nominee able to stimulate cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary solutions through pluralistic participatory processes?
- Do the nominee’s actions trigger involvement of non-traditional actors from outside the disaster risk reduction community?
- Listening to new voices
Examples:
- Risk prevention requires authentic powers of control over investment choices. Where, why and in which society are new voices heard and does the nominee listen to new voices?
