Taking on the challenge of post-disaster reconstruction

AXA and UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development, have jointly released a publication with guidelines to help communities build back better after disasters.

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As events such as cyclone Idai in Mozambique (2019), the Gorkha earthquake in Nepal (2015), the Pakistan floods (2011) have revealed, disasters can devastate cities and set back urban development by years or even decades. However, disasters also provide an opportunity to build back better, safer and more resilient, particularly in regard to housing.

In response to the need for better post-disaster housing reconstruction, and longer-term resilience building, UN-Habitat and AXA have released Supporting Housing Reconstruction After Disasters, Planning and Implementing Technical Assistance at Scale. These guidelines, aimed at government, assistance agencies, the built environment sector, and disaster-affected communities, set out the principles for successful technical assistance in housing reconstruction and provide recommendations for its implementation through sound approaches and activities.

AXA is committed for a more resilient world

At AXA, our purpose is to empower people to live a better life. As an insurer, we contribute to protecting cities and their residents against natural hazards through the insurance of property loss and casualties for individuals, companies and municipalities. Our partnership with UN Habitat reflects AXA’s ambition to share our risk management and prevention expertise to help societies secure a safe, resilient and sustainable future.

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AXA has supported the Sendai Framework since its creation in 2015 and partnered with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to support the Private Sector Commitment for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2018). AXA has also published a Resilient Cities Guide profiling fundamental research projects supported by the AXA Research Fund related to natural hazards and climate change.

AXA Climate has also developed parametric insurance solutions to help cities build back resilient. The certainty about the payout and the rapid payout offered by index-based insurance programs allows for governments to have better risk reduction strategies and secure its citizens against the impact of disasters.