Kinshasa, October 13th, 2026 (CPA).– Strengthening community solidarity has been advocated by a gender expert as a means of coping with disasters, during a discussion held on Tuesday in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, celebrated annually on October 13th.
“Resilience begins at home, grows through shared responsibilities and is strengthened by community solidarity. Let us make every household a place of prevention, dialogue, responsibility and life protection,” said Carlin Vese, an expert in gender, positive masculinity and positive femininity. “In the face of disasters, the best protection is not only what we organize after danger strikes, but also what we build together before it occurs,” he added. According to Mr. Vese, resilience can begin with simple, practical steps, including identifying the main risks in one’s surroundings and finding realistic ways to reduce them.
“It is important to prepare a family emergency plan specifying the actions to take, assembly points and useful contacts. Depending on local risks and available resources, households should also set aside a supply of drinking water, essential items and a first-aid kit,” he said. “Parents must educate children and other household members about the behavior to adopt in an emergency. It is essential to involve women, men and young people in prevention decisions and the allocation of responsibilities,” he emphasized.
The gender expert explained that disaster risk reduction also involves ensuring that the most vulnerable people receive appropriate assistance without discrimination or violence.
“It is a matter of participating in community prevention initiatives, early-warning systems and solidarity activities. These actions, adapted to the realities of each community, can reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen our collective capacity to cope with disasters,” he explained.
Protecting Lives: A Shared Responsibility
Mr. Vese stated that protecting lives in the face of disasters is a shared responsibility between men and women. “Positive masculinity and positive femininity are neither opposed to nor in competition with each other. They complement one another through shared responsibility, mutual respect and solidarity. In a resilient household, men and women discuss risks, make important decisions together, share responsibilities and ensure that every family member knows how to respond in an emergency,” he said. “Positive masculinity encourages men to fulfil their responsibilities without dominating others. Positive femininity promotes recognition of women’s leadership and contributions without placing the entire burden of prevention on them. Together, these approaches foster safer households, more united communities and a society better prepared for crises. A partnership between positive masculinity and positive femininity also helps prevent gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), as well as other forms of violence that may intensify during crises,” he added. Mr. Vese pointed out that safety is not limited to surviving a disaster; it also entails preserving every person’s dignity, rights and integrity. “Children, young people, older persons and persons with disabilities must also be involved in this collective preparedness, according to their abilities. Resilience is not built through silence, fear or domination, but through dialogue, inclusion and trust,” he said. The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, observed on October 13th, 2026, provides an opportunity to recall that no family can build lasting resilience by excluding some of its members from decision-making.