On 17 October, 2019, the Climate Partnership Support Unit hosted a GESI focus group discussion for the upcoming Infrastructure Roundtable. It was a really informative discussion which will help us shape the Roundtable event to ensure that GESI is at the forefront of our work in resilient infrastructure. Importantly, we learned about ‘universal design’, which encompasses the principle that all facilities should be built for everyone, and that in meeting the access and other needs of people living with disability, we will also better meet the needs of the wider community. As a result of this leaning, we will adopt ‘universal resilient design’ as an overarching principle.
The Roundtable in November will bring together architects, engineers, designers, project managers and people building back better in the Pacific region to share experiences and produce a framework for resilient social infrastructure. This framework will set out principles and must have criteria which the Support Unit will apply in designs of schools, health clinics, markets and shelters built by the Australian government in Pacific Islands countries, to make sure that every one of these important assets is climate and disaster informed, inclusive and resilient.
The focus group was attended by DFAT staff from gender and social inclusion, the AIFFP and Office of the Pacific gender and health, as well as Support Unit GESI and climate change specialists. The event was facilitated by Engineers Without Borders, who will also facilitate the Roundtable to be held in November, 2019.
Sent by Kate Duggan 4.6 years ago