(in photo above, third from left) Kristianne Jemi Santos, ICLEI Southeast Asia Senior Project Officer, during the 7th Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in Disaster Risk Reduction Training Course.

ICLEI Southeast Asia (ICLEI SEA), through its Senior Project Officer Kristianne Jemi Santos, participated in the 7th Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in Disaster Risk Reduction Training Course organized by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Bangkok, Thailand, from 26–29 May 2026.

The training supports ICLEI SEA’s implementation of the Enhancing Local Capacities in Socially Inclusive Resilience in Asia (SIRA) Project.

The regional course brought together disaster risk reduction practitioners and development professionals to strengthen the integration of gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion into disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation initiatives. Through expert-led sessions, case studies, group work, and practical exercises, participants explored tools and frameworks for designing more inclusive DRR approaches.

The training also contributes to the organization’s commitment to promoting equitable and people-centered solutions in local and regional climate action.

Funded by UK Aid through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the International Development Research Centre, Canada through the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) programme and under the implementation of the ICLEI SEA and South Asia Secretariats, the SIRA project aims to identify and address the immediate capacity needs of local governments in pursuing climate action that is inclusive and sustainable through a systematic and phased capacity strengthening programme anchored on south-south cooperation among four Asian countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Philippines.