THE NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT POLICY Revision of the 2009 National Disaster Management Policy

Rwanda‟s disaster profile is dominated by heavy rains, floods, landslides, droughts, fire, earthquakes, diseases and epidemics that disrupt people‟s lives and livelihoods, destroy the infrastructure and interrupt economic activities and retard development.
The policy emphasizes preparedness of the Government, communities and other stakeholders for Disaster Management activities. It aims at the establishment and strengthening of Disaster Management institutions, partnerships while mainstreaming Gender, Human Rights and Climate
Change into Disaster Management activities. The ultimate goal is to increase the resilience of vulnerable groups to disasters. This policy presents the institutional structures, roles, responsibilities, authorities and key processes required to achieve a coordinated, coherent and consistent management of disaster related issues. Finally, this policy provides overarching frameworks for decision-making and coordination across Disaster Management sectors and actors, including government ministries, civil society organizations, international organizations and the private sector.