The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) works towards the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses to ensure a sustainable future.

UNDRR (formerly known as UNISDR) is the focal point of the United Nations system for disaster risk reduction and the custodian of the Sendai Framework, supporting countries and societies in its implementation, monitoring and review of progress.

UNISDR was established in 1999 as a dedicated secretariat to facilitate the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (56/195), to serve as the focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of disaster reduction and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations system and regional organizations and activities in socio‐economic and humanitarian fields. It is an organisational unit of the UN Secretariat and is led by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG).

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. It was adopted on March 18, 2015 at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. The Sendai Framework is the outcome of stakeholder consultations initiated in March 2012 and inter-governmental negotiations held from July 2014 to March 2015, which were supported by the UNISDR upon the request of the UN General Assembly. UNISDR has been tasked to support the implementation, follow-up and review of the Sendai Framework.

UNISDR defines itself through its multi-stakeholder coordination approach based on the relationships it has developed with national and local governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society, including the private sector, and by its mode of operating through a network of global partners.

UNISDR has five regional offices – in Asia (Bangkok), Africa (Nairobi), Europe (Brussels), Arab States (Cairo) and Americas and the Caribbean (Panama) – and the UNISDR Headquarters in Geneva. UNISDR also maintains a UN Headquarters liaison office in New York, a liaison office in Bonn and field presences in Rio de Janeiro, Kobe, Suva, Incheon and Almaty.

The UN General Assembly adopted the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction in December 1999 and established UNISDR, the secretariat to ensure its implementation. Its mandate was expanded in 2001 to serve as the focal point in the United Nations system to ensure coordination and synergies among disaster risk reduction activities of the United Nations system and regional organizations and activities in socio-economic and humanitarian fields (UN General Assembly resolution 56/195).