ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: Speakers at the launching ceremony of the World Disasters Report 2013 stressed upon the use of technology for increasing resilience of disaster prone communities.

The report was jointly prepared by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and launched at a local hotel on Tuesday.

It explored various methods by which information and communication technologies assisted governments and civil organisations to recover and rebuild disaster-affected areas.

The report also highlighted the use of mobile phones, social media satellite imagery and web which provided communities with better approaches to organise, coordinate and respond to their own problems.

Addressing participants on the occasion, PRCS Managing Body Member Mian Mohammad Javed said the government and other humanitarian agencies must commit to and invest in developing the tools, policies and strategies to improve dialogue with disaster-affected communities.

PRCS Secretary General Dr Mahboob Sardar said technology had the potential to improve humanitarian operations in affected areas and increase people’s resilience to disasters.

IFRC Head of Pakistan Karen Bjornestad said, “This year’s report also tells us that technology is proving to be a tool of empowerment and resilience for affected communities.”

Karen Bjornestad said the evolution of technology was faster than the humanitarian sector’s ability to deliver, and humanitarians had to keep up with the technological advancements.