The Inclusive Risk Communication Initiative and an open call for short videos on inclusive multi-hazard early warning systems were launched to mark the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, themed “Resilience Starts at Home”, and the Lao PDR’s National Disaster Management Day.
The event was co-chaired by Vice Minister of Agriculture and Environment Chanthakhone Boualaphan and UN Resident Coordinator Bakhodir Burkhanov. It was hosted by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Technology and Communications.
Addressing gaps in early warnings
A 2025 national survey on weather forecasts and early warning systems, conducted by DMH among 1,741 households in nine provinces, found that 41 per cent of respondents had not received an early warning.

Although about one-quarter of surveyed households spoke Hmong-Mien or Mon-Khmer languages, 95 per cent of the warning messages received were in Lao-Tai languages. Respondents also reported barriers related to devices, language and disability.
Running until December 2027, the initiative will build on official forecasts and warnings issued by DMH. Activities include developing and testing accessible materials in Lao and priority languages, conducting a national multi-platform awareness campaign, engaging young people and content creators, and reaching remote communities through provincial, district and village networks.
“Every warning we issue is a promise to our people. Together, let us make sure that promise reaches every home,” Vice Minister Chanthakhone Boualaphan said.
UN Resident Coordinator Bakhodir Burkhanov stressed that even established early warning systems may fail to reach the most vulnerable, adding that inclusion is essential to making warnings effective.

The open call invites young people, students, content creators and storytellers residing in the Lao PDR to produce videos lasting 30–90 seconds in Lao or an ethnic or local language, with Lao-language captions.
The videos should help people recognise official warnings and respond safely to hazards such as floods, storms, landslides and droughts. Applications from ethnic communities and organisations of persons with disabilities are particularly encouraged.

Submissions close on November 12, 2026. The three selected winners will receive certificates of recognition and cash prizes, and their videos will be shared nationally.
The initiative supports the Law on Disaster Management, the National Strategy on Disaster Risk Reduction 2021–2030, the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan and the Early Warnings for All Roadmap 2024–2027.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction provides technical coordination, with support from UN agencies, international non-governmental organisations and the Lao Civil Society Organisation Network.