The IFRC's Approach to Disaster Risk Reduction: To reduce disaster risk, the IFRC has three main strategies: to strengthen the preparedness and capacities of communities so that they are in a better position to respond when a disaster occurs; to promote activities and actions that mitigate the adverse effects of hazards; and to protect development projects such as health facilities from the impact of disasters. Through its core areas of work in disaster management, health,organizational development and the promotion of humanitarian values, the IFRC's 189 member National Societies are making a significant contribution to reducing the vulnerability of people living in some of the most hazard-prone areas of the world. The importance of disaster risk reduction is reflected in the Agenda for Humanitarian Action adopted by the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in December 2003. At this conference, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and the states party to the Geneva Conventionscommitted to a plan of action that aims to reduce vulnerability to the risk and impact of natural disasters. This commitment has since been reiterated in the International Federation's Global Agenda (2006-2010), which explicitly calls for increased action with vulnerable communities to reduce disaster risk. The International Federation also fully supports the conclusions of the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction, held in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan in January 2005 and continues to work through its member National Societies and in partnership with the UN, governments, donors and civil society to meet the objectives of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, which was the key outcome of that conference