The ever increasing frequency and magnitude of natural and human made disasters have galvanized the international community to take a serious interest in the matter. The Kyoto Protocol was held in 1997 to tackle the adversities of climate change. Since then, a flurry of activities, conferences, and conventions have been held at global, regional, state and local levels to advance knowledge of disasters and associated risks-i.e., how to predict, prepare for and effectively respond to them. The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) are the latest of such global regimes. Both stress on the need to increase disaster risk knowledge/information and building a human culture of safety and social resilience.

This framework is a regional (IGAD) adaptation of these international regimes. As such, it aligns with the goals and principles of these global enunciations. Its main aim is to help guide the IGAD member states on how to mainstream Disaster Risk Management and Climate Climate Change Adaptation (DRM/CCA) through through education/school curricula. This mainstreaming approach-a sort of a "front loading" strategy--emphasizes on prediction and preparedness. However, the Framework also deals with post-disaster response and reconstruction.