Clouds but little rain: views from the front line

“Clouds but little rain…” Views from the Frontline

A local perspective of progress towards implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action

2009.08.14

by

Introducing Views from the Frontline

Over 7000 government & civil society officials and community representatives from 48 countries

Led by Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction

Focus on women and children was also gained through an additional 2035 views.

The VFL is designed to support and complement the UNISDR-coordinated biannual monitoring and review process with governments

Objectives of the VFL

To provide an overview of progress at the local level within participating countries

To strengthen public accountability for DRR policy execution by establishing a local level monitoring system and relevant baselines

To enhance civil society monitoring, research, analytical and advocacy capabilities

To increase dialogue and understanding between different groups responsible for reducing risk

Methodology and Approach

National and Regional Drivers of Disaster Risk Reduction

Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

Regional consensus arrives at South Asia Policy Dialogue in August 2006, Delhi and plan for operationalisation of Regional Consensus in Colombo 2007

World’s two biggest CBDRM programmes implemented in the region (India and Bangladesh)

Gaps to be addressed

Focus has been changed from Relief to Disaster Risk Reduction but it had been stopped at the emergency preparedness rather looking in to the other strata of risk reduction

Poverty – disaster risk inter linkage is recognized but addressing root causes of poverty as a tool for disaster risk reduction is insignificant

Disaster - Development linkages is not identified sufficiently or not given due recognition in planning

Gaps to be addressed

Disaster risk sensitive development: development that lead to DRR still a distant dream

Mainstreaming is a hot topic – but how? What approaches?? What tools?? are not discussed widely

Commitment towards locally led DRR

Gaps to be addressed

Disaster risk sensitive development: development that lead to DRR still a distant dream

Mainstreaming is a hot topic – but how? What approaches?? What tools?? are not discussed widely

Commitment towards locally led DRR

Way forward & Recommendations

Shift South Asia towards Disaster Sensitive Development urgently

To minimise risks due to fast growth and Climate Change affects

Challenge

Can we convince our political leadership to slow down and pay more to achieve disaster sensitive development ASAP?

Way forward & Recommendations

Comprehensive approaches with simple tools (e.g. DRSL framework)

DRR, Climate change adaptation – Number of different tools Vs Integrated simple tools

Building the local capacity– more opportunities should be given to local level planners

Research on developing simple indicators and methodologies to incorporate DRR in to development planning.

Way forward & Recommendations

Build on best practices found in the region

Promote Intra regional, Inter country and Intra country sharing rather importing concepts from out of the region

Donors funding projects – make DRR is a mandatory in addition to the Environmental Impact Assessment

Thanking you !