OAS
From HFA-PEDIA
OAS (The Americas) - the basics
The 35 independent countries of the Americas are members of the Organization of American States (OAS).
The OAS, through its Sustainable Development Department, has a longstanding history of supporting member states of the OAS in assessing their vulnerability to natural hazards and mitigating the effects of disasters, through different activities and resources that include technical assistance, training and technology transfer through intervention in development planning, project and policy formulation.
The IACNDR acts as the principal forum of the Inter-American System for analyzing issues related to natural and other disasters, including prevention and mitigation of their effects, in coordination with the governments of member states; competent national, regional, and international organizations; and non governmental organizations.
The Inter-American Program for Sustainable Development (2006-2009) takes into account, in particular, the areas related to systematic risk management. These include risk identification, risk reduction, and risk transfer, as well as the commitments assumed in the Hyogo Declaration and Hyogo Framework for Action, adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, held in Kobe, Japan, in January, 2005.
The OAS has more recently established the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) to support good governance-related activities in reducing the risk posed by natural hazards, by supporting on-going cooperation and collaboration among member states, multilateral and regional organizations in risk-reduction programs, projects and strategies in the hemisphere, including the development of the Regional Platform of the Hyogo Framework for Action
More information: OAS/DSD - Natural hazards
Key Work Areas
Towards Risk Reduction
The hemisphere is making significant progress in moving from disaster response and assistance towards risk reduction. The Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR) represents a crucial milestone in this step by providing strategic thinking and recommendations on initiatives, with a special focus on policies and programs designed to reduce vulnerability in Member States and aid them in investing in increased resilience of their environmental, social and economic assets. More...
Democratic Institutions
Good governance, including public participation and involvement, transparency and accountability, is key to reducing risk. Active and responsible public participation results in self-awareness and sound risk assessment, while fostering transparency and accountability in the administration of emergency assistance, leading to more resilient and prepared communities. Capacity building and institutional strengthening particularly at the local government and organized civil society group level is also crucial, as these are the first to respond in a disaster and are in the best position to work with communities. RISK-MACC integrates such key objectives for risk reduction with fundamental OAS goals emerging from the OAS Charter and OAS Democratic Charter in its work: good governance, poverty alleviation, job and income opportunities, and the strengthening of democracy.
Partnering with the UNISDR (ISDR secretariat)
As part of its dual approach to risk reduction, RISK-MACC is partnering with the Secretariat of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) and its Regional Office, UN/ISDR Americas, to mutually support and coordinate the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and the IACNDR Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response (IACNRD/IASP). RISK-MACC also advances bottom-up initiatives supporting efforts to increase community resilience and reduce vulnerability.
Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM)
INDM offers a unique opportunity to support IACNDR decisions and advance practical collaboration between Member States and intergovernmental agencies in matters of risk reduction. It is the permanent hemispheric mechanism for strengthening practical cooperation – pursuant to OAS AG/RES 2314 adopted at the 2007 ordinary meeting of the General Assembly in Panama – in the integration of disaster risk reduction across all sectors, government levels and segments of the civil society, into the so-called National Platforms for Disaster Risk. INDM can also offer unique value in becoming the operational branch of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas. In this context, INDM seeks to develop a single ‘IASP-HFA Monitoring and Reporting System’, on the basis of the ‘HFA Monitor’, which was designed and coordinated by the UN/ISDR Secretariat as an-online tool to monitor, review and report on progress and challenges in the implementation of disaster risk reduction and recovery actions at the national level in accordance with HFA priorities.
Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change
Development in the Americas has always progressed alongside threats posed by intensive natural disasters, from earthquakes to hurricanes. However, disaster risk is on the rise due to human factors: environmental degradation, worsening socio- economic conditions and social inequity. Climate change further threatens development, by exacerbating risks from more intense and frequent hydro-meteorological events.
The Department of Sustainable Development (OAS/DSD), through its Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change section (RISK-MACC), supports the priorities of OAS Member States in adapting to and managing the increasing risks associated with natural disasters. The ultimate goal is to mainstream Risk Management –or deconstruct risk – into development policy and planning across all sectors and government levels, by building on work underway at the regional and international levels, and by taking into account the changing priority needs of Member States and relevant OAS mandates received from the highest-policy making bodies in the Americas.
