Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas

From HFA-PEDIA

Contents 1 First session - 2009 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Context 1.3 I Session Objectives 1.4 Conference Methodology 1.5 Representation 1.6 Plenary Sessions 1.7 Thematic Sessions 1.8 Side Events 1.9 Multimedia 1.10 Other 1.11 National Mechanisms Debate 2 Second session - 2011 2.1 Strategic Objectives 2.2 Stakeholders and Beneficiaries 2.3 Activities 2.4 Work plan

First session - 2009

Introduction

Almost two years after the first meeting of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and just months before its second session, a meeting was held in Panama City, Panama from March 17-19, 2009 looking to bridge the gap between the Global Platform and the National Platforms in the region of the Americas, with the purpose of establishing a formal multi-stakeholder mechanism at the hemispheric level. The Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas is expected to become the main regional forum for all parties involved in disaster risk reduction and the ISDR system, namely the Governments of the 35 sovereign States, United Nations agencies, international financial institutions, regional bodies, civil society, the private sector, and the scientific and academic communities. In keeping with the goals of the Global Platform, the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas is intended to serve as the overarching and permanent forum for the exchange of information and knowledge, and the coordination of efforts throughout the region, for providing advocacy for effective action to reduce disasters, for expanding the political space devoted to the issue, and for contributing to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.

Context

The United Nations’ ISDR Secretariat, through its Regional Office for the Americas (UNISDR Americas), was identified as the main driving force to catalyze the process with the key function of coordinating and ensuring active participation and convening of key players from throughout the region.

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, through its Executive Secretariat for Integral Development and its Department of Sustainable Development (OAS/DSD), has been identified as the main strategic political partner / regional institution to coordinate HFA implementation, and as such is taking the lead role with the UNISDR The Americas in establishing the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas, co-convening its 1st Session, and preparing the Regional Report.

Other key partners include the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and The World Bank. As the name of the Regional Platform exhibits, disaster risk reduction is at the center of HFA implementation. Moreover, in the Americas the Cartagena Declaration of 1994, the Declaration of Yokohama, and the HFA itself all identify the risk-development link and the challenge of increasing development actions as a mechanism for disaster risk reduction and at the same time ensuring disaster reduction for promoting sustainable development.

In this context, it should be noted that the countries of the Americas have led the way in undertaking actions through binding commitments to address disaster risk reduction issues. Along with the countries’ adoption of the HFA at the global level, they have adopted the Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response (AG/Res.1955 (XXXIII-O/03)) (IASP) as the regional intergovernmental guidance for disaster risk reduction. Later the countries of the hemisphere established the Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM), assigning it the unique position, “….as the permanent hemispheric mechanism for strengthening practical cooperation among intergovernmental agencies in the area of disaster reduction, especially by sharing technical information and best practices” (AG/Res. 2314 (XXXVII-O/07).

For full details, see also: Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas Website

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I Session Objectives

In keeping with the initial conception of this initiative, the objectives of this first biennial session of the Regional Platform for the Americas were as follows: 1. Promote the consolidation and institutionalization of the Regional Platform of the Americas, including the necessary political agreements, resolutions and plans of action; 2. Promote coordination of efforts and creation of new partnerships and/or strengthen existing ones for HFA and IASP implementation of HFA and IASP; 3. Foster understanding of the HFA reporting mechanism to enhance feedback, to validate and appropriate the mechanism to facilitate improved and more systematized reporting throughout the region, and to support the strengthening of National Platforms; 4. Identify specific opportunities for cross-fertilization between countries and subregions for exchanging information, as well as inter-government and inter-sector cooperation; and 5. Disseminate the main outcomes of the meeting with respect to their risk trends and progress through the Internet by the UNISDR secretariat, the INDM Web Portal, and the ISDR and INDM partners and supporters.

Conference Methodology

The three-day meeting involved plenary sessions, thematic working groups and side events as well as a series of interviews with key actors, selected in advance for their noted involvement or representation in the region, a photo gallery, information stands and cultural events such as artisan market and social activities.

Plenary sessions centered upon aspects of general interest to the region as a whole surrounding the creation of the regional platform itself, tendencies and progress in the region, gaps, challenges and opportunities surrounding DRR in the Americas as well as responsibilities and priorities for moving forward with a hemispheric DRR agenda in coming years, as well as a regional approach to the upcoming II Session of the Global Platform for DRR to be held in Geneva, Switzerland from June 16-18, 2009. Thematic sessions involved multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral working groups focusing on priority thematic areas of action and based on predetermined expected results, devised in advance in collaboration with thematic session coordinators, pre-selected for their recognized level of knowledge in each respective thematic area.

Representation

At the meeting itself, there were 244 formally registered participants including representatives of Government, UN agencies, IGOs, NGOs and financial and developmental organizations who were present throughout the event. Adding to this a number of persons who attended the meeting but did not in fact register formally, those that attended select sessions or only part of the event as well as support personnel, the total number of individuals in attendance at this meeting was approximately 320.

Of the formally registered participants, 140 were representatives from the region’s countries, 103 were from international organizations (UN agencies, regional organizations, NGOs, financial institutions) and one was classified as other. Of the country representatives, 39% were from Central America, 30% from South America, 20% from the Caribbean and 11% from North America (Canada, U.S. and Mexico).

Organizational representation at this meeting included:

• Agencia Española De Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID)
• Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
• Ayuda en Acción
• CARE
• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
• Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
• Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)
• Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
• Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de los Desastres (CEPREDENAC)
• Centro del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y el Caribe (CATHALAC)
• Centro Internacional de Formación de la Organización Mundial del Trabajo (CIF-OIT)
• Centro Internacional para la Investigación del Fenómeno de El Niño (CIIFEN)
• Centro Regional de Información sobre Desastres para América Latina y el Caribe (CRID)
• Comité Andino para la Prevención y Atención de Desastres (CAPRADE)
• Comunidad Andina de Naciones (CAN)
• Consejo Universitario Centroamericano (CSUCA)
• Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF)
• Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
• European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit/Cooperación Técnica Alemana (GTZ)
• Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA)
• Federación de Municipios del Istmo Centroamericano (FEMICA)
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
• Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI)
• International Code Council (ICC)
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
• International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC-Netherlands)
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• Organization of American States (OAS)
• OXFAM
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
• Plan-International
• Proyecto Apoyo a la Prevención de Desastres en la Comunidad Andina (CAPRADE/PREDECAN)
• Save the Children UK - Colombia
• Soluciones Prácticas – ITDG
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations Development Programme’s Bureau for Crisis Response and Recovery (UNDP/BCPR)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Secretariat
• United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, secretariat (UNISDR)
• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA)
• United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)
• World Bank
• World Food Programme (WFP)
• World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)

Plenary Sessions

• Opening Session: Inauguration: Objectives and methodology

OAS Talking Points

UNISDR Talking Points (Spanish)

• Creation of the Regional Platform – structure and functioning

Part I - Facilitators: SG-OAS and UNISDR / Interventions by ACS, CARICOM, SICA, CAN

Part II - An Overview of Gaps, Challenges and Opportunities

Hemispheric Study - The Americas / Summary - Hemispheric Study

Central American Study (Spanish) / Summary - Central American Study, and

Caribbean Study

Additional interventions:

The Greater Caribbean: Intervention on behalf of the Association of Caribbean States

• Challenges, Opportunities and Responsibilities

Recommendations (S. Bender; Spanish only)

• Challenges and Opportunities

Guide 2009-2011

Responsible Agencies and Agents

Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas:

Priorities for Moving Forward

Regional Guidelines 2009-2011 (Hemispheric Platform)

• The Road of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas to the 2nd Session of the Global Platform for DRR

Thematic Sessions

• Thematic Session: Inter-Institutional Mechanisms, Networks and National Platforms; Session Notes

Interinstitutional mechanisms, networks and national platforms (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Health and safe hospitals (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Water and Sanitation (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Urban environments, risk reduction and development (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Climate change, disaster risk reduction and development (day 2) (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Education (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Communications / Panel Presentation (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Local community development, risk reduction and good governance (Spanish only)

• Thematic Session: Information and knowledge management (Spanish only)

Side Events

• Session on Urban Risk (Spanish only)

Thematic coordinator: Fernando Ramirez, Bogota, Colombia / UNISDR Americas' Urban Risk Thematic Platform

• Session of the Use of Space-Based Technologies for Disaster Reduction

Thematic coordinator: Juan Carlos Villagran, UN-SPIDER

Introductory document

• CAPRA - A workshop was held on the Central American Probabilistic Risk Assessment led by the World Bank with the participation of actors involved in the CAPRA project from throughout Central America.

Multimedia

Video: “Opinions for Change”

In the context of the I Session of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas a video was produced to document the event and its proceedings, in turn presented at the Global Platform meeting in Geneva in June 2009.

UNISDR held interviews with 23 individual participants from this meeting who were expected to provide insight as to disaster risk reduction in the region. The aim of this project was not only to document the meeting but to also give those participants who were interviewed the opportunity to express their opinions on the subject and contribute innovative ideas that may contribute to bringing about change towards more effective efforts in disaster risk reduction.

Photo exposition

A small photo exposition (11 photos due to limited space – the idea is to expand it for other purposes) was elaborated under title “Facing Risk”/”Enfrentar el Riesgo” and displayed in the entrance area of the meeting venue. The aim of this project was to raise awareness about the many aspects integrated in DRR while conveying a positive message.

Other

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change: Understanding Threat and Vulnerability, Building Adaptive Capacity; P. Gonzalez, OAS

• Media Analysis; Susana González, Journalist and Director of Reporter Emergency News Agency (RENA)

National Mechanisms Debate

• Definition of a National Platform: Defining the format of a National Platform, and deciding what type of participation is desired and feasible, requires time. The actual establishment itself and the mechanisms and work methods can vary from country to country, but the basic recommendations established in the Outline should be followed.

• High Level Government Commitment: Strong governmental leadership is required. The influence National Platforms rely on must come from different levels. Awareness, support and advocacy should consider a leadership focus (from authorities and local networks, civil societies, technical agencies, on a national level).

• Relationships with other mechanisms and structures in the country: Most National Platforms are developed from National Emergency Systems, which facilitate their implementation. However, this often makes it difficult to integrate economic and social actors and sectors related to the all aspects of the development arena. Convening actors around a “development” agenda results in the creation of a more inclusive platform. Meetings based on existing mechanisms, generally established for emergency and relief purposes, may lead to the exclusion of relevant development actors.

• Establishing National Platforms in priority thematic areas: According to national development agendas, the development of national thematic platforms is considered both practical and relevant. A platform for Early Warning Systems is mentioned as an example.

• Role of international financial institutions: Development banks, multilateral cooperation agencies and donors could further promote the integration of risk management in development agendas at the highest level of government, i.e. prime ministers and presidents.

(Source: National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas: A critical analysis of these processes five years after the adoption of the Hyogo Framework for Action; Working document - UNISDR Americas, 2010 p. 16)

Second session - 2011

The strengthening of the Regional Platform is expected to ensure a powerful, coherent and well coordinated multi-stakeholder partnership in achieving effective disaster risk reduction implementation at the regional and national levels, in particular through increased investments for integrated disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation as well as safer schools and hospitals strategies.

The definition of a joint work programme to achieve the strategic objectives shall enhance regional partners’ ownership of DRR initiatives implementation and enhance buy-in and investments in specific segments of the plan. The regional platform is also expected to become a powerful regional body providing technical guidance and policy through the sharing of cross-country experiences and incentives through progress comparisons, towards the development of national DRR strategies and legislations and the empowerment of key sub-regional and local actors in disaster risk reduction. This process will further influence the Global Platforms discussions, through the sharing of key policy achievements and good practices from the region.

Strategic Objectives

• Strategic Objective 1: Disaster risk reduction accepted and applied for climate change adaptation

Expected outcomes:

1. Enhanced political commitment and national investment in climate risk reduction,

2. Improved availability of information on climate risks and risk-reducing adaptation strategies,

3. Greater coherence and coordination of climate-related disaster risk reduction among international and regional actors, and

4. Regional and sub-regional climate-related risks assessed and action plans developed to address these risks.

Expected outputs from Regional Platform and related meetings:

1. Political consensus and action plans developed in the context of Regional Platforms integrating disaster risk reduction with climate change adaptation and related investments.

2. Regional Platforms’ achievements on DRR and CCA and related good practices duly reflected as part of Global Platforms’ agenda,

3. Help desk functions established in regional offices to link up with national HFA and CCA focal points

• Strategic Objective 2: Measurable reduction of disaster losses achieved through optimal investments in DRR

Expected outcomes:

1. Investment decisions across development sectors are disaster risk sensitive

2. International and national investments for DRR increased to 1% from development, 10% humanitarian, 10% reconstruction funds

Expected outputs from Regional Platform and related meetings:

1. Regional Platforms to recommend % of GDP allocated to DRR;

2. Economic study disseminated in regions and findings reflected in x number of high-level statements Global Platform agreement to implement the recommendations of the regional platforms

3. Training packages for UN country teams available, to motivate a broader integration of DRR as part of UNDAF and Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs)

4. HFA progress reports indicate national investments in DRR;

• Strategic Objective 3: Schools and hospitals are safe from disaster risks

Expected outcomes:

1. New schools and hospitals in disaster prone areas are complying with safety standards and building codes

2. Safety of existing education and health facilities is assessed, and concrete action plans for safer schools and hospitals developed and implemented

3. Local authorities are committed to disaster risk reduction and programmes for safer schools and hospitals

Expected outputs from Regional Platforms and Parliamentary initiatives

1. Safer city campaign and One Million Safe Schools and Hospitals Pledging Initiative launched at the regional level and supported by national and local governments targeting safe schools and hospitals.

2. Agreements reached with regional/national association of municipalities or local governments to support the campaign and pledging initiative in a number of cities.

3. Regional Platforms and National platforms promote safe schools and hospitals as part of their workplans towards reaching Global Platform’s commitments in this respect.

4. Parliamentarians and parliamentarian networks actively promote safer schools and hospitals in every region

5. Pledging system in place to sign up for safe schools (and disaster resilient hospitals and cities)

Links to the ISDR System and the 2010-2011 ISDR System Joint Work Programme

Regional Platform’ activities will support UNISDR’s strategic objectives by promoting an integrated approach between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, fostering regional and national investment in disaster risk reduction and mobilizing Governments from the region in assessing and ensuring safer schools and hospitals.

UNISDR system partners have a major role to play in supporting the regional platform’s work, in particular in contributing to the decision-making process relating to the definition of the Regional Platform’s workplan and its implementation and in placing disaster risk reduction as a priority on their respective organization’s agenda.

In particular, regional partners will support regional resource mobilization processes in support of the development of a global fund for DRR. UNISDR system partners will finally ensure due recognition and contribution of regional good practices and achievements to global workplan implementation and seek the Management Oversight Board (MOB)’s assistance to address major regional concerns and challenges.

Stakeholders and Beneficiaries

All Regional Platform members will be major actors in implementing the Regional Platform’s workplan, in support of regional but also national and local action. As such, they will represent major stakeholders in the whole process. National Governments, UN Country Teams, Parliamentarians, National Platforms, key national/ regional media networks, NGOs and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) - which compose the regional platform - will be direct beneficiaries of the Regional Platform’s work.

Activities

The Regional Platform is expected to:

• Hold regular working level meetings to define the workplan and identify key activities in support of the implementation of Global Platform recommendations as well as preparations of future Global Platform process (coordinate national action such as the compilation of HFA national reports, support the HFA monitor process, organize specific regional discussions and events, contribute to high level discussions etc.)
• Organize Ministerial Conferences and support Parliamentarian meetings to enhance political commitment and related implementation of the Regional Platform’s recommendations, to ensure effective advancement on climate change adaptation, investment in disaster risk reduction and safer schools and hospitals, in the context of the 2010-2011 safer cities world campaign.
• Actively contribute to the preparations for the HFA Mid-Term Review and the Global Platform in 2011, through desk reviews, regional analyses on the status of DRR implementation at the regional level, compiling relevant studies from each sub-region, risk assessments and trends etc.
• Organize Donor meetings to support the implementation of the Regional Platform’s workplan and priorities and strategize to promote effective implementation.

Work plan

The Regional Platform will develop a workplan supporting HFA priorities and UNISDR strategic objectives' implementation at the regional, national and local levels.

Collaboration and Implementation Partnerships:

• All members of the Regional Platform: Governments, Donors, UN Agencies, media representatives, technical and scientific institutions, civil society and the NGO community, local authorities and related regional / national networks, academic institutions, thematic platforms
• UN Country Teams and UN Resident Coordinators’ offices
• Parliamentarians and local authorities

Implementing partners:

• Regional Partners’ members through their regional and national offices
• At the national level, UN Country Teams, National Platforms, HFA Focal Points and Parliamentarians
• At the local level, NGO community, local authorities and local Governments Alliance.

Monitoring and evaluation:

The respective UNISDR Team Leader for the regional UNISDR office has responsibility to implement, monitor and report on the activities and expenditure of funds in line with the ISDR secretariat's established procedures. This includes:

• On-going tracking of the status of activities and outputs and financial expenditure;
• In-depth reviews as part of established secretariat-wide quarterly implementation reviews;
• Annual substantive and financial management reporting; and
• Periodic certified financial reports.

A Regional Help Desk function is expected to be set up in the UNISDR regional office to support HFA Focal Points to track and monitor the progress made in implementing the commitments made at the Global Platform and regional platform meetings.

The Help Desk Officer will also provide technical assistance in risk assessment and investment plans development.

In depth evaluation may also be undertaken of activities mentioned here. The decision whether to conduct such evaluation will be undertaken in line with UNISDR processes. It is understood that such an evaluation may take place as part of a broader evaluation of a thematic or regional nature.