ISDR partners in action
From HFA-PEDIA
United Nations
The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system.
The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.
When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:
- to maintain international peace and security;
- to develop friendly relations among nations;
- to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and
- to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
The United Nations is not a world government and it does not make laws. It does, however, provide the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting all of us. At the UN, all the Member States — large and small, rich and poor, with differing political views and social systems — have a voice and a vote in this process.
The United Nations has six main organs. Five of them — the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat — are based at UN Headquarters in New York. The sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at The Hague in the Netherlands.
UN Resident Coordinators & the UNRC System
The United Nations Resident Coordinator (UN RC) is the designated representative of the UN Secretary-General for development operations and leader of the United Nations Country Team, which consists of the heads of all UN agencies resident or represented in a particular country. The UN RC is responsible for promoting the UN global agenda and for effective coordination of activities of all UN agencies, resident and non-resident. The aim is to enhance the coherence and impact of the activities of the United Nations for development.
Resident Coordinators, who are funded and managed by UNDP, lead UN country teams in more than 130 countries and are the designated representatives of the Secretary-General for development operations. Working closely with national governments, Resident Coordinators and country teams advocate the interests and mandates of the UN drawing on the support and guidance of the entire UN family.
Resident Coordinator System
The Resident Coordinator system encompasses all organizations of the United Nations system dealing with operational activities for development, regardless of their formal presence in a given country. The RC system aims to bring together the different UN agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities at the country level.
As emphasized in the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), a strong national and local commitment is a prerequisite for successful disaster risk reduction at the national level. While States have the primary responsibility in implementing the disaster risk reduction measures at the national level, the HFA also made a direct call to Resident Coordinators to support actions that promote the integration of disaster risk reduction considerations into development assistance frameworks, such as the Common Country Assessments, the United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and poverty reduction strategies. The Resident Coordinators represent the ISDR system at the national level, and in their capacity as the heads/convenors of the UN Country Teams they are in the best position to coordinate the United Nations’ disaster risk reduction efforts to support national governments.
How ISDR can assist Resident Coordinators
The UN/ISDR secretariat offers advocacy and information services, electronic and printed materials and tools, temporary advisory services from staff in the regional offices, or other resource persons to support Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams for making disaster risk reduction a national priority and to raise the awareness of the subject, as set out in the HFA.
UN/ISDR services to UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams: See Brochure
UN Mechanisms of the ISDR: http://www.eird.org/coordinadores/UN_Mechanisms.pdf
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
The Risk, Emergency, and Disasters Task Force of the Regional Inter-Agency Standing Committee, commonly known by its acronym REDLAC, was created in 2004 to promote programs and projects in the areas of risk management and mitigation of disasters and emergencies. Along with other member organizations and special guests, UN/ISDR and OCHA work closely together through REDLAC to promote common interests relating to disaster risk reduction and recovery.
OCHA website: http://ochaonline.un.org/
Redhum
Redhum is a humanitarian network for Latin America and the Caribbean that seeks to bring together the region's principle humanitarian actors and organizations producing relevant information for the humanitarian assistance community. It is the result of a 2006 cooperation agreement between UN/OCHA, SICA and CEPREDENAC.
More information: http://www.redhum.org (Spanish only)
UN/ISDR-PAHO/WHO
2008/2009 World Disaster Reduction Campaign
A meeting was held on December 7 in the offices of UN/ISDR the Americas to formalize the details surrounding the World Disaster Reduction Campaign 2008-2009: Hospitals Safe from Disasters: Reduce Risk, Protect Health Facilities, Save Lives, which is to be launched on 25 January 2008, in Davos. This campaign is a joint initiative of UN/ISDR and WHO with support from the World Bank. The meeting allowed for the exchange of ideas about what could be done to promote this campaign over the next two years in terms of initiatives, resources and a common work agenda. In attendance at the meeting were representatives of UN/ISDR, PAHO, IFRC and Ayuda en Acción.
UN/ISDR - PAHO/WHO - University for Peace
Encompassing Disaster Risk Reduction and Human Health Resilience in Environmental Security and Peace Studies UN/ISDR and the Pan American Health Organization have developed a program “Encompassing Disaster Risk Reduction and Human Health Resilience in Environmental Security and Peace Studies” as part of the Masters’ Programme on Environmental Security and Peace at the UN University for Peace (http://drr.upeace.org/) in Costa Rica. This programme will provide 20-30 students per year with didactic understanding and practical tools in a multidisciplinary way. The first course is scheduled to start in 2008. For more information, please contact: Rolain Borel (rborel@upeace.org)
The University for Peace (UPEACE) with the collaboration of the UN/ISDR secretariat has developed a course on Disaster Risk Reduction at the local level. The course is a module of a post-graduate degree program in environment, peace and security. The course will be taught in San Jose, Costa Rica between February 4th and 22nd, 2008 and from then on annually during the second semester. UPEACE has five scholarships available for practitioners from the Central American or Caribbean regions to attend this course. Information on the course is available at: http://drr.upeace.org/english/how.cfm
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
The 2006-2007 World Disaster Reduction Campaign “Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at School”, aimed to inform and mobilize Governments, communities and individuals to ensure that disaster risk reduction is fully integrated into school curricula in high risk countries and that school buildings are built or retrofitted to withstand natural hazards. The Campaign’s key partners included UNESCO, UNICEF, ActionAid International, the IFRC, and the ISDR’s thematic cluster on knowledge and education.
UN/ISDR-UNICEF-DIPECHO
Project advances in “Strengthening of Local Risk and Disaster Management in the Education Sector in Central America” This project, financed by the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid Office (DIPECHO), seeks to promote the systematization of experiences and reproduction of practices and instruments regarding risk management in the field of education at a local level in six Central American countries.
Recognizing that numerous successful and potentially replicable initiatives regarding DRR in the education sector exist in the region, national workshops are being carried out in each of the 6 Central American countries to compile and share existing and proven tools, methodologies and models for disaster preparedness and response in the education sector at the local level. Workshops have now been completed in Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador; while the workshops in Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras are to be held from December 13-20. The regional organization, ITDG Practical Action, will oversee systematizing the potentially replicable initiatives.
The video (15 min.) and publicity spot (30 sec.) about "Disaster risk reduction in the education sector in the region" is ready and is been distributed to Ministries of Education throughout the region.
The Riskland game and accompanying activities booklet, are being updated in both English and Spanish to incorporate the main topics that the project is promoting: - School infrastructure - Children’s rights to education in emergency situations - Scholastic Emergency Plans - Safe Schools in Safe Territories - Schools as temporary emergency shelters
Furthermore, the "Riskland" game is been adapted to the reality of El Salvador.
A preliminary draft of the basic guide surrounding the use of schools as temporary emergency shelters has been developed. This guide contemplates the necessary conditions, administrative aspects and means of promoting the involvement of the surrounding community in times of emergency situations as based on the Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction (Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies - INEE Minimum Standards). Validation of this tool among Ministries of Education and related organizations will commence in January.
A preliminary version of the basic guide "Safe School in Safe Territory" is in the final stages, expected to be available by the end of December.
All activities, advances and final reports are available through the UN/ISDR and UNICEF websites through a link to the DIPECHO Project Webpage.
For further information: http://www.unicef.org/lac/dipecho/ (Spanish only)
DIPECHO Regional Consultation Workshop
A Regional Consultation Workshop in Central America, organized by DIPECHO in Antigua, Guatemala from November 20-24, 2007 served to culminate the consultation process that involved national consultation workshops held between November 1 to 13 in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
The workshop served to define the sixth DIPECHO Plan of Action for Central America, taking into consideration the priorities of strategic partners, as well as the main advances being made in the region within the context of HFA. The workshop brought together a variety of government institutions, national and international organizations and initiatives including the following: CEPREDENAC, OPS, CRID, UN/ISDR, PREVDA/UE, ECHO/Andean Region, ECHO/Caribbean Region, and BCPR-PNUD.
UNDP and the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR)
BCPR Created in 2001 by UNDP's Executive Board, the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) works around the world to restore the quality of life for men, women and children who have been devastated by natural disaster or violent conflict. Operating through some 50 country offices, the Bureau provides a bridge between the humanitarian agencies that handle immediate needs and the long-term development phase following recovery.
Objectives:
- Preventing the incidence of violent conflict and natural disasters;
- Supporting the recovery efforts of both conflict and natural disasters;
- Protecting women in crisis and promoting gender equality; and
- Establishing foundations for sustainable peace and recovery.
Areas of focus:
- Provide technical expertise: By serving as a repository for tools, methods, and experience, BCPR provides both technical knowledge and financial resources to support prevention and recovery efforts;
- Protect women and give them a voice: Security threats to women escalate in times of crisis. BCPR seeks to empower women and girls and give them a voice in the recovery effort through its Eight Point Agenda for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in Crisis Prevention and Recovery;
- Recognize the importance of partners: BCPR fosters partnerships to design and implement crisis and recovery programmes;
- Develop policy and contribute to the capacity of societies in crisis to prevent and resolve conflict;
- Provide leadership on crisis issues, serving as a center for crisis policy and best practice for partner agencies and governments; and
- Advocate for crisis sensitivity. BCPR works to ensure that long-term development policies and programmes incorporate opportunities for disaster reduction and conflict prevention.
Related documents:
UNDP's in Action in Latin America and the Caribbean: Fast Facts: Latin America and the Caribbean
UNDP's response to Climate Change: Fast Facts: Climate Change
UNDP's Response to Climate Change: Reducing the Human Cost of Climate Change; UNDP, 2008 (word)
Reducing Disaster Risk: A Challenge for Development; UNDP, 2004
Towards the Formulation of an Andean Strategy for Disaster Prevention and Response; UNDP, 2004 (pdf)
(Also available in Spanish)
BCPR Reports (LAC):
Cuba Case Study: Risk Reduction in Havana's Costal Settlements, 2005
Further information:
Full overview of BCPR (pdf)
BCPR in Latin America and the Caribbean: http://www.undp.org/cpr/we_work/latin_america.shtml
UN/ISDR - ILO/DELNET - UNOSAT
Specialization in Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Local Development Practitioners and academics from various countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, graduates of ILO/DELNET’S first-ever year-long specialized course on "Disaster Risk Reduction within the Framework of Sustainable Local Development", met from November 19-24 in Managua, Nicaragua to participate in a workshop on "The Use of GIS Based on Satellite Imagery Applied to Strategic Planning for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Local Level", and for the course’s final evaluation and graduation ceremony. This event marks the beginning of an inter-agency partnership between ITC-ILO/DELNET, UN/ISDR and UNOSAT to support the continuation of this course in years to come and to join forces in the creation of a disaster risk reduction and sustainable local development network. For more information, please contact: Alice Vozza (a.vozza@itcilo.org) or visit: http://learning.itcilo.org/delnet/
The finalization of the first specialization course Disaster Risk Reduction within the Framework of Local Sustainable Development culminated in Managua, Nicaragua with an evaluation on behalf of UN/ISDR - evaluation and discussions surrounding a joint initiative on behalf of UNISDR, DELNET and UNOSAT to support the DELNET users network with the use of a prototype “Municipal Disaster Information System for Latin America and the Caribbean” developed through a pilot project by CRID with financing from IDRC Canada and technical support by UN/ISDR the Americas.
UN-HABITAT
World Bank - UN/ISDR: Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery
The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) is a partnership of the ISDR system to support the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA).
In June 2006, the World Bank’s Board of Directors endorsed establishment of the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a longer term partnership under the ISDR system to reduce disaster losses by mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in development, particularly upstream country strategies and processes, towards fulfillment of principal goals of the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA).
GFDRR helps developing countries fund development projects and programs that enhance local capacities for disaster prevention and emergency preparedness. GFDRR grants support disaster risk assessments, developing risk mitigation policies and strategies, preparation of disaster prevention projects and additional financing for recovery provided recipient governments demonstrate commitment to disaster prevention.
GFDRR pursues its objectives at global, regional and country levels and it addresses disasters both ex ante and ex post through its three tracks of financing:
- Track I supports the annual work program of ISDR to enhance global and regional advocacy, partnerships, and knowledge management in disaster risk reduction.
- Track II is designed to provide ex ante support, primarily through a 3-year technical assistance program to enhance investments in risk reduction and risk transfer mechanisms (such as CAPRA).
- Track III is deployed to strengthen mobilization of international assistance for disaster recovery and supports primarily low-income countries to accelerate recovery operations.
GFDRR is assisting several countries, regional and international organizations in identifying the disaster risks, developing risk mitigation and risk financing strategies, establishing institutional and legal systems for risk reduction, and strengthening regional cooperation in early warning, knowledge sharing and emergency preparedness.
Organization of American States (OAS)
OAS brings together the nations of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests and debate the major issues facing the region and the world. The OAS is the region’s principal multilateral forum for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and confronting shared problems such as poverty, terrorism, illegal drugs and corruption.
Initiatives and Activities
Bogota, Colombia; December 11 - 12, 2007
Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Disaster Prevention and Attention Direction (DPAD) of the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, both of Colombia, and the Department of Sustainable Development of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (DSD/OAS), through its Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM), this event was held in Bogotá, Colombia, on December 11 and 12, 2007, at the Palacio San Carlos, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia was celebrated around the preceding mandates of the resolutions from the General Assembly of the OAS, through its Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM) and the Hemispheric Security Commission (HSC). The event was particularly a direct answer to the agreements of the (INDN) and the resolutions AG/RES 2314 (XXXVII-O/07) and AG/RES 2184 (XXXVI-O/06) for which it calls for the DSD/OAS to support in “improving the economic cost-benefit analysis in the reduction and prevention of risks on natural disasters”.
The main objective of the meeting was to explore the strategies to highlight and promote the benefits of risk reduction investment, instead of investing on response, attention, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Based on case studies and practical experiences, the meeting sought to analyze and prove that “investing in vulnerability reduction in the Americas is a better option”, getting into the effective cost of investing in the social and economic vulnerability reduction against the economic costs associated with disasters and their impacts in the economic growth of the region.
ProVention Consortium
A global coalition of governments, international organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations aimed at reducing disaster impacts in developing countries. ProVention, at present, involves some 70 associated partner organisations (See the full list of ProVention partners).
The overall goal of ProVention is to reduce the risk and social, economic and environmental impacts of natural hazards on vulnerable populations in developing countries in order to alleviate poverty and contribute to sustainable development. This is achieved through:
- Forging partnerships and promoting multi-stakeholder networking;
- Promoting policy as an informal forum for dialogue and agenda-setting;
- Improving practice through more effective problem-solving;
- Managing knowledge through combining knowledge advancement, gathering and sharing.
Currently, partners are contributing to the ProVention Consortium in a variety of vital roles – as Advisory Committee members, voluntary patrons, Forum participants and project partners and donors. All Consortium partners share a common commitment to the central goal of ProVention to reducing the risks and social, economic and environmental impacts of natural hazards on vulnerable populations in developing countries.
Seeking to vitalise partnering within the Consortium, ProVention has initiated a number of multi-partner projects and the current work programme focuses particularly on increasing involvement of four specific constituencies:
- Collaboration among international financial institutions on reducing natural hazard risk
- Linkages with the private sector to build the business case for disaster prevention
- Interaction with civil society to strengthen community-oriented risk reduction activities
- Partnering regional research centres, universities and NGOs to expand research and learning on risk reduction in developing countries.
All ProVention project activities are intended to contribute to these four overarching and interconnected objectives and to the Hyogo Framework for Action.
CRID
The Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID) is an initiative sponsored by six organizations that decided to join efforts to ensure the compilation and dissemination of disaster-related information in Latin America and the Caribbean.
These organizations are:
- Pan American Health Organization - Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO),
- United Nations Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR),
- Costa Rica National Risk Prevention and Emergency Commission (CNE),
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),
- Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America (CEPREDENAC), and
- Regional Office of Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
CRID objectives:
- Improve compilation, processing and dissemination of disaster-related information, offering quality information services to a wide range of users in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region.
- Strengthen sub regional (Central America, South America and the Caribbean), national and local capacities to establish and maintain disaster information and documentation centers.
- Promote the use of electronic technology for the provision of information services.
- Contribute to the development of the Regional Disaster Information System.
The Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID), recognized as an Information Center specializing in disasters and health, aims to promote the development of a prevention culture in the Latin American and Caribbean countries through the compilation and dissemination of disaster-related information, and the promotion of co-operative efforts to improve risk management in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.
URL: www.crid.or.cr
Subregional Partners
Central America
CEPREDENAC
CEPREDENAC was established in 1988 as a coordination center for strengthening the capacity of Central America as a whole to reduce the vulnerability of the population to the effects of these phenomena. In May 1995, CEPREDENAC became an official organization set up to foster the Central American Integration System (SICA) with the Governments of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama as members.
URL: www.cepredenac.org
Andean Region of South America
CAPRADE
The Andean Committee for Disaster Prevention and Response, CAPRADE, works towards contributing to reducing risk and the impact of disasters in the Andean region through coordination and the promotion of policies, strategies and plans, as well as the promotion of activities relating to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Furthermore, CAPRADE also works through cooperation, mutual assistance and the exchange of related experiences.
PREDECAN
Andean Community Disaster Prevention Project (PREDECAN)
Under the framework of the ISDR's new format for national reporting on the progress towards the implementation of the HFA - the HFA Monitor - PREDECAN is coordinating a process to assist Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) in the elaboration of their respective national reports. Also supporting this initiative is German Cooperation Agency GTZ and with the technical support of the UNISDR regional unit for the Americas.
Further information: Carolina Diaz, PREDECAN - e-mail: CDiaz@comunidadandina.org (Spanish)
URL: http://www.comunidadandina.org/predecan (Spanish)
See also:
The Caribbean
Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
The Convention establishing the ACS was signed on 24 July 1994 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation and concerted action among all the countries of the Caribbean, comprising 25 Member States and three Associate Members. Eight other non-independent Caribbean countries are eligible for associate membership. Its current focus is on cooperation in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters.
Saint-Marc Plan of Action - ACS Plan of Action for Disaster Reduction in the Greater Caribbean
Resolution adopting the Plan of Action
CDERA
The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) is an intergovernmental, regional disaster management organization with 16 participating states, headquartered in Barbados. CDERA’s main function is to launch an immediate and coordinated response to any disastrous event affecting any participating state, once the state requests such assistance.
See also:
Association of Caribbean States
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
Other
Characteristics of a Disaster-Resilient Community: A Guidance Note; DFID, 2007
Version 1 (for field testing), August 2007
John Twigg for the DFID Disaster Risk Reduction Interagency Coordination Group
Online information: DFID on Characteristics of a Disaster-Resilient Community
