International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

ECOSOC Meeting on the transition from relief to development following natural disasters.

New York 28th February 2005

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The Indian Ocean Tsunami: Effects

In a matter of minutes the tsunami that surged across the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 had taken hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed the livelihoods of many more. It will take years to rebuild what the tsunami destroyed. But in a stroke, it also opened our eyes to a human condition. Around the world, poor people live fundamentally insecure lives. Exposed to hazards like floods, landslides, storms, droughts or earthquakes, living in the most exposed and dangerous environments, without resilience, vulnerable communities have little means of protecting themselves against the impact of disaster. The many, and increasingly frequent, “minor emergencies” that go unnoticed by international media are a daily reality for the disadvantaged somewhere around the globe. The Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami has further given credence to the statement that 'disasters are a humanitarian and a development concern'. Evidence suggests that measures to mitigate the impacts of hazards - such as early warning systems coastal protection, seismic monitoring and typhoon shelters - have contributed to reducing the numbers of people killed, so called 'natural' disasters are affecting an increasing number of people. Badly managed development, environmental degradation, poor governance and a lack of respect for human rights have actually conspired to increase the numbers of vulnerable and impoverished people living at risk. There is now wide recognition that disasters’ impact on all aspects of development undermining efforts to achieve the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The Second World Conference on Disaster Reduction, held in Kobe, emphasized the need to put disaster risk reduction at the centre of political agendas and national policies. The International Federation has in-turn committed to a strategy to reduce disaster risk – by building community resilience – through preparedness, response activities, recovery, development, mitigation, education, advocacy and partnerships.

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

More disasters – more affected

Since 1970s:

‘Natural’ disasters nearly 3 X as many

Deaths drop 70% Numbers affected

more than triple

Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Belgium (CRED)

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Why?

Population growth: 70 m more people each year

Rapid and unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation, misguided development, poverty

Disasters disproportionally affect slum dwellers: poorest live in unfit places, seen as illegal, without services

Disasters set back progress and growth = a vicious spiral

Response is rapid and more coordinated, but does it capture real needs? Can it undermine capacity?

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

RC challenges from disaster response to development

IFRC and NS – disasters are not an “event” but are one part of a continuum.

DP and DR non enough The cycle of activities link

together to create a holistic approach to risk reduction.

International support should reinforce local, national and regional capacities at each of these parts of the cycle.

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Development of the RC capacity to influence risk reduction

Disaster Preparedness: The selection, training and equipping of national, regional and international responders (RDRT,FACT and ERU teams). The implementation of community-based disaster awareness, preparedness and response training and programmes.

Disaster Response: Rapid, well-coordinated deployment of the above. Close coordination on the disaster site with the government authorities, UN(UNDAC), and other actors.

Recovery: Early RC assessments and the preparation of recovery/rehabilitation & development strategies. Reconstruction of health housing, social, and educational facilities.

Mitigation: Implementation of community and NS projects supporting risk reduction. Mangrove project.

Development: can be a factor of risk (lack of plans, regulations, inequalities, lack of preparedness and prevention) – Tsunami early-warning, heat wave in Europe. RC involvement in national disaster planning. Vulnerability to disasters determined by physical, environmental, make programmes more 'risk aware'

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Iran: local response most effective

34 international teams saved 22 lives

Iranian Red Crescent teams saved 157 lives, neighbours 100s.

Cost of a 6-day foreign mission v 2 year's local training?

Lesson: Build on national preparedness, local capacities and courage

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Europe’s heat wave: deadliest disaster

Summer 2003: up to 35,000 people died

Inadequate awareness and preparation.

Heat waves trigger silent disasters, affecting elderly

Lessons: Assess ‘new’ vulnerabilities

Community contact and preparedness increase coping

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Mangrove rehabilitation in Vietnam

Tropical cyclones caused lost livelihood resources in costal communities

Mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation – communities and RC plant and protect mangrove forest (12.000 hectares)

In 2000 typhoon Wukong devastated Vietnam, project areas were protected

Benefit to 8000 families.

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Self-reliance in the south-west Pacific

In 2001 Papua-New Guinea (PNG) Red Cross initiated a Vulnerability Vulnerability and Capacity Assessmentand Capacity Assessment (VCA) on Manam Island.

Only 11% of islanders were aware of the risks facing themOnly 11% of islanders were aware of the risks facing them and just 6 % knew about resources available to deal with those risks. Over half were aware of escape routes and pickup points

No one knew what the government’s evacuation plangovernment’s evacuation plan entailed

Based on the VCA, the PNG-RC began a community-based self-community-based self-reliance (CBSR) projectreliance (CBSR) project

Its aim is to boost islanders’ faith in their own resourcefulnessfaith in their own resourcefulness to

reduce risks

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Key policy objectives.

Relief Recovery & Development are not isolated, together they should:

Lead to rehabilitation of more resistant livelihoods. Provide integrated planning that consults with &

involves communities and eases the transition from relief to development.

Be people-centered, enhance local capacities, use local materials and resources for recovery and development and provide models that can improve disaster management;

Do not inadvertently reinforce tensions or conflict but contribute to reconciliation and harmony.

Contribute to more systematic and proactive coordination through joint assessments, planning and information exchange.

Promote solutions to root causes, better linkage and understanding with donor funding for the continuum.

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Focus on capacities, as well as needs

Dispel myth of helpless victims

Avoid top-down interventions

Assess local strengths and priorities – not just vulnerabilities and needs

Build on the resources and resilience found in the community

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Tsunami: Challenges & Opportunities

For the Red Cross/Red Crescent, the tsunami was a call for action. For the Red Cross/Red Crescent, the tsunami was a call for action. With the overwhelming generosity of the global community, we With the overwhelming generosity of the global community, we were given the possibility not only to meet the immediate needs were given the possibility not only to meet the immediate needs for survival, protection and early recovery of the tsunami for survival, protection and early recovery of the tsunami affected populations, but also to help them restore their affected populations, but also to help them restore their shattered lives and livelihoods. We were also given a new shattered lives and livelihoods. We were also given a new opportunity, the means to address the predicament of vulnerable opportunity, the means to address the predicament of vulnerable communities throughout the wider region of the Indian Ocean, communities throughout the wider region of the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and South Asia & E. Africa. It is Southeast Asia and South Asia & E. Africa. It is a unique a unique opportunity not only to meet the immediate needs of the affected opportunity not only to meet the immediate needs of the affected population but to take forward the global commitment made at population but to take forward the global commitment made at the Kobe World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005, to work the Kobe World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005, to work with communities, governments, the United Nations and NGOs to with communities, governments, the United Nations and NGOs to build a culture of disaster resilience. build a culture of disaster resilience. To play an effective role, the To play an effective role, the challenge for the RC/RC is to complement its local level challenge for the RC/RC is to complement its local level immediate relief support and development programmes with a immediate relief support and development programmes with a greater emphasis on public education and advocacy to create greater emphasis on public education and advocacy to create platforms for the voices of the vulnerable that will influence platforms for the voices of the vulnerable that will influence appropriate changes to policies and practices of institutions in appropriate changes to policies and practices of institutions in their favour.their favour. Accountability, stewardship and transparency will be combined with well-coordinated partnerships with the UN, governments and communities.