Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in Local Governance
(MDRRG-3)

1– 5 September 2008
Manila, Philippines
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Background

The process of development and the kind of development alternatives have created many countries at disaster risk. Absence of disaster risk reduction components into the development programmes further aggravates the negative impact on the socio economic set up of the country.

The development activities and disaster risk reduction are two faces of the same coin which have to be dealt with unified approach. The mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into development policy planning and implementation is one of the essential tools for sustainable disaster resilient development.

In many developing countries, national disaster management authority or ministry handles disaster management affairs. ADPC has observed that the activities and functional responsibilities of such institutions are seldom decentralized, or authority of such institutions has not been adequately delegated to lower levels of governments. This needs to be viewed as a hindrance for achieving the disaster resilience at community and local levels. The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center advocates strongly for decentralization of disaster management subject to local government sector to facilitate building safer communities and to support sustainable development.

While selecting the appropriate strategy that should be adopted by respective countries, it is important to identify a practical and easy approach for implementing effective advocacy campaigns for mainstreaming risk management at local government. A compromise for integrating disaster risk management into local level planning and programming therefore would require organized action or series of actions and involve national level ministries and implementing local government institutions. These actions should be taken to influence people, policies, regulations, practices and systems for enforcement, in order to bring about necessary changes. Good governance for disaster reduction exists where there is adequate space for the participation of different stakeholders, especially at the level of local government.

The Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) on Disaster Management was initiated by Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in 2000. It comprises of members who are working in key Government positions in the national disaster management systems of countries of the Asian region. RCC prioritizes mainstreaming of DRR in national development planning process as well as sectored development. It identifies six priority sectors namely Agriculture, Education, Health, Housing, Urban Planning and Infrastructure and Financial services for mainstreaming of DRR. The RCC significantly focus and advocates the capacity building among the local governance for mainstreaming DRR. The proposed course also suffices the objectives of RCC and facilitates awareness building exercise in this direction to local governance.

Importance of mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction is also recognized by the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) adopted at the World Congress of Disaster Reduction (WCDR), where integration of disaster risk reduction in the development progress is a priority. All national policies for disaster management advocate for streamlining DRM in development process.

Objectives

The primary objective of the course is to develop a cadre of local government professionals and development partners sensitive to issues posed by the recurrent hazards. The course intends to enhance knowledge and capacity of local urban authorities, associated NGOs and other stakeholders in streamlining disaster risk reduction in urban development. It will create opportunities for mainstreaming risk reduction as a component of urban governance. The secondary objective of the training is to build the capacity of national training partner institutions, which will make an attempt to institutionalize the capacity building program on this theme at national level. It will also help communities at risk and NGOs to support the governance and participate in creating safer urban communities and sustainable development through DRR.

Course Approach and Content

The proposed training is a blend of Concepts, principles, policies, legal action framework and strategies on governance and mainstreaming DRR presented through the discussions, case studies on good practices. The course consists of several broad issues of governance and DRR to plan for sustainable change at the local level. Under those broad issues, the course consists of the following subjects:

1. Introduction to local level hazard environment and assessment
2. Concepts of vulnerability to disasters
3. Principles of governance for disaster risk reduction
4. Process of decentralization for effective disaster risk management
5. Approaches for urban land administration and disaster risk reduction
6. Legal and institutional structures including compliance to building bylaws relevant to urban DRR
7. Generating information for local disaster risk reduction
8. Stakeholder Analysis  to promote participatory approaches in governance and disaster risk reduction
9. Institutionalization of community based DRR
10. First responses at the municipal, ward and community levels
11. Dealing with informal settlements
12. Attribute of gender, ethnics, minorities and migrant population to disaster risk reduction
13. Case studies and good governance practices to disaster risk reduction
14. Action plan for a change in creating safe urban habitat

Target Participants

The course is targeted at representatives of local government ministries/ departments, urban emergency services and planning functions related to risk reduction from PROMISE cities, local government training institutions who can implement the course at a national level, NGOs involved in urban community development initiatives, existing city networks, and private sectors.

Course Fee

The course fee is US$ 1,500 per participant with a registration fee of US$40. The package is inclusive of training course materials, refreshments, meals and shared-accommodation. Single room occupancy will require an additional charge of US$ 20/day.

Course fee should be paid by money transfer /international demand draft (DD) by 15 August 2008 or by cash at the time of course registration. Kindly confirm mode of payment. Sponsoring agencies sending five participants to the course will have fee waived for the sixth participant.

Language Requirements

All teaching and course materials are in English. It is essential that participants are fully conversant in English.

Resource Persons

Resource persons are selected experts from international organizations, educational and research institutions, national and local government, disaster risk reduction practitioners and ADPC.

Application

Interested persons may apply directly but preferably be nominated by their employers, sponsoring agencies, NGOs and private organizations.  

Application form is available on the ADPC website, http://www.adpc.net and can be submitted before 31 July 2008 by mail, fax or email at tedadpc@adpc.net. (See contact details below). 

In consideration to course efficiency and effectiveness, course capacity/seats are limited to 30. ADPC will inform applicants once the nomination is accepted.

Urban Disaster Risk Management (UDRM)

The outcome of Asia’s high rate of urbanization is the result of expansion of urban populations in geographic areas which are prone to disaster impact. This has resulted in increased vulnerability of human life and infrastructure. Disaster mitigation measures to reduce vulnerability have rarely been attempted in most Asian countries, such as

• Specific hazards–resistant building and infrastructure

• Flood and landslide control measures

• Incorporation of disaster vulnerability into land use planning

• Introduction of regulatory measures in industrialized zones

Activities undertaken by the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) and programme for Hydro-meteorological disaster mitigation in secondary cities of Asia, implemented by ADPC with support of OFDA, USAID over a decade, have demonstrated the effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing natural disaster vulnerability at local level. Demonstration projects in more than ten countries, information dissemination and networking activities, and the regional training courses on Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction, Flood Risk Mitigation, Technological Risk Reduction and Urban Disaster Mitigation have convincingly brought to light the opportunities for high impact interventions. Local officials in selected cities have positively responded to the initial project activities by the way of institutionalizing and incorporating disaster vulnerability considerations to their buildings approval procedures and zoning regulations. Currently, a significant high demand is apparent for Urban Disaster Risk Management (UDRM). This demand for expansion of UDRM activities has been set to improve response, preparedness capacities to reduce the vulnerability.  

As ADPC has been implementing and linking diverse activities through out the region, it has recognized the importance of enhancing the scope of Urban Disaster Risk Management through focused action which resulted in offering a course dedicated to governance and mainstreaming DRR.

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

Established in 1986, ADPC is a leading regional resource center dedicated to disaster reduction. ADPC works with governments, NGOs and communities of the Asia and Pacific regions to strengthen their capacities in disaster preparedness, mitigation and response through training, technical assistance, regional program management, country project demonstration, information sharing and research.

CONTACT ADDRESS 

Mr. Falak Nawaz Manager Training Resource Group Email: tedadpc@adpc.net

Mr. Amit Kumar Training Manager Urban Disaster Risk Management Programme email: amit@adpc.net Asian Disaster Preparedness Center 979/66-70, 24th Floor SM Tower, Paholyothin Road, Samsen Nai, Phayathai Bangkok, 10400 Tel: +66 (02) 2980681-92 Fax: +66 (02)2980012-13

www.adpc.net