Afghan Officials Discuss Disaster Risk Management Curriculum

A national curriculum adaptation workshop for Afghanistan was held February 1-2, 2005 under the Training and Capacity Building Project (TCBP). The Project is jointly implemented by ADPC and InWEnt (Capacity Building International, Germany). Thirty-six officials and staff representing member ministries of the National Commission on Emergency Management including the Department of Disaster Preparedness (DDP), Ministry of Defense, Interior, Health, Repatriation and Return, Energy and Water Resources, UN agencies, NGOs, Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), UNHABITAT, TEARFUND, AIMS-UNDP, BIA and MAAFS participated in the Workshop.

The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Ibadi, the Head of the Department for Disaster Preparedness (DDP). The ADPC and InWEnt teams provided ideas on developing the curriculum for all seven courses planned for Afghan officials. The curriculum was developed with the full participation of the participants and emphasized the need for integrating local knowledge, translating materials into the Pashtu and Dari languages and encouraging the participation of women officials and staff in training. It also emphasized the need for an exercise-based curriculum and recommended the participation of multiple Afghan government agencies in each course to avoid over- or under-representation of any department or agency.

The Training and Capacity Building Project (TCBP) is a national capacity building project for Afghanistan. It is a sub-project under the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Program (CDRMP) being implemented by the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). The CDRMP is being sponsored by the Afghan Emergency Trust Fund (AETF). The CDRMP consists of a number of sub-projects covering the most pressing needs in the Afghan Disaster Risk Management Sector.

A series of 13 courses will be delivered in Kabul at the Office of the Department of Disaster Preparedness, beginning with the Disaster Management Course and the Emergency Response Management Course scheduled to take place from March 19 to April 7, 2005.

For details please write to Zubair Murshed, Project Manager, Afghanistan TCBP at mzubair@adpc.net or check the ADPC website at www.adpc.net

CBDRM Course for the Pacific Developed with ADPC Expertise

In close collaboration with the South Pacific Applied Geo-science Commission (SOPAC), Fiji, ADPC pilot-tested a community-based disaster risk management course for the Pacific from February 13-25, 2005 in Nadi, Fiji. Participants from various national and provincial government departments with disaster risk management responsibilities, regional and national NGOs, and representatives from SOPAC and IFRC attended the course.

The objectives of the pilot course were:

• to examine various models of disaster risk management and their relevance to the Pacific,

• to design and conduct community-based disaster risk assessment in the Pacific context,

• to identify measures for hazard and vulnerability reduction and community capacity building in selected communities in Fiji, and

• to prepare a model risk-reduction plan for integration into Fiji development activities.

Participants were asked to review each session in detail. Pacific protocols, social relations and structures that shape the decision making process were closely examined during the course. As a practical onsite experience, the participants spent 2 days with the community in Sanasana village. Here they were able to adapt classroom knowledge of CBDRM tools and processes in a practical setting. This helped contextualize CBDRM processes to the Pacific perspective. Participants enjoyed sharing experiences and perspectives with other members of the group and resource persons who have worked with many communities in the region.

This course will be offered in other countries in the Pacific region and will focus on the key stakeholders in the CBDRM process.

For more details write to Mr Steve Banks at steve@adpc.net