Duryog Nivaran: Networking for Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia

1. Duryog Nivaran: Networking for Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia Presentation at Preliminary Consultative Meeting Building a “Global Network of NGOs” for Community Resilience to Disasters Geneva, 25-26 October, 2006 --Amjad Bhatti, Regional Coordinator, Duryog Nivaran Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan

2. What Duryog Nivaran stands for? • Duryog Nivaran is a Sanskrit phrase meaning disaster mitigation. • Duryog Nivaran, established in 1995, is a network of individuals and organisations from South Asia who are committed to promoting the ‘alternative perspective’ on disasters and vulnerability as a basis for disaster mitigation in the region.

3. Objective • The overall aim of Duryog Nivaran is to reduce the communities’ susceptibility to disasters and conflicts. This is achieved by incorporating the ‘alternative perspective’ at conceptual, policy and implementation levels of disaster mitigation and development programmes in South Asian region.

4. Disasters and conflicts are viewed as an isolated event Less analysis on linkages in society during normal times Disasters and conflicts are part of the normal process of development Analysing linkages in society during normal times is fundamental to understanding disasters and conflicts Dominant Perspective Alternative Perspective

5. Technical and law and order solutions are adhered Centralised state institutions dominate the intervention. Less people participation. People are regarded as “victims.” Emphasis is on solutions that change the relationships and structures in society. The objective being to strengthen people’s capacity and reduce their vulnerability Decentralised institutions play the main role. Participation of people is paramount. People are treated as “partners” in development. Dominant Perspective Alternative Perspective

6. Implementing agencies are rarely accountable and their processes are less transparent Interventions come after the event The objective is to return to the situation prior to the event Accountability and transparency are paramount in this strategy Interventions aim at preparing communities and mitigating the impact of disasters Disasters and conflicts are viewed as opportunities for social transformation Dominant Perspective Alternative Perspective

7. DN Themes • Understanding linkages with society • Myths of science and technology • Accountability • Regional cooperation • Understanding vulnerability and capacity • Risk and Livelihoods

8. Principles for Advocacy • Disasters should be looked at as a part of ecology and they should be managed rather than controlled. • Disasters should be treated as issues of development and governance; and states should be made responsive, sensitive and accountable to the demands, needs and rights of disaster-prone communities and areas. • Disaster management policies should be redirected towards poverty and vulnerability reduction instead of mere compensation and relief response.

9. Principles for Advocacy • Disaster management strategies should integrate structural measures (construction of embankments, dykes, resistant buildings, etc.) with non-structural measures such as enhancing the entitlements and negotiating power of the most vulnerable communities and subordinate social groups. • Disaster-prone communities should be engaged equitably into the process of disaster-related decision-making and development planning, implementation and monitoring.

10. Highlights of DN Activities • Research and publications related to disaster preparedness and mitigation, regional cooperation, gender and risk and livelihoods. • Initiate a process of building awareness of media on issues related to the alternative perspective on disasters and community capacity building, and on effective disaster reporting. • Policy discussions and debates on institutionalizing and mainstreaming the ‘Alternative perspective’ in South Asia • Community-based initiatives in partner countries to demonstrate the ‘alternative perspective’ in practice through the Livelihood Options for Disaster Risk Reduction project • Developing the CBDM- Community-Based Disaster Management training methodology, and training the stakeholders in the region to apply the concepts

11. Highlights of DN Activities • Conducting Localised CBDM training programmes in India and Sri Lanka • Art and Poster Competition in the region on “Seeing Disasters Differently” in 1998 and publishing the booklet by the same name. • Workshops to discuss the issue of better regional cooperation • Building up a network of partnerships through the region, which includes governmental organizations, NGOs, academic institutions and community members

12. Current Initiatives • South Asia Policy Dialogue led to the Delhi Declaration • The first SAARC-level policy conference on Disaster Risk Reduction at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on August 21-22, 2006. • This meeting paved the way for a Road Map for Regional Cooperation as part of the South Asia’s response towards the growing threat of natural disasters and the challenge of their management. • The main organizers are, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi, Practical Action South Asia Programme based in Colombo Sri Lanka and Duryog Nivaran - the South Asian network for disaster mitigation with its secretariat in Islamabad, Pakistan.

13. South Asia Disaster News Service (SADNS) • South Asia Disaster News Service (SADNS) is an information pool on disaster risk related news, views, comments, analysis, interviews, articles, editorials, reportorial and case studies from across South Asia. The core objective of SADNS is to track pre-disaster risk, report occurrences and subsequent responses in member countries. Moreover, SADNS aims to serve as a ready reference on disaster risk reduction in South Asia. SADNS can be accessed at www.duryognivaran.org

14. South Asia Disaster Report 2005: Tackling with Tides and Tremors • This is the first report on disasters on South Asia by Duryog Nivaran. The report contests the stereotyping of disaster at policy, planning and implementation level and seeks to understand, • How hazards turn into disasters; • What were the consequences of the Indian Ocean Tsunami (December 2004), the Himalaya earthquake (October 2005); and Mumbai floods (July 2005) on people, infrastructure, and development; • How did state and non state actors including local and international communities respond to these major natural disasters;

15. Continued… • Why some disasters are reported prominently and some remain invisible; • What are the existing institutional arrangements addressing complex emergencies in South Asia; and • What could be an alternative framework for effective disaster risk reduction in the region?

16. Disaster Dispatch – An Occasional Newsmagazine Disaster Dispatch is a Newsletter aimed at collecting, indexing, and disseminating news, views and research updates on natural disasters and social conflicts in South Asia . It intends to serve as a backgrounder for policy, media and disaster related organizations in the region. Previous copies of Disaster Dispatch can be accessed at http//www.duryognivaran.org and http/www.syberwurx/jrc

17. DN Book Shelf • Gender Dimensions in Disaster Management: A Guide for South Asia (2003) • Livelihood-Centered Approaches to Disaster Management: A Policy Framework for South Asia • Disaster Communication- A Resource Kit for Media (2002) • Traditional Wisdom of Rainwater Harvesting: An Overview from South Asia (2001) • Assessing Participation (1996) • South Asian Women: Facing Disasters, Securing Life (1997) • Understanding Vulnerability South Asian Perspectives (1998)

18. DN Book Shelf • Defeating Disasters: Ideas for Action (1999) • Seeing Disaster Differently: Visions and Suggestions (1999) • South Asian Series on Vulnerability Reduction: No.2 Food Security Strategies Under Drought Hazard: A Case Study of Milamperumawa (1997) • South Asian Series on Vulnerability Reduction: Impact of Drought on Livelihood and Food Security of Farmers in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka: The Case of Vegetable Farmers in Yodakandiy (1998)

19. DN Book Shelf • Nine booklets on Food and Water Security: South Asia Case Study Series. • Craft in the Aftermath of Disaster: Generating Independence as well as Incomes, India. • Harvesting Rainwater: A Means of Water Security in Rural Sri Lanka. • Fallows and Village food security in rain fed areas, a case study from India. • Food and water security in times of malaria emergency, case study from Gujarat. • Floods and desserts - a case study from Rajastan , India • The Vulnerability of invisible workers, India. • Strengthening vulnerable communities from natural disaster reduction, India. • Technical briefs on tsunami and earthquake recovery and rehabilitation

20. Way Forward • Recently established disaster management cell by SAARC and hosted by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) India has engaged DN in advisory capacity to develop a roadmap for regional disaster risk reduction in South Asia. • Keeping in view the wealth of knowledge and experience pooled by the DN members, it is timely to develop and deploy and expand DN’s resources and learning with an aim to inform, influence, strengthen and streamline ongoing initiative on national and regional disaster management in South Asian countries. These initiatives can also be taken as a strategic reference point to the Hyogo Declaration issued at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January 2005 in Kobe, Japan. The Hyogo Declaration underscores the importance of strengthening cooperative and synergistic interactions among various stakeholders and promoting voluntary partnership for disaster risk reduction.

21. Struggle continues…

22. Thank you!