ReliefWeb - Document Preview: Following is a list of previews of some of the latest documents on disaster risk that is available at the ReliefWeb information potal. A direct link to each of the documents is provided at the end of the preview.
Prevention/Protection and Mitigation from Risk of Tsunami Disasters
Source: Government of India, Date: Mar 2005
This concept note is prepared in the wake of the Tsunami Disaster of Dec. 26th, 2004 covering several countries of north Indian Ocean and various States/Union Territories (UT) of India. It is proposed to be discussed in an inter-ministerial meeting of relevant Ministries/Departments for appropriate action by all concerned. It covers the following topics:
· Tsunami Characteristics· Do's & Don'ts in pre, during, and post-tsunami time phases· Tsunami Risk in India and its Assessment in any given area· Multi-hazard situation in west and east coast of India and Mitigation Measures· Specific design solutions against various tsunami effects· Warning systems and Communication·
This concept note is prepared in the wake of the Tsunami Disaster of Dec. 26th, 2004 covering several countries of north Indian Ocean and various States/Union Territories (UT) of India. It is proposed to be discussed in an inter-ministerial meeting of relevant Ministries/Departments for appropriate action by all concerned. It covers the following topics:
· Tsunami Characteristics· Do's & Don'ts in pre, during, and post-tsunami time phases· Tsunami Risk in India and its Assessment in any given area· Multi-hazard situation in west and east coast of India and Mitigation Measures· Specific design solutions against various tsunami effects· Warning systems and Communication·
Institutional arrangement and design criteria View the full document
'Measuring Mitigation'. Methodologies for assessing natural hazard risks and the net benefits of mitigation - a scoping study,
Source: ProVention Consortium, Date: Dec 2004
This study shows that many of the standard tools used in designing development projects – such as environmental appraisal, economic appraisal, vulnerability and social analysis, risk assessment and logframe analysis – can be used or readily adapted to assess risks from natural hazards and the potential benefits of mitigation options. At present, these often cover risk in the broadest sense (operational, financial, political, etc.) but usually make little reference to natural hazards. Consequently, hazards and related vulnerability are rarely considered in designing and appraising development projects, even in high-risk areas.Another key finding is that monitoring and evaluation is still relatively neglected in disaster reduction work. There is also still too much emphasis on assessment of activities and outputs, rather than impacts. Failure at the project planning stage to provide baselines and clarify the structure of a project’s objectives, outcomes, outputs and activities also handicaps evaluation by making it difficult to identify progress and causality.The study concludes by making a number of recommendations to practitioners and policy makers that will help them to improve their approach to appraisal and evaluation.
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This study shows that many of the standard tools used in designing development projects – such as environmental appraisal, economic appraisal, vulnerability and social analysis, risk assessment and logframe analysis – can be used or readily adapted to assess risks from natural hazards and the potential benefits of mitigation options. At present, these often cover risk in the broadest sense (operational, financial, political, etc.) but usually make little reference to natural hazards. Consequently, hazards and related vulnerability are rarely considered in designing and appraising development projects, even in high-risk areas.Another key finding is that monitoring and evaluation is still relatively neglected in disaster reduction work. There is also still too much emphasis on assessment of activities and outputs, rather than impacts. Failure at the project planning stage to provide baselines and clarify the structure of a project’s objectives, outcomes, outputs and activities also handicaps evaluation by making it difficult to identify progress and causality.The study concludes by making a number of recommendations to practitioners and policy makers that will help them to improve their approach to appraisal and evaluation.
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Synthesis Report: 'Measuring Mitigation'. Methodologies for assessing natural hazard risks and the net benefits of mitigation
Source: ProVention Consortium, Date: Dec 2004
This working paper synthesises the findings of Phase 1 of a ProVention study on ‘Measuring Mitigation: Methodologies for assessing natural hazard risks and the net benefits of mitigation' (Benson and Twigg 2004).The study shows that many of the standard tools used in designing development projects can be used or readily adapted to assess risks from natural hazards and the potential benefits of mitigation options. However at present, hazards and related vulnerability are rarely considered in designing and appraising development projects, even in high-risk areas. Another key finding is that monitoring and evaluation is still relatively neglected in disaster reduction work. The report makes a number of recommendations to practitioners and policy makers that will help them to improve their approach to appraisal and evaluation.
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Integrating disaster reduction into development: Recommendations for policy-makers
Source: ProVention Consortium, Date: Dec 2004
Disasters are increasingly recognised as a potential threat to sustainable development, poverty reduction initiatives and the achievement of a number of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite this, many development and humanitarian organisations remain reluctant to pursue risk reduction as a key objective, or even to protect their own projects against potential hazards. Instead, in the face of finite aid resources and high associated opportunity costs, rising human and financial losses have been accompanied by increasing demands for more evidence that mitigation ‘pays’. In the meantime, development initiatives are damaged time and time again by disasters while aid resources already committed to further development initiatives are reallocated to finance rehabilitation efforts. This policy brief outlines recommendations for integrating assessment of natural hazard-related risks in project design, appraisal and evaluation. Their uptake depends, of course, on demand for such tools, as well as effective dissemination and use. Related policies and strategies and strong commitment to risk reduction are critical in ensuring that the tools will be revised and applied with due effect.
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Source: ProVention Consortium, Date: Dec 2004
This working paper synthesises the findings of Phase 1 of a ProVention study on ‘Measuring Mitigation: Methodologies for assessing natural hazard risks and the net benefits of mitigation' (Benson and Twigg 2004).The study shows that many of the standard tools used in designing development projects can be used or readily adapted to assess risks from natural hazards and the potential benefits of mitigation options. However at present, hazards and related vulnerability are rarely considered in designing and appraising development projects, even in high-risk areas. Another key finding is that monitoring and evaluation is still relatively neglected in disaster reduction work. The report makes a number of recommendations to practitioners and policy makers that will help them to improve their approach to appraisal and evaluation.
View the full document
Integrating disaster reduction into development: Recommendations for policy-makers
Source: ProVention Consortium, Date: Dec 2004
Disasters are increasingly recognised as a potential threat to sustainable development, poverty reduction initiatives and the achievement of a number of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite this, many development and humanitarian organisations remain reluctant to pursue risk reduction as a key objective, or even to protect their own projects against potential hazards. Instead, in the face of finite aid resources and high associated opportunity costs, rising human and financial losses have been accompanied by increasing demands for more evidence that mitigation ‘pays’. In the meantime, development initiatives are damaged time and time again by disasters while aid resources already committed to further development initiatives are reallocated to finance rehabilitation efforts. This policy brief outlines recommendations for integrating assessment of natural hazard-related risks in project design, appraisal and evaluation. Their uptake depends, of course, on demand for such tools, as well as effective dissemination and use. Related policies and strategies and strong commitment to risk reduction are critical in ensuring that the tools will be revised and applied with due effect.
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Protecting Children in Emergencies
Source: Save the Children Alliance,Date: Apr 2005
Since 1990,over 2 million children have died as a direct result of armed conflict. At least 6 million children have been permanently disabled or seriously injured,and more than 1 million have been orphaned or separated from their families.
In contrast to a century ago, when only 5 percent of war casualties were civilians, today more than 90 percent of those killed and wounded as a result of hostilities are civilians,about half of them children.
Natural disasters,such as the Asian tsunami of December 26, 2004, can affect even more children, causing them to lose their homes, their families,their schools,their access to adequate food,water and sanitation and even their lives in a matter of minutes.
Despite these statistics, however, the protection of children remains a secondary concern for the international community in all phases of emergency response. The failure to protect children from these escalating threats not only results in personal tragedy but carries a long-term social cost as well, including the spread of HIV/AIDS, an elevated maternal and infant mortality rate, a loss of education and a generation of marginalized youth.
Protecting children in crises must be a top priority in every stage of every emergency response. This policy briefing details different types of protection children need most in emergency situations and offers recommendations for the international community on how to better protect children in crises.
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Since 1990,over 2 million children have died as a direct result of armed conflict. At least 6 million children have been permanently disabled or seriously injured,and more than 1 million have been orphaned or separated from their families.
In contrast to a century ago, when only 5 percent of war casualties were civilians, today more than 90 percent of those killed and wounded as a result of hostilities are civilians,about half of them children.
Natural disasters,such as the Asian tsunami of December 26, 2004, can affect even more children, causing them to lose their homes, their families,their schools,their access to adequate food,water and sanitation and even their lives in a matter of minutes.
Despite these statistics, however, the protection of children remains a secondary concern for the international community in all phases of emergency response. The failure to protect children from these escalating threats not only results in personal tragedy but carries a long-term social cost as well, including the spread of HIV/AIDS, an elevated maternal and infant mortality rate, a loss of education and a generation of marginalized youth.
Protecting children in crises must be a top priority in every stage of every emergency response. This policy briefing details different types of protection children need most in emergency situations and offers recommendations for the international community on how to better protect children in crises.
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Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Situations of Natural Disaster - A Working Visit to Asia by the Representative of the UN SG on the Human Rights of IDPs
Source: The Brookings Institution, Date: Apr 2005
The report calls for greater attention to the human rights protection needs of the more than one million persons forcibly displaced by the tsunamis of December 26, 2004 in twelve countries of South Asia and East Africa. Protection concerns highlighted include:
- Access to assistance- Enforced relocation- Sexual and gender-based violence- Loss of documentation- Buffer and security zones- Discrimination in aid provision- Military presence around camps- Recruitment of children into fighting forces- Safe and voluntary return or resettlement- Property restitution"That these and other protection concerns have emerged in the aftermath of the tsunamis underscores that it is no less important in the context of natural disasters, than it is in cases of displacement by conflict, to examine and address situations of displacement through a 'protection lens,'" the report observes.It recommends a human rights based approach to recovery and reconstruction efforts throughout the tsunami-affected region as well as other parts of the world affected by natural disaster.
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Source: The Brookings Institution, Date: Apr 2005
The report calls for greater attention to the human rights protection needs of the more than one million persons forcibly displaced by the tsunamis of December 26, 2004 in twelve countries of South Asia and East Africa. Protection concerns highlighted include:
- Access to assistance- Enforced relocation- Sexual and gender-based violence- Loss of documentation- Buffer and security zones- Discrimination in aid provision- Military presence around camps- Recruitment of children into fighting forces- Safe and voluntary return or resettlement- Property restitution"That these and other protection concerns have emerged in the aftermath of the tsunamis underscores that it is no less important in the context of natural disasters, than it is in cases of displacement by conflict, to examine and address situations of displacement through a 'protection lens,'" the report observes.It recommends a human rights based approach to recovery and reconstruction efforts throughout the tsunami-affected region as well as other parts of the world affected by natural disaster.
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