global initiatives a

southasiadisasters.net October 20152

GLOBAL INITIATIVES

24 Countries Commit to Implementthe Worldwide Initiative for SafeSchools

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

An unprecedented number ofpeople in distress due to the

crises triggered by disasters orconflicts have given rise to a seriesof daunting challenges faced by theglobal humanitarian system.Children, in particular have beenthe worst affected demographicgroup in such crises. The 1.1 millionSyrian children registered asrefugees with UNHCR Worldwideand 1.5 million children renderedhomeless by the Nepal Earthquakeof April 2015 highlights the plightof children in humanitarian crises.

Unique and contextualizedapproaches, grounded in innovativesolutions are required to overcomesuch challenges to safeguard thefuture of these children. This issueof Southasiadisasters.net focuses onthe theme of 'HumanitarianInnovation for Child Development'.An innovation may not solely be aconcrete technological entity, it mayalso be a new idea or approach totackle an existing problem.

This issue highlights howinnovations in planning forhumanitarian interventions canhave a far reaching effect onimproving the effectiveness of suchinterventions, especially forchildren. Improved humanitarianoutcomes as a result ofinstitutionalizing family planningand vocational trainingprogrammes in humanitarianinterventions are cited as suchinnovations. Similarly, newerapproaches to planning for saferschools by capturing the perspectivesof the children attending thoseschools is also highlighted.

This issue is a must read for allinterested to know more about thehumanitarian innovations that cansignificantly improve childdevelopment.

– Kshitij Gupta, AIDMI

The Second Meeting of SafeSchool Leaders held on 4-5

October 2015 in Tehran, I.R. Iran,called for an acceleratedimplementation of the politicalcommitment made by Governmentsto make safe schools a priority aspart of national developmentagenda and disaster risk reductionstrategies by 2020.

The meeting was opened by theFirst Vice President of I.R. Iran, Mr.Es'haq Jahangiri, and Ms. MargaretaWahlström, Special Representativeof the Secretary-General for DisasterRisk Reduction, and reported onprogress in implementing theWorldwide Initiative for SafeSchools. The meeting demonstrateda high level of technical expertiseand innovations on school safetybeing developed and madeavailable to interestedGovernments through technicalcooperation projects, twinningexperiences and sharing of goodpractices on school safety. Expertsfrom the Global Alliance for DisasterRisk Reduction and Resilience in theEducation Sector also offered atechnical package to supportGovernments in implementing a

comprehensive approach to schoolsafety along the lines of theWorldwide Initiative for SafeSchools.

The High-Level Segment of themeeting confirmed that the politicalcommitment and technologicalexpertise for school safety areavailable, and called for increasedefforts to translate commitments intoimplementation on the ground. To doso, a better integration andpartnership with local communitiesand local Governments to localizesolutions was called for, togetherwith incentives to motivate theprivate sector, charity organizationsand private foundations insupporting the Worldwide Initiativefor Safe Schools.

The experience of Nepal and recentreforms undertaken in the legislativeand institutional domain as well asin the reconstruction area followingthe devastating earthquake of April2015 served as an inspirational modelfor other governments to improveschool safety coordination,implementation on the ground andpreparedness measures for futureearthquakes.

southasiadisasters.netOctober 2015 3

The Tehran meeting builds on theoutcome of the First Meeting of SafeSchool Leaders hosted in Turkey inOctober 2014 that endorsed theWorldwide Initiative for SafeSchools, adopted the IstanbulRoadmap and constituted the SafeSchool Leaders group. Solidcommitments were secured fromGovernments and partners to schoolsafety and the Worldwide Initiativefor Safe Schools implementation,including at the Third UN WorldConference on Disaster RiskReduction (March 2015, Sendai,Japan).

The Worldwide Initiative for SafeSchools is a global partnership ledby Governments that aims atsecuring political commitment andfostering school safetyimplementation globally. TheWorldwide Initiative coordinatesaction among key technical partnersto support school safetyimplementation at the global,regional, national and local levels.It builds on the ComprehensiveSchool Safety Framework andbenefits from the support of technicalexperts from the Global Alliance forDisaster Risk Reduction andResilience in the Education Sector.

The Second Meeting of Safe SchoolLeaders adopted a detailed ActionPlan in Support of theImplementation of the WorldwideInitiative for Safe Schools andwelcomed the technical supportoffered by I.R. Iran, Italy, Mexico,Turkey and Global Alliancemembers to Nepal, Cambodia,Kyrgyzstan and St. Vincent and theGrenadines for safe schoolsimplementation over the comingyears.

– Ms. Christel Rose, Disaster RiskReduction Coordination Section,

United Nations Office for DisasterRisk Reduction (UNISDR), Geneva,

Switzerland

For more information, please visithttp://www.unisdr.org/we/campaign/wiss

CHILDREN'S PERSPECTIVE ON DRR

Disaster Risk Management forHealthy Societies

"I dream of a safe school. My safeschool should not be located nearthe main road. It should not belocated near residential area, norindustrial area. My school musthave a garden for safe environmentand a canteen for safe food".

– Child at Urdu School,Ahmedabad, India

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* This paper was developed by All India Disaster Mitigations Institute (AIDMI)through consultations with 222 children (135 girls and 87 boys) from selectedschools in the states of Assam, Bihar, Gujarat and Odisha in India.

This briefing note intends toshowcase children's perspective

on disaster risk reduction, as well astheir recommendations on thissubject. Through a structured talk,students of the selected schools fromAssam, Bihar, Gujarat and Odishawere asked about how disasters arerelated to their lives and to whatextent their school and community areresilient to these events.*

The facilities offered by the schools ina community are essential to ensurechildren's health. These elementsstrongly influence the opportunitiesthat children have to a safe education,which in turn can help them live up totheir highest potential.

Students are aware about the risks thatimproper infrastructure andinadequate access to basic servicesimply for their health, as theymentioned the following neededimprovements:

A. Minimum Requirements inEveryday Life

1. Access to Basic ServicesWhen it comes to health in general,the first point mentioned by thestudents was about the drinkingwater. And in every school and slum,a concern about this issue was raised.It was recommended that a regularmaintenance of the drinking watertank is needed to ensure that it ispotable and its consumption will notlead to any diseases.

Another matter is related to the toilets,either at home and the school. Manyfamilies do not possess toilets andhave to go for open defecation (or theyuse 'Pay and Use' facility for toilets,which is a burden on their tight


budgets). In the schools, childrenasked for separate toilets for girls andboys, as well as regularly cleaning ofthem.

Some students and teachers alsosuggested that the school timingshould be reviewed: the classes begintoo early in the morning and, becauseof that, mainly younger children donot have time to get properlyprepared before going to school (i.e.undertaking the necessary hygienicactivities).

2. Reducing Injury RisksSchool's location is a cause of greatconcern amongst the children both ofthe schools and slums visited. Ithappens mainly due to the main roadssurrounding the schools and thedanger it represents for them. Somestudents said that the school buildingshould be far from these roads, otherasked for road safety trainings so theycan feel more confident when in thetraffic.

This is a very important issue and,though it is not possible or easy torelocate the building, safety measuresshould be undertaken to ensure thatthe problem is addressed, such asretrofitting, installing specific devicesand hiring personnel to guide thetraffic in the surroundings and helpthe children.

3. Reducing Illness RisksThe area in which the school is locatedalso have a big impact on children'slives and daily activities. Though theschools' facilities are predominant ingeneral discussions, it is importantto acknowledge the development ofthe region as a whole. Children oftenmentioned that they face differentproblems because the schools arelocated near industrial areas: noisepollution, which disturbs and affectstheir learning, and environmentalpollution, which causes breathingissues, and problems to the eyes andthe throat.

Other issues regarding illness risksmentioned by the students are thewater logging (in schools andresidencies) and the irregular garbagecollection (in residential areas). Thesetwo aspects of the region'sdevelopment are of great importanceas they are primary causes ofepidemic risks. Schools andgovernments should work togetherto ensure children's protection fromdisease and epidemic risks.

B. Minimum Requirements in aDisaster

1. InfrastructureChildren are aware of theinfrastructural elements that shouldbe improved in their schools andcommunities – they are a crucialstakeholder in understanding themain problems to be addressed. Inthe schools visited, studentsmentioned issues with water taps,specifically either their inadequatenumber or their improperinstallation. For example, duringfloods, the water taps would getsubmerged and students would notbe able to use them.

Besides that, two components of thepreparedness for a disaster werementioned by the children: fireextinguisher and first aid box. Their

recommendations: (a) every classshould have a fire extinguisher, (b)the first aid box should be inspectedoften and (c) trainings on fireextinguisher and first aid box usageshould be conducted for teachers andstudents.

In view of this, in 2013 the Bihargovernment started an initiative toinclude mock drills and lessons aboutdisaster management in the schools'curriculum. Back then, the schemeenvisioned to engage 70,000 schoolsin the programme, which would alsoreceive first aid and disastermanagement kits from thegovernment.

Moreover, in 2004, the governmentof India pioneered a manual on schoolsafety for encouraging schools toinclude disaster managementactivities in their activities. It was ahandbook for administrators,education officers, emergencyofficials and schools principals andteachers, which highlighted ideas andsteps to create safer schools1.

2. Taking InitiativeIn all consultations realized, studentsexpressed their desire to take part inthe school disaster management. Thecreation of a Volunteers Team forrescue was suggested, establishing


focal contacts among the students anddelivering appropriate training tothem. It is clear that children arewilling to make a difference and helptheir school and community to betterprepare and respond to a disaster -they should be given this opportunity.

Some students also mentioned thatinformation sharing on epidemics ismissing (India is currently facing anissue with Swine Flu). They usuallyare told about the problem or hear iton the news, but they are notspecifically taught about how tobehave (the dos and don'ts).

In order to encourage children to takeinitiative, the National DisasterManagement Authority (NDMA),main governmental agency fordisaster management in India,designed an educational website forchildren. It encompasses differenttype of disasters and instructs childrenon how to plan and get prepared, thedos and don'ts, how to recover andrebuild from a disaster and, finally,how to prepare an emergency kit.

3. External SupportRegarding external support for healthemergencies, either during a disaster

situation or not, children and teachersmentioned that schools should benear to hospital and fire brigade.Some of the schools, especially in theslum areas, are far from the hospitaland there is no fire brigade close by.Besides that, it was recommendedthat a medical centre be set up in thearea at the time of an epidemic.

Also mainly in the slum areas,sometimes there is no properresponse from emergency service. Insuch cases, the community wouldhave to take the patient in an autorickshaw (a common means of publictransportation in India) or hire aprivate vehicle for a high cost to reachthe hospital.

C. Food ProtectionFood protection was discussed by thestudents when they suggested thecreation of a canteen in the school toensure safe food. The importance ofthis recommendation can be shown

through two main perspectives: first,to avoid food adulteration, later, topromote healthy eating.

Malnutrition is a major issue inpoorer countries and it is in directcontravention of children's right tofood. A "combination of factors suchas lack of adequate food and healthcare and unsafe water and sanitation"2

are associated to children'smalnutrition and these elementsmust be addressed.

School meal programmes andcanteen available in the building arean essential step to ensure foodprotection and children's properphysical and mental development.The students have already raised thisquestion.

D. Alignment with SFDRRThe Sendai Framework for DisasterRisk Reduction (SFDRR) was finalizedat the 3rd World Conference onDisaster Risk Reduction at Sendai inMarch 2015. The SFDRR is a voluntarynon-binding framework that seeks tosubstantially reduce the impact ofdisasters on communities andcountries from 2015–2030.

To achieve its stated goals, the SFDRRlists out 4 priorities of action. Thefourth priority of action of SFDRRentails, Enhancing disaster preparednessfor effective response and to "Build BackBetter" in recovery, rehabilitation andreconstruction. All the activities ofcapturing Children's perspective ondisaster risk reduction fall under thefourth priority of SFDRR. Byincluding the voices of children inplanning for impending disastersimplies better preparedness and thelikelihood of "Building BackBetter".

– Ana Carolina Richter,AIDMI

1 School Safety. Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Division. <http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/School%20Safety%20Draft_Series1.0.pdf>

2 The Right to Adequate Food. United Nations Human Rights <http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/FactSheet34en.pdf>

"We need proper drainagesystems for water flow duringthe monsoon to address healthissues in our community".

– Child at Gomtipur Slum,Ahmedabad, India


This paper was developed by theAll India Disaster Mitigation

Institute (AIDMI) throughconsultations with 222 school goingchildren from the Indian states ofAssam, Bihar, Gujarat and Odisha.

It intends to showcase children'sperspective on disaster riskreduction, as well as theirrecommendations on this subject.Through a structured talk, studentsof the selected schools were askedabout how disasters are related totheir lives and to what extent theirschool and community are resilientto these events.

As sustainability and inclusivenessbecome familiar tropes in today'shumanitarian discourses, the moraland practical imperative of capturingchildren's perspectives on varioushumanitarian challenges becomesinescapable. This sentiment is echoedin the Sendai Framework for DisasterRisk Reduction (SFDRR). In its fourpriorities of action, the SFDRR triesto list out the necessary actionsrequired for substantially reducingthe impacts of disasters on countries,communities and businesses. Thefourth priority of SFDRR is,'Understanding Disaster Risk'. Thispriority of action is aligned to all theefforts aimed at capturing the voicesof children on disaster risk reduction.Capturing the perspectives ofchildren on DRR can help inunderstanding disaster risk in all itsdimensions of vulnerability, capacityand exposure which in turn can helpin taking appropriate response andpreparedness measures.

Children are an importantstakeholder group in promotingEducation and Knowledge in

CHILDREN'S PERSPECTIVE ON DRR

Education and Knowledge in Building a Cultureof Resilience

Building a Culture of Resilience. Thisis due to two reasons: : (a) childrenare enrolled in schools, the primarysource of information andknowledge, and (b) they play a crucialrole in transmitting information andspreading knowledge. The followingare children's recommendations onthis theme.

A. LearningThroughout the consultations withinthe schools and the slum areas,students recommended differentactivities related to education andknowledge. It was also observed thatthe children are highly interested inthese areas and expressed a desire tolearn as much as possible aboutdisaster risk reduction.

Aware about the importance ofinformation sharing to reducedisaster risks, the Odisha StateDisaster Management Authority(OSDMA) has prepared diversematerials and publications targetingdifferent stakeholders. Theydeveloped two books for schoolsstudents within the state, both inOriya and English.

Among the suggested activities by thestudents, there are: (a) creating alibrary in the school with awarenessmaterial and manuals about disastermanagement in its collection, (b)teaching the students about disastersin general, the different types ofhazards and the dos and don'ts foreach one of them, (c) bringing apractical approach when teachingabout disaster risk reduction, forexample through demonstrationvideos and plays, and (d) includingDisaster Management as a separatesubject in the curriculum. Onecommon objection by the children isthat often they are not taught in-depthabout disasters and the approach isvery limited. For instance, the

"Why only natural disasters? Myfriends and I would also want toknow about epidemics such asdengue and swine flu. Also wewant to know about dos anddon'ts during bomb blasts andriots".

- Children at Asarwa School,Ahmedabad, India

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1 School Safety. Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Division. <http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/School%20Safety%20Draft_Series1.0.pdf>

"In our community, we needtraining on DisasterManagement because there islittle knowledge about that. Ifwe have Disaster Managementtraining, we will be able torespond properly to anemergency situation".

– Child at Gomtipur Slum,Ahmedabad, India

learning boils down to mock drillsof earthquake.

Apart from the above citedrecommendations, the children alsoremarked that they are not awareabout the standards of a safe building;therefore they would like to learnabout building codes and theelements that characterize a safebuilding. Once the students have thisknowledge, they'll able to betterassess their own school, demand forchanges and suggest amelioration.

Aiming at creating another channelfor children's learning, the NationalDisaster Management Authority(NDMA), the main governmentalagency for disaster management inIndia, designed an educationalwebsite for children. It encompassesdifferent types of disasters andinstructs children on how to plan andget prepared, the dos and don'ts, howto recover and rebuild from a disasterand, finally, how to prepare anemergency kit.

B. Building Safety TogetherIn all consultations realized, studentsexpressed their desire to take part inthe school disaster management.They explicitly stated the will to bepart of the school disastermanagement committee and evencame up with the idea of creating aRescue Volunteers Team, where focal

contacts among the students wouldbe defined and would receive specifictrainings.

A very interesting recommendationby the students was "Hazard,Vulnerability and CapacityAssessment (HCVA) by Children".They said that they want to learnabout each of these topics - what arethe hazards the school faces, howvulnerable it is and what are thecapacities - to be able to evaluate andunderstand how their school may beimpacted by different disasters. Thisis one of the most powerful ways toempower students on disastermanagement and risk reduction.Promoting children's knowledge andawareness about disaster riskreduction is extremely important.This is because the more awarechildren are about the exposure, theimpacts and the ways to prevent ormitigate various hazards, the moreresilient their community willbecome to such hazards.

Along with the HCVAby children, it isessential that everyschool develops itsown disastermanagement plan andshares it with allstakeholders -students, teachers,other employees,families andgovernment.

Back in 2004, in a pioneer initiative,the Government of India launched amanual on school safety. It was ahandbook for administrators,education officers, emergencyofficials and schools principals andteachers, which highlighted ideas andsteps to create safer schools and toaddress students' needs1.

It is clear that children are willing tomake a difference and to help theirschools and communities to betterprepare and respond to a disaster. Astheir involvement is missing, apowerful instrument for disaster riskreduction is being underestimated.

Children's voices must be heard,because they do really have greatinputs and contributions to make.Besides that, children are proactiveand, once they are provided with themeans, they lead relevant initiativesand put in practice sustainabledevelopment concepts.

C. Empowered Children, EmpoweredCommunity

When asked what would be thebenefits of their participation indisaster management activities,students answered 'to save ourselves,to be able to help in saving others'lives and to spread the knowledgeamong the community'.

Children must be involved in theprocess and take part in the solution;they are willing to do so. Empoweredchildren help the community todevelop sustainably, as they areimportant agents for transmittingknowledge and raising awareness inthe community. Government andcivil society organizations mustdevelop programmes and addresslocal problems both for children andwith children.

– Ana Carolina Richter,AIDMI

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One of the biggest challengesahead of India in the coming

years is to find gainful employmentopportunities for its millions ofyoung citizens entering theworkforce. It is estimated that forproviding gainful employment toIndia's young population, the countryneeds to create around 1 to 1.5 crorejobs per year for the next decade1. Thisis a historic challenge. India hasalmost 50% of its population underthe age of 24 years and thisdemographic dividend needs to beeffectively utilised for a fastereconomic growth2. Being a youngnation, India is almost destined tobenefit from a "demographicdividend", which could lead to greatereconomic development withreduction in poverty andunemployment levels. However, thisopportunity cannot be fully realizedwithout developing and improvingthe vocational education system inthe country. Vocational education isthe key to resolving this challenge.

Although the government of India'sNational Policy on SkillDevelopment and initiatives ofMinistry of Human ResourceDevelopment and Ministry of Labourand Employment, including theNational Skill DevelopmentCorporation have recognized theimportance of vocational educationfor inclusive economic growth, the

NEW DIMENSIONS ON DRR

National Relevance of Vocational EducationDevelopment in Humanitarian System

technical and vocational educationsystem in India till date remains weakand underdeveloped. Nearly 12.8million new entrants to theworkforce are required by differentindustry verticals in the countrywhile India's education andvocational training system churns out3-4 million workers, leaving ayawning gap between demand andsupply3. Only 2 percent of India'slabour pool has any kind of formaltraining, compared to 75 percent inEurope and 25 percent in China4.

The August, 2014 review visit of AllIndia Disaster Mitigation Institute(AIDMI) team to tsunami recoveringcoastal India revealed that vocationaleducation development plays a

crucial role in economic recovery ofthe household then so far understoodor addressed by the humanitariansystem, especially for social andeconomic inclusion. Vocationaleducation does not normally figurehigh on the humanitarian agenda butit is this education that has helpedfamilies move out of tsunami loss andgo beyond pre–tsunami economicconditions to enjoy a better standardof living. The potential of vocationaleducation as a way to overcomehumanitarian losses or damage hasnot been realized. Similarly, theopportunity to engender vocationaleducation programs after ahumanitarian crisis is also notrecognized.

1 National Skill Development Agency. GOI. (2012) Address at the Seventh ICA/ World Bank Conference: Employment andDevelopment, November 2012. Available at: http://www.skilldevelopment.gov.in/node/495

2 Onicra Credit Rating Agency of India Ltd. (2014) Vocational Training Industry in India: Need for strengthening the Quality &Monitoring Mechanism. Available at: http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDkQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onicra.com%2Fimages%2Fpdf%2FPublications%2FPulse_TRENDSINVOCATIONALTRAINING%2520IN%2520INDIA_Final%252031.03.2014.pdf &ei=1xcAVPamBcrHuAT6uILYDw&usg=AFQjCNE_WpaUe2BvIwZJGdPtIckN4TfmcA&bvm=bv.74115972,d.c2E

3 ibid.4 Agrawal. S. (2013) Skills Development in India: Lots of Noise & fury, but Little Action. Available at: http://www.norrag.org/

en/publications/norrag-news/online-version/education-and-development-in-the-post-2015-landscapes/detail/skills-development-in-india-lots-of-noise-fury-but-little-action.html

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Humanitarian action hardly buildsinstitutions but when it does it rarelybuilds vocational educationalinstitutions as part of recovery. Forexample, with tsunami resources,capacity of the Polytechnics inKaraikal could have been easilymultiplied to cover more studentswith new courses. Courses onmasonry or carpentry help but onlyto an extent. Further, the familiesreceive livelihood help but seldomvocational trainings beyond masonryor carpentry. AIDMI team’s visitfound that it is the "new age"vocational skills that help peoplemove out of poverty and exclusion.These include trainings in nursing,health sector, sales and accounts andpara–medics to name a few. Duringthe humanitarian needs assessments,teams must go beyond needs for foodand shelter to vocational skills, skillsthat are in need, skills that will be inneed in coming decades. Suchfuturistic skills assessment is hardlyever done.

The visit instigated further review ofvocational education initiatives in thetsunami affected areas fromsecondary sources, which shows thata large number of vocationaleducation programmes implementedin the aftermath of tsunami havesucceeded and can be reviewed toshape national policies andprogrammes. For example, a reviewof TRAIDCRAFT project implementedin partnership with the Confederation

of Indian Industries (CII) and Hand inHand (HiH) in Tamil Nadu revealedthat 84% of (2,778) young people thatreceived skills training in areas suchas masonry, welding, garmentmaking and mobile phone repairsfound jobs or given job orders; andthe remainder are using their skillsto pursue self-employment. Suchefforts are yet to be recognised andgiven due importance in thehumanitarian thinking and planning.Similarly 1,707 women out of total2,708 women who participated inenterprise development training inareas such as tailoring, saree printing,candle making, nursing andcomputer skills started or expandedan existing business and reportedimprovements in their number ofworking days, revenue from salesand annual profits due to the trainingthey had received5. Such reaching outto women with vocational skills isnot common. Such work must be takenup for deeper analysis and study.

The "ILO-ICFTU/APRO – ICTUProject (2005-2009) on SkillsDevelopment and VocationalTraining for the Tsunami–affectedPeople" in Cuddalore andNagapattinam districts trained 2,621beneficiaries, 82 per cent of whomwere gainfully employed6. Similarly,the People's DevelopmentAssociation (PDA), a Madurai-basedNGO, has established two vocationaltraining institutes in tsunami-hitvillages. PDA's Anjelo Airoldi

Industrial Training Institute—established at a cost of Rs. 1 crore atPrathabaramapuram village nearNagapattinam with financialassistance from the workers of theVoestalpine, a multinational steelcompany from Austria—providesformal courses in welding,automobile mechanism and electricalworks to students of the tsunami-hitvillages7. Again, such efforts havewidespread use and application toother states and disaster events suchas in recovery in Uttarakhand after2013 floods.

Organisations working in tsunamiaffected areas have not only found theprovision of vocational educationuseful for restoration of livelihoodsand income but also in promotingsocial ties within and neighbouringcommunities. For example, theprovision of vocational training fortsunami affected youth can also beused to prevent separation from theircommunities, and to reduce theirvulnerability to under–agerecruitment and other forms ofexploitation8. But such examples arehardly ever captured or used todevelop humanitarian response.Thus, the use of social protectionprogrammes and NGO networks todeliver skills training to micro-enterprises and vulnerablehouseholds has some potential, andcan be scaled up9 to meet the growingunemployment challenges inIndia. – Mihir R. Bhatt

5 TRAIDCRAFT (n.d) Supporting tsunami affected communities (women and young people) in Tamil Nadu. Available at: http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/international_development/overseas_programmes/Completed_projects/south_asia/tamil_nadu_tsunami

6 ILO (2012) Independent Evaluation of the ILO's Decent Work Country Programme for India: 2007-2012. Available at: http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=16&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDwQFjAFOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ilo.org%2Fwcmsp5%2Fgroups%2Fpublic%2F---ed_mas%2F---eval%2Fdocuments%2Fpublication%2Fwcms_191678.pdf&ei=B6n9U-ydL4KOuATw8IK4Ag&usg=AFQjCNG3tHjEp8Ef5J2hjR0mnkcGmVEDwA&bvm=bv.74035653,d.c2E

7 K. SUBRAMANIAN (2008), Frontline. Rebuilding lives. Available at: www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2425/stories/20080104242509800.htm

8 Dammers Chris et.al. (2008) Save the Children Alliance, Tsunami Response Programme in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand andSomalia: Mid-Term Evaluation Report. Available at: http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCMQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alnap.org%2Fpool%2Ffiles%2Ferd-3643-full.pdf&ei=u6f9U92pHYK9ugTcmoKYBQ&usg=AFQjCNEJpY1q0HNlJSpej4Y0lAjlzMDQtg&bvm=bv.74035653,d.c2E

9 The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited (2013). Skills Development in South Asia: Executive Summary. Available at:www.britishcouncil.org/sites/britishcouncil.uk2/files/south-asia-skills-report-summary.pdf


CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Kochi: Agenda for Sustainable UrbanDevelopment

Kochi – "the queen of Arabian Sea",like any other modern city in the

world, has also created awesomeurban structures — clusters of tallbuildings in CBD, roads filled withheavy traffic, high rise apartmentsand extension of urbanization to thesuburban areas. However, these"developments", have also had anunprecedented impact on the nature.

The time has come to ensure that ourcities remain sustainable homes fortheir inhabitants. A greater emphasisshould be on developingeconomically and environmentallysustainable cities.

Local Self Governments like us, areusually preoccupied with issues suchas house provision, public works,transport system, education andhealth care. But, it is vital to have aninsight into the wider and long termperspectives that support the viabilityof their cities.

The 74th amendment [2] 12th scheduleto the Constitution of India resultedin increased roles for themunicipalities in every state in India,where they have been perceived tobe great contributors to the social andeconomic development of thecountry, as they are the level ofgovernment that is closest to the

citizens. The eighteen items stated inthis schedule do not include "ClimateProofing", which plays a major rolein coming days. We need a paradigmshift, combining urban design withadapting to climate change.

Climate Change is one of the mostpressing problems of this age. Cities,especially fast growing cities indeveloping countries, are highlyvulnerable to the impacts of climatechange. Kochi, is not an exception.Policy makers have to facilitateadaptation to vulnerabilities arisingout of climate change like adverseimpacts on water resources, increasedfrequencies of extreme weather likedroughts, floods, cyclones, stormwater surge, rise in sea levels andhuman health. Climate responsiveactivities should be planned andmeasures should be undertaken,mainstreamed for maximizingbenefits/impacts. Therefore, ClimateChange needs to be looked at as animportant component of the secondgeneration of urban reforms in India.

Possible Climate Change Impact onKochiChange in TemperatureKochi started experiencing anincrease in the Mean AnnualTemperature. Various studiesindicate that the temperature may rise

to very high levels in the nearfuture.

Change in RainfallKochi experiences change inprecipitation pattern. We receivemore short spells of intense rainfallduring the South–West MonsoonSeason than the earlier times. Moreintense period of rainfall could implygreater risk of flooding as well asjeopardize the system functioningaccording to rainfall pattern.

Sea Level RiseGlobal Projections of climate changeindicate that the average sea–levelwill rise significantly by 2100.

Though it is a distant threat, we needto evolve strategies to mitigate thepossible crisis that the city may facein the future. (2nd Nationalcommunication to the UnitedNations frame work convention onClimate change, released by MOEFhighlighted the crisis to be faced.)Likelihood of Sea–Level rise in theCochin area is very high. Sea–levelin Cochin area may rise by 0.33 mm.

Implications:Change in Temperature• An increase in evaporation• Over exploitation of ground

water resulting in its depletion.


• Higher demand for electricpower.

Change in Rainfall• Will significantly affect city's

water systems, drainage andwaste disposal.

• An increase in flooding anderosion.

Sea Level Rise• Will increase coastal flooding• Will increase saltwater intrusion

in both surface water & groundwater

• Will increase the extent of waterlogging

• Epidemic outbreak.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ANDADAPTATION MEASURESRelevant Climate Impacts AdaptationMeasure and StrategiesChange in temperature may lead toWater shortage: Decrease in groundwater level.

Measures taken: Effective greenplanning for the city; proper water

harvesting – ground waterrecharging/water auditing; usecontrol and restrictions.

Coastal Flood/Flood due to ExtremeRainStrategies: Enhance flood defensessuch as sea walls, protection of coastalwetlands (as buffers) Use of moresustainable designs and materials inthe making of ferries & jetties. Newdesign concepts in constructionespecially that of the roads andbridges. Improve drainageinfrastructure, Provision of stormwater utility system as per standardsMake climate change assessments arequirement for all newdevelopment.

ConclusionLeadership: If cities want to besustainable and resilient againstclimate change, then their leaders willhave to involve the community totranslate this vision into a reality.

The local self-governmentdepartment (LSGD) has the statutory

authority to coordinate and direct theresilience planning andimplementation efforts with relevantofficials, semi–official, and non–governmental agencies operatingthere. Capturing local communities'interest and involvement could be oneof the responsibilities of the policymakers.

While it's important for city leadersto lead the charge, it should never beforgotten that successful projects ofsustainable change and developmentrely on local communities being fullyinvolved in the process and takingownership of it. Change and realresilience has to be community–ledand community–specific. Thereshould be multi–level participation,involving national, state, and city–level governments, as well as multi–sectoral participation includingsectors such as infrastructure andservices, urban planning, transport,disaster risk reduction, and housingand construction.

– Bhadra B,Deputy Mayor, Kochi Municipal

Corporation, Kerala

Asian Cities Adapt Program(Supported by ICLEI) benefits forKochi

Scientific research – Capacity andStrategic knowledge for

climate change observation andassessment

Identifying the impacts of climatechange and developing

concrete localadaptation strategies

Increase awareness andknowledge about potential risks ofthe climatic changes at the local-level and suggesting measures to

tackle it

CLIMATECHANGE ISJEOPARDIZINGTHESUSTAINABILTYOF INDIA’SCITIES.THE CITY OFKOCHI HASTAKENINSTITUTIONALMEASURESTO ADDRESSTHE RISKSASSOCIATEDWITHCLIMATECHANGE.


HUMANITARIAN INNOVATION

Population Growth, Disaster Risk andPossible Way Ahead in IndiaIndia, set to become the world's

most populous country in the nextdecade, is gradually moving towardspopulation stabilizations. The 2011census data shows several positivetrends with regard to populationgrowth. The percentage decadalgrowth during 2001–2011 hasrecorded the sharpest decline sinceIndependence. The national levelTotal Fertility Rate (TFR) has declinedfrom 2.5 to 2.2 during 2001–2011.However, low fertility has notresulted in improved maternal health,due to early marriage andchildbearing and closely spacedbirths. India's growing populationcontinues to be the cause of concernfor policy makers and civil society.

In India, as per Census 2011,adolescent population (10–19) is 253.2million and that of the youth (15–24)is 231.9 million, constituting 20.9%and 19.2% of the total populationrespectively. Close to half the womenare in the reproductive age group.The population momentum, due tothe large base of young people in thecountry, is estimated to contribute to70% of the population growth.Repositioning family planning as ahealth and development issue couldcontribute to designing programsthat address adolescents’ and youth'sreproductive health and familyplanning needs along with a declinein fertility.

Globally, if voluntary familyplanning is used to its fullestpotential and all unmet needs aremet, then contraceptive use can avertwell over half of all maternal deaths.This finding has profoundimplications for policies on maternalhealth and child survival andemphasizes the urgency of meetingthe contraceptive needs of anestimated 32 million women in Indiawhose needs are still unmet.1 Again

access to family planning can reduceinfant mortality by 10% andchildhood mortality by 21%.2 FamilyPlanning therefore is a keyintervention to prevent maternal,infant and childhood mortality.

Beyond health, there are many far–reaching, catalytic effects of womenbeing able to take control of theirfertility. At the household level,families are able to invest more oftheir scarce resources in the healthand education of their children. Girlsfrom smaller families are more likelyto complete their education and fewerchildren enable women to seekemployment, thereby increasinghousehold income and assets.Improvements in reproductive healthand access to family planning canbenefit the economy by improvinggeneral health and reducing fertility.Family Planning would thereforeenhance the capacity of ourgovernment to improve humancapital, reduce poverty and hungerand enable communities to maximizetheir use of natural resources andadapt to the consequences of climatechange and environmentaldegradation. Studies have shown thatimproved access to family planningcan be a valuable tool in slowingglobal warming.

The failure or inaction to provideaccess to quality family planningservices has a very high price in termsof individual and family health andwell–being, and to the country'seconomic development. PopulationFoundation of India (PFI), incollaboration with Centre for PublicAffairs and Critical Theory (CPACT),Shiv Nadar University, is currentlyestimating the cost of inaction linkedto family planning. Costs are beingmeasured in terms of not only thenumber of men, women or familiesaffected, but also their overall

wellbeing, their ability to continuethe education of children andparticipate in the workforce, theiroverall earnings, use of healthservices and ensuring sustainableenvironment as there are oftencomplementarities among differentactions. Health interventions mayhave consequential benefits foreducation, environment andeconomic productivity.

The study will provide an estimate ofthe costs of not developing appropriatepolicies and implementing familyplanning strategies that result in lossof social, economic, health, educationand environment outcomes for thepopulation in India. By highlightingthe costs of inaction, the study willbetter inform the advocacy efforts andprovide evidence to strengthen andgive priority to family planningwithin the country's political andsocial agenda.

Providing universal access to goodquality family planning services andinformation would result in fewerunintended pregnancies, improve thehealth and well–being of women andtheir families and slow populationgrowth, all benefits to climate–compatible development.Repositioning family planning willrequire an increased investment foraddressing the family planning andreproductive health needs ofadolescents and youths, delaying theage at marriage, delaying age at firstpregnancy, promoting spacingbetween births, improving quality ofcare of family planning andreproductive health (RH) programsand prevention of sex selection. – Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director,Population Foundation of India, New Delhi

1 DLHS, 2007–082 Cleland J. et al. 2012. Contraception

and Health. Lancet 2012



ALNAP Urban Response Community ofPracticeThe Urban Response Community

of Practice (CoP) is an onlineshared–learning and informationtool developed by the Active LearningNetwork for Accountability (ALNAP)and Performance in HumanitarianAction. It aims to engage with andbring together all those who areinterested in or working on urbanhumanitarian issues; linking togetherstudents, humanitarians, donors,urban designers and otherstakeholders in urban response.

The CoP has over 1375 members,with representation across sixcontinents and over ninety countries.The membership is made up of adiverse range of people withdiffering professional experience.Just under 65% of all members arehumanitarians currently or formerlyworking in/on urban crisis at fieldlevel or HQ level. A further 15% ofmembers identify as beingresearchers or having academicinterest in urban issues, while thefinal 20% is made up of a mix of non–humanitarian urban experts, donorsand students. The CoP also hosts a

sub–group focused on learningaround the urban aspects of the recentEbola crisis in West Africa, called'Ebola in Cities' (https://partnerplatform.org/alnap/urban–response/ebola-in-cities), where afurther 170 members are discussingissues ranging from quarantine tocommunity engagement andworking with local government.

Accessible through ALNAP's UrbanHumanitarian Response Portal(http://www.urban–response.org/),the Community of Practice is aplatform for sharing new learningand events, asking questions, andcontinuing discussions after webinarsand other events. Any member canpost to the Community, via either theemail (urban–[email protected]) or the Community ofPractice website. Members areencouraged to start discussions, shareurban resources, talk about theirexperiences and let others knowabout new initiatives, documents andevents related to urban humanitarianwork. Recent posts have includedsharing learning about urban crime

and security as well as the recentNepal earthquake, questions aroundIDP data and compilations of urbanresources, and sharing upcomingevents such as courses about urbandisasters at Harvard and FordhamUniversities this summer, and theupcoming ALNAP–hosted onlineconsultation around urban issues forthe WHS. ALNAP also produces amonthly 'Resource Roundup',informing members of new urbanresources, events, videos andinitiatives.

As part of ALNAP's ongoing workon urban response, the UrbanResponse Community of Practiceseeks to foster a dialogue betweenurban stakeholders of all kinds–humanitarians and non–humanitarians alike – and togetherare helping to strengthen practice andlearning of urban humanitarianissues. Those wishing to join theUrban CoP can do so via https://partnerplatform.org/alnap/urban–response/join. We hope to see youthere!– Leah Campbell, Researcher, ALNAP


HUMANITARIAN EFFECTIVENESS

CHS Alliance: Ten Actions to Strengthen theRelevance and Effectiveness of Humanitarianand Development ActionThe CHS Alliance, launched in

June 2015 in Nairobi as the resultof a merger between theHumanitarian AccountabilityPartnership (HAP) International1 andPeople In Aid2, is today one of thelargest and most diverse networks oforganisations committed toimproving the quality andaccountability of humanitarian anddevelopment action.

At the core of the Alliance's purposeis the promotion of the CoreHumanitarian Standard on Qualityand Accountability (CHS)3, the resultof an extensive and inclusivedevelopment process, conductedtogether with the Sphere Project andGroupe URD. By applying the CHS,an organisation becomes accountablefor the quality of its work to thepeople it aims to assist. While theStandard has already grown inpopularity within the humanitariansector, its approach is largely inspiredby approaches used in developmentwork, and thus appropriate for aidprogrammes in general.

We don't just have a moral obligationto be accountable to communitiesaffected by crisis or poverty, we alsohave a responsibility to ensure ouractions are effective and deliverprogrammes and services that have ameasurable impact. Moving forward,here are ten actions and attitudes webelieve can truly make a differencein the quality of programmes aidorganisations develop and implement:1. Take a stance: Accountability is

a bottom-up process, but changein attitude and practice usuallyonly happens if it is endorsed,practiced and encouraged at theleadership level.

2. Internalise the link betweenaccountability and quality: Toooften, accountability and qualityare treated as separate processes.To establish the link between thetwo, the CHS should beincorporated into existingpolicies, procedures andhandbooks to the point where itbecomes invisible.

3. Stop assuming: Aidorganisations need and employexperts. However, expertise interms of what is truly relevantor sustainable most often resideswith those who are on thereceiving end of our services.Why don't we systematicallydouble-check with them if we'vegot it right?

4. Listen and (inter)act: It's good tolisten, but the people who talkto us also want (and have a right)to know what actions we have

taken as a result of ourdiscussions.

5. Link humanitarian anddevelopment programmes:Ensure long-term risks andopportunities to strengthen theresilience of communitiesaffected by crisis or poverty aretaken into account.

6. Measure progress: We work withlimited resources, and need todemonstrate progress andimpact, as well as understandwhen and why things work ordon't in order to make the mostof what we have.4

7. Care for your staff: If we wantstaff to apply the commitmentsof the CHS in their interactionswith communities, organisationsneed to make sure theythemselves apply it to their staff.

8. Keep up with the world: Theworld keeps changing and that

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1 For more information, visit: http://www.hapinternational.org/2 For more information, visit: http://www.peopleinaid.org/3 For more information, visit: http://www.corehumanitarianstandard.org/4 The CHS Verification Framework can be used for monitoring and evaluating your

organisation's performance against the CHS. For more information, visit: http://chsalliance.org/what-we-do/verification


includes staff and the people weserve. Mobile phones are nowwidely used on a daily basisbecause they make life easier.Can we afford not to build on thisas we deliver our programmes?

9. Be honest and share learning: Ina culture where everyone needsto shine in order to receive thenext grant, we need to be more

honest about failure, and movefrom identifying lessons to trulylearning them.

10. Find a common language:Communities affected by crisisor poverty shouldn't have to dealwith different and complexsystems to share their feedbackor concerns. Could aidorganisations not harmonise

their language and systems (andpossibly merge them), using theCHS to get there?

To find out how the CHS Alliance canhelp you put these actions intopractice, visit www.chsalliance.org.

– Michel Dikkes, Quality andAccountability Officer and David

Loquercio, CHS Alliance, Switzerland

CSR AND DRR

Corporate Social Responsibility and DisasterRisk Management & Reduction in Bangladesh

Disaster management andreduction have multidimensional

aspects. Sustainable disaster riskreduction cannot be achieved inisolation. Disaster management isfollowed by disaster reduction whichis in fact everybody's business –consequently public, private andcorporate sectors have an importantrole to play at every single stage intheir entire value chain, particularlyin disaster risk reduction in relationto risk transfer under the programmeof Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR).

According to UNISDR, disaster risktransfer is defined as the process offormally or informally shifting thefinancial consequences of particularrisks from one party to anotherwhereby a household, community,enterprise or state authority willobtain resources from the other partyafter a disaster occurs, in exchange forongoing or compensatory social orfinancial benefits provided to thatother party. Risk transfer must alsobe used to promote risk reductionactivities. Risk management and riskreduction strategies, includes risksharing and transfer mechanismssuch as insurance which is for low–income households in developingcountries is often called micro–insurance. Apart from microinsurance, public private partnership

and social funds might be alternativeoptions to be considered as animportant risk transfer and reductionmechanism.

Bangladesh has made considerableand significant development gainsover the last 10 years, with economicgrowth averaging 6% for the lastdecade, poverty decreasing from 40%in 2005 to 24.7% in 2014 and achievingfive out of eight of the MDGs. All ofthis progress has been achieved in theface of considerable vulnerability andexposure to natural and human–induced hazards. In fact between 1990and 2008 Bangladesh incurred anaverage annual loss equal to 1.8% ofthe GDP due to natural disasters andwas considered fifth most naturaldisaster prone country in the world(World Risk Report, 2012). Thisprogress is a testament to the innateresilience of the Bangladeshi people,who continue to makedevelopmental gains despite livingwith disasters and climate risk[Source: Ministry of DisasterManagement and Relief Governmentof the People's Republic ofBangladesh].

Bangladesh Bank's CSRmainstreaming campaign inBangladesh's financial sector hasenthused all banks and financialinstitutions into a broad range of

direct and indirect CSR engagementsincluding humanitarian relief anddisaster response; widening ofadvancement opportunities fordisadvantaged population segmentswith support in areas of healthcare,education and training; 'greening'initiatives arresting environmentaldegradation, and so forth. In FY 2014–15, Bangladesh Bank has sanctionedtk 51.3 million from 'Bangladesh BankDisaster Management & CorporateSocial Responsibility fund'.

Realizing the importance of DRR,gradually corporate sector inBangladesh has started to bring thedisaster risk and reduction issue instrategic management and isincreasing the productivity level intheir value chain system. This sectorhas become active in increasingopportunities under CSRprogrammes of disastermanagement, nutrition, education,renewable energy, health andvulnerable communities of thecountry. Not a single group ororganization can undertake allaspects of disaster risk reduction. Itrequires a joint and united responsefrom the government, internationalagencies, embassies and mostly fromthe corporate sector.

– Ms. Sumaya Rashid,Country Director, Social Responsibility

Asia (SR Asia) Bangladesh


The Asia–Pacific is a region ofincredibly diverse and dynamic

communities and societies, and overthe previous decades has enjoyedrapid socio–economic development.It is also a region exposed to multiplenatural hazards, from typhoons toearthquakes. When these hazardousevents affect vulnerable communitiesand structures, disasters areunfortunately a frequent occurrence.What can be done to ensure werecover quickly and build back betterfrom future disasters?

The Disaster Scenario: MeetingImmediate NeedsAfter any large disaster, theimmediate effects at the basic personallevel include: deaths, injuries,damage to housing, and interruptionof safe drinking water and foodsources. In the minutes, hours, anddays after disasters, the main task ofindividuals, local governments, civil–society organizations and massorganizations (e.g. Red Cross orCrescent chapters) is to conductdisaster response activities to addressimmediate disaster effects. Theseactivities, which often occur in theuncertain and highly–dynamicaftermath of a disaster, are the firstpriority in order to sustain life ofthose affected.


Bridging the Gap between DisasterResponse and Government–Led Recovery

Figure: Implementation phases after disaster and the 'Gap'. Source: The WorldBank, 2008: "Managing Post–Disaster Reconstruction Finance: InternationalExperience in Public Financial Management".

Lessons Learned Project, and the"Guide to Developing DisasterRecovery Frameworks" by the GlobalFacility for Disaster Reduction andRecovery.

Strengthening Pre-Disaster GovernmentSystems for Recovery PlanningRecognizing that nationalgovernments are responsible and area key driver for post-disasterrecovery, there is growing consensusthat it is a priority for governmentsto actively prepare for post-disasterrecovery (and thereby minimize anyfuture 'gaps'). Already, manygovernments in the region haveenhanced their national systems andcapacities for post-disaster needsassessment. Building on theaforementioned innovations andseeking to meet this demand fromgovernments, the Asian DisasterPreparedness Center (ADPC) isdeveloping an online resource toolunder its 'Ready4Recovery' initiative.The aim of the soon-to-be-launchedwebsite (www.ready4recovery.org)will be to offer a practical set of post-disaster recovery options and tools,primarily for national and sub-national governments.

The Way Forward for Government-LedRecoveryCountries in this disaster-proneregion have made great strides inimproving their capacities across thedisaster management cycle,particularly in terms of mitigationand preparedness activities. Buildingon these achievements and byadapting recovery guidelines andresources can help governmentsfurther strengthen their capacities forpost-disaster recovery; thereforereducing the 'gap' between responseand recovery. – Gregory Pearn,

Project Manager, ADPC, Thailand

What Happens after a DisasterResponse?A common concern for all disastermanagement stakeholders is how toaddress the often recurrent 'gap'between humanitarian assistance andpost–disaster recovery of people,communities, and economies (seefigure). Bridging the gap is a criticalissue as it represents prolongedsuffering of disaster–affectedpopulations, and a slowed return tosocio-economic activity.

For more than a decade, governmentsand a range of organizations havestepped up to the challenge; throughresearch, practice and application oftools. An important innovation hasbeen the re-focusing on 'earlyrecovery', which deals with theapplication of developmentprinciples to humanitarian contexts,in order to stabilize the post-disastersituations from further deteriorationand ensure stronger foundations forfull recovery(see UNDP (2012):"UNDP and Early Recovery").Another key innovation in bridgingthe gap has been the strengtheningof pre-disaster systems and capacitiesfor both post-disaster needsassessment and also recoveryplanning. Based on experiences ofmany disasters, key guidelines andtools have been developed as part ofregional and international initiatives,such as the "Disaster RecoveryToolkit" under the Tsunami Global


Disasters are a global issue. Nocountry is exempt from their

impacts and we are increasinglyseeing crises cross borders,concerning whole regions andbeyond. For example, we have seenfloods span multiple countries thatshare the same river catchment inWest Africa. The 2011 floods inThailand led to drastic economiclosses in the US and Europe amongstothers, due to disruption in supplychains for global markets, inparticular for automotive andelectronics industries. Disastersreally are a global challenge.

States came together to address theglobal challenge of disasters in Marchthis year in Sendai, Japan. The WorldConference for Disaster RiskReduction brought together 187states, UN agencies and civil societyto negotiate a global framework forhow to prepare for and preventdisasters. Similarly states will gatherto sign a legally binding documentagreement on dealing with theglobal challenge of climate change,including climate related risks.

However, whilst disasters are aglobal issue, their impacts are felt atthe local level and they cannot besolved simply with "one size fits all"global solutions. Each communitywill require different strategies tomeet the needs of their specificcontext, otherwise they will riskhaving no effect, or even,exacerbating risk further. So how caninternational frameworks, regionalagendas, and national policies havean impact at the local level? Theymust take into account realities on theground. This includes contexts ofpoverty, insecurity and informality.It includes living with the constantthreat of small scale, recurrent

GLOBAL RISK: LOCAL INNOVATIONS

We Need a Reality Check

the holders of local knowledge:community members, civil societyorganisations and local governmentofficers. Each conversation is basedon four basic questions:• What are the threats you face in

your community?• What impacts do these threats have

on the lives and livelihoods of you,your household and community?

• What capacity do you and yourcommunity have to take actionagainst these threats?

• What factors beyond your controlleas to these threats?

Bringing frontline perspectives to national and international policy frameworks

Image: Reality Checklist: 10 Essentials for Impact at the Frontline.

disasters. This need to understandlocal perspectives of risk and toconsider the local context are just twoof the essentials in Global Networkof Civil Society Organisations forDisaster Reduction(GNDR)'s RealityChecklist: 10 Essentials for Impact at theFrontline (see image).

At GNDR we have recently pilotedFrontline, a methodology thatcaptures local perspectives of risk andresilience so that they may be usedfor local, national and internationalaction and policy monitoring. It startswith individual conversations with


CULTURE AND DRR

On Living History and Cultural Dynamic

Frontline can then gather thousandsof these individual conversationstogether into local, national andglobal databases. This informationcan then be disaggregated andanalyzed by gender, age, location andsocio-economic group, amongstother factors. The data is availableonline for all to access in an opensource tableau. At the local level, theconsultations facilitate communityreflection, resulting in wide dialogueand partnerships, and providevaluable evidence to guide localbudgeting and action planning. At thenational and global level, Frontlinedata can be used to create moreappropriate and effective nationalpolicies and plan, ensuring that localrealities are both understood andconsidered. Over time it can also beused to provide a more realisticsnapshot of progress in the post–2015frameworks, including the SendaiFramework for Disaster RiskReduction, the SustainableDevelopment Goals, and theupcoming UNFCCC Climate ChangeAgreement.

Frontline has been piloted in 14 LatinAmerican countries and has collectedthe voices of more than 13,000individuals. The results from this datahighlights the complex, multi-hazardand insecure realities that people faceat the local level, with people oftenprioritizing small scale recurrentthreats over large scale crises. It showsthat increasing access to knowledgeand resources, enhancing localgovernance, maintaining law andorder, building on local innovations,and reducing poverty are critical

actions to address the diverse rangeof threats communities face. But foreach community and for each country,Frontline is highlighting differentpriorities. We now hope that nationaland global decision makers will payattention to these local voices andcapacities, and use it to shapeappropriate policies that will buildlocal resilience to the global threat ofdisasters.

– Lucy Pearson,Advocacy Coordinator, GNDR, UK

A Not so Simple Story: Ritual Survival and Cultural Embedding

Trichur, 1990s: Among shelves ofglittering bell–metal, we find thisrough-cast brass, weighing a coupleof kilos. It's upper surface marked bythe Vaishnava Sankha and SaktaKhadga, its sides briefly ornamented,slit, and rattling with concealed metalpellets. It's a cilampu, the shop keeperexplains. It is used by veliaccapatus toinvoke the presence of the Goddessas they enter into trance/possession.

Cilappatikaram, the first great classicin Tamil narrative poetry tells of amarried merchant couple Kannaki:the "Girl" and Kovalan. He is for awhile enchanted by a beautiful dancer& wastes his fortune. The couple

decides to make a new beginning &together travel to Madurai in Pandyacountry. Kannaki offers Kovalan oneof her marriage anklets to sell.Concealed in the finely beaten goldare gem–stones as is usual inmarriage–anklets of the time. Theanklet is so finely worked that thejeweller suspects it is stolen from thepalace. Kovalan is executed.

At this point the story takes anunexpected turn, and you can sensethe emotion build.

Kannaki, the faithful wife is sooutraged by this injustice that shetears off one of her breasts and castsit at the evil city. Madurai goes up inflames. She reveals herself as the

Angry Goddess and disappears,dancing, into the jungles of theWestern Ghats.

While the 7th–8th century narrative–poem in builds still earlier sources,perhaps; & possibly alludes to tribalaffiliations from the Nilgiri; theKannaki cult itself survives in SriLanka as Pattini; the chaste "Wife"Goddess, confirming links to thegreat shrine–cult of Bhagavati at theancient port–town of Kodungallur.

The cilampu in its present robust formreferences the earliest known jewelfound presently in peninsular India.Classicism, text, cult–nexus, allconverges on ritual emotion to forma living form in material culture.


How we got here, 2 more Points of View,& a Way Forward?Most of us arrive at this complexdynamic we call our culture by a seriesof disconnections and self–corrections. It is the price we pay forbeing both Indian, and cosmopolitanor global citizens.

European "high" art was actually onlyfinally disconnected from materialculture 200 years ago. With furtherindustrialization 19th century,material culture declined into "craft"or "handicraft". An IndependentIndian government's attempt tointegrate, document, and offer freedesign–assistance to master–artisanscame to an end 45 years ago.Modernism meanwhile taught ushow to appreciate structuralsimplicity and to distrust the illusionsof depicted reality.

But is there an Indian view of art? Andwhat do the makers have to say?Visual arts and material culture arenot mentioned. But as to poetry,music and all aspects of performance–arts the psychological clarity of 9th–10th century thinkers of Kashmir hasnot been surpassed. Emotion: rasa isto be distilled from feeling: bhavana.If successfully evoked for the viewer–sensitive rasika, the experience shouldfinally arouse a sense of thecontemplative, invitingintrospection. It does this bysuggestion: dhvani.

Among the disparate groups ofmakers in this country the earliestand most articulate group refers toitself as Visvakarmans according totheir founding–father. They areknown as the Pancalas: since theywork with five materials: iron, beatenmetals/cast–bronze, gold, stone andtimber. In South India they are calledKammalans. Their local and seasonalprofiles vary widely, both economicstanding and status.

Yet this is the community that yieldsus the great temple–builders andsculpture of Elura, Elephanta, Badami,and the art we know through thePallava and Cola dynasts. It is thiscommunity that yields the Vastu–silpa–sastris, and who also regularlytransformed South Indian trade–bullion into jewellery. Their work ismarked by ritual–transaction frommaterial – gathering & processesthrough client–negotiation.

To the Vishvakarmans all rawmaterials is understood to be organiccreative and dynamic. It is part ofcreation itself and con–substantialwith the Creator. This is whatdistinguishes their attitude to life andwork, linking them into the widerculture of environment andecological sensitivity.

For instance all metal is thesvayambhu or substantial form of thedynamic Goddess [gold alone isLakshmi]. The forge, kiln and certain

tools they work with, likewise. Whenthey view their product–range fromthe finest to the most basic, it is withtheir ritual contribution that theyidentify; this shades into lessersymbolic functions & usages.

Yet from the beginning they have tocontest a social classification thatsites them with the simplest service–providers.

Meanwhile rapid democratisationsets in. With urbanisation andaffluence product–ranges change.New forms arise, and changes inprofessional attitude.

However, where we came from is asmuch who we are as where we aregoing. We are living history momentto moment. Art and material cultureat its finest yield us a simple sensuouspleasure; a greater complexity inways of seeing and sharing theemotions of the makers. And yes, notleast a contemplative sense of what itmeans to be alive in a racing world.

"Makers know the worthy byunderstanding & handling material;the knowledgeable by receptivityand discrimination; the urbanmiddle class by constant exposure,reminder, and conscious choice."

This was the view of a reflectiveFinnish designer considering thefuture, as he looked back at thewreckage left by World War–II.

– Pria Devi, Haryana

The meaning of the Cilampu: According to the poet the Jainprince Ilango Adigal - "the cilampu brings the truth to light";most spectacularly, as Kannaki breaks open the remaininganklet to reveal her Cola rubies instead of Pandya pearls.

Dating: The date mentioned is from oral discussion with thelate A K Ramanujan. But the standard date still appearsaccording to historian K A Nilakantha Shastri 5th-6th CE; somethink even earlier, due to the Cankam geopolitics so intimatelydescribed. Eg. Colas, Pandyas & Cenkuttavan the royal cerainstaller of the shrine, & Gajabahu the royal Ceylonese presentat the installation who also introduces the cult to his islandkingdom.

Cilampu: Goddess anklet, cast-brass lola lilavaticollection, Photo.: Uttam K. Arya.


Editorial Advisors:Anshuman SaikiaRegional Programme Support CoordinatorARO, IUCN (International Union for Conservation ofNature), Thailand

Denis NkalaRegional Coordinator, South-South Cooperation andCountry Support (Asia-Pacific), United NationsDevelopment Programme, New York

Ian DavisVisiting Professor in Disaster Risk Management inCopenhagen, Lund, Kyoto and Oxford BrookesUniversities

Madhavi Malalgoda AriyabanduSub-Regional Coordinator, Central Asia & SouthCaucasus, United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR), Kazakhstan

Mihir R. BhattAll India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India

Dr. Satchit Balsari, MD, MPHThe University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell,New York, USA

T. Nanda KumarChairman, National Dairy Development Board(NDDB), Anand, Gujarat, India

ALL INDIA DISASTER MITIGATION INSTITUTE411 Sakar Five, Behind Old Natraj Cinema, Near Mithakhali Railway Crossing, Ashram Road,Ahmedabad–380 009 India. Tele/Fax: +91-79-2658 2962E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.aidmi.org, www.southasiadisasters.net

AIDMI is delighted to receive generous support of UNICEF (India) towards this issue.

INITIATIVES

The All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) joined Save the Children in Making Schools Safer in DelhiMunicipal Corporation, July 24, 2015. As part of implementing the SFDRR, AIDMI reaches out to cities and civilsociety organisations in India. The event was organized by Save the Children, chaired by Mayor Arya, and hostedby Delhi Municipal Corporation.

– Mihir R. Bhatt

Implementing SFDRR in Delhi City

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