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Published on 16 November 2010

On August 9-10, 2010 the ECB Horn of Africa Consortium hosted a workshop with IAWG* DRR partners and stakeholders to explore institutional processes for mainstreaming DRR into humanitarian and development programs. The forum was intended to provide an opportunity for all stakeholders in these two fields to share their experiences, strengthen their commitment to empower disaster affected communities in the region, and raise awareness at all levels to break the cycle / change paradigm of chronic emergencies.

The workshop drew out practical experiences using a DRR lens to bridge humanitarian and development programming. It was intended to help organizations mainstream disaster risk reduction by focusing on six key areas, identified by the IAWG DRR working group, that would support the process of mainstreaming including: policy, strategy, geographical planning, project cycle management, external relations and institutional capacity building.

Considered a significant initiative to move DRR & Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) forward in the Horn of Africa region, the workshop was attended by 40 participants from 28 agencies, including international and national NGOs, policy institutions, donors, and UN partners. Seven ECB members and partner agencies considered strong leaders in DRR & CCA programming in this region presented their organizational approaches to DRR: Oxfam, World Vision, IFRC, Tearfund, Christian Aid, Save the Children, and CARE.

While agencies have achieved varying levels of success in the roll out and mainstreaming of their DRR programming, there consistently remains a level of confusion about the necessity for linking DRR and CCA, and a concern over capacity of both staff and resources to undertake responsible DRR programming.

Group discussions facilitated during the workshop focused on emerging issues agencies struggle to address, namely:

• Adequate funding / resourcing for DRR programs;
• Analysis of the plethora of DRR tools in existence;
• Conflict and DRR;
• Measuring the impact and progress of DRR programming.

Community involvement and full engagement in DRR programming was encouraged throughout the workshop, with recommendations for agencies to build on existing community actions and mechanisms, including locally developed early warning systems. Initiatives with a longer-term commitment to build on locally resourced, small-scale activities over time were seen to make a broader impact. Key learning from participants shared throughout the discussions emphasised that activities which can be resourced by a community tend to be more sustainable and appropriate, with greater impact when adopted more widely.

Matt Croucher, Regional Emergency Advisor, Save the Children UK, concurs:

"DRR leads to good development, and good development results in DRR. It protects your development gains and investment, protecting the communities and our programs from disasters and shock. It essentially builds resilience and adaptive capacity in the community, which is what we all are ultimately aiming to achieve.”

As a result of this workshop, an ambitious action plan has been developed for the IAWG DRR working group, which includes ECB supported capacity building, coordination and advocacy initiatives. Additionally, a number of opportunities were identified for future potential ECB engagement, including closer partnership with government stakeholders in the region, so that agencies at national level can more actively support during the development of national disaster management policies.

Following this event, an IAWG regional advocacy strategy is now being developed, with active participation from Oxfam, IFRC and UN ISDR as Chair / Vice Chairs of the IAWG DRR working group, as well as the ECB DRR advisors. Every effort is being made to ensure that the regional strategy closely complements the advocacy work being undertaken by the ACCRA** program. will be funded soon in order fill a training gap across all ECB consortia.

Similarly, a task force has now been formed to explore the potential for developing local capacity building initiatives for agencies needing support to institutionalize existing DRR tools and resources available, such as the Oxfam PCVA and World Vision’s COVACA methodologies. It is also hoped that the ECB DRR Practitioners’ Guide to DRR & CCA. According to Mohamed Khaled, CARE’s Regional Emergency Advisor and former Chairperson of the IAWG, the workshop was “an eye-opening opportunity on various existing but scattered efforts, resources and lessons learned about DRR approaches. We all struggle in planning and implementing DRR initiatives, and we get caught in our own ways. This workshop was a first step towards; hopefully, a continuous cross-learning and collaboration towards advancing the DRR agenda in the Horn of Africa region.”

For more information on the Horn of Africa Consortium, or to learn more about future DRR initiatives planned, please contact us.

* Inter Agency Working Group (IAWG) for Disaster Preparedness in East and Central Africa (DRR sub-working group).
**More information on the ACCRA program website or contact Josephine Lofthouse JLofthouse@oxfam.org.uk
 

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