International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
ECOSOC Meeting on the transition
from relief to development
following natural disasters.
New York 28th February 2005
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The Indian Ocean Tsunami: Effects
 In a matter of minutes the tsunami that surged across the Indian Ocean on 26
December 2004 had taken hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed the
livelihoods of many more. It will take years to rebuild what the tsunami destroyed.
But in a stroke, it also opened our eyes to a human condition. Around the world,
poor people live fundamentally insecure lives. Exposed to hazards like floods,
landslides, storms, droughts or earthquakes, living in the most exposed and
dangerous environments, without resilience, vulnerable communities have little
means of protecting themselves against the impact of disaster. The many, and
increasingly frequent, “minor emergencies” that go unnoticed by international
media are a daily reality for the disadvantaged somewhere around the globe. The
Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami has further given credence to the
statement that 'disasters are a humanitarian and a development concern'.
Evidence suggests that measures to mitigate the impacts of hazards - such as
early warning systems coastal protection, seismic monitoring and typhoon shelters
- have contributed to reducing the numbers of people killed, so called 'natural'
disasters are affecting an increasing number of people. Badly managed
development, environmental degradation, poor governance and a lack of respect
for human rights have actually conspired to increase the numbers of vulnerable
and impoverished people living at risk. There is now wide recognition that
disasters’ impact on all aspects of development undermining efforts to achieve the
UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The Second World Conference on Disaster
Reduction, held in Kobe, emphasized the need to put disaster risk reduction at the
centre of political agendas and national policies. The International Federation has
in-turn committed to a strategy to reduce disaster risk – by building community
resilience – through preparedness, response activities, recovery, development,
mitigation, education, advocacy and partnerships.
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
More disasters – more affected
Since 1970s:
 ‘Natural’ disasters
nearly 3 X as many
 Deaths drop 70%
 Numbers affected
more than triple
Source: Centre for Research on
the Epidemiology of Disasters,
Belgium (CRED)
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Why?
 Population growth: 70 m more people each year
 Rapid and unplanned urbanization, environmental
degradation, misguided development, poverty
 Disasters disproportionally affect slum dwellers:
poorest live in unfit places, seen as illegal, without
services
 Disasters set back progress and growth = a vicious
spiral
 Response is rapid and more coordinated, but does it
capture real needs? Can it undermine capacity?
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
RC challenges from disaster response to
development
 IFRC and NS – disasters
are not an “event” but are
one part of a continuum.
 DP and DR non enough
 The cycle of activities link
together to create a
holistic approach to risk
reduction.
 International support
should reinforce local,
national and regional
capacities at each of
these parts of the cycle.
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Development of the RC capacity to
influence risk reduction
 Disaster Preparedness: The selection, training and equipping of
national, regional and international responders (RDRT,FACT and ERU
teams). The implementation of community-based disaster awareness,
preparedness and response training and programmes.
 Disaster Response: Rapid, well-coordinated deployment of the above.
Close coordination on the disaster site with the government authorities,
UN(UNDAC), and other actors.
 Recovery: Early RC assessments and the preparation of
recovery/rehabilitation & development strategies. Reconstruction of
health housing, social, and educational facilities.
 Mitigation: Implementation of community and NS projects supporting
risk reduction. Mangrove project.
 Development: can be a factor of risk (lack of plans, regulations,
inequalities, lack of preparedness and prevention) – Tsunami earlywarning, heat wave in Europe. RC involvement in national disaster
planning. Vulnerability to disasters determined by physical,
environmental, make programmes more 'risk aware'
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Iran: local response most effective
 34 international teams
saved 22 lives
 Iranian Red Crescent
teams saved 157 lives,
neighbours 100s.
 Cost of a 6-day foreign
mission v 2 year's local
training?
 Lesson: Build on national
preparedness, local
capacities and courage
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Europe’s heat wave: deadliest disaster
 Summer 2003: up to
35,000 people died
 Inadequate awareness
and preparation.
 Heat waves trigger silent
disasters, affecting elderly
 Lessons: Assess ‘new’
vulnerabilities
 Community contact and
preparedness increase
coping
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Mangrove rehabilitation in Vietnam
 Tropical cyclones caused lost livelihood resources in
costal communities
 Mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation – communities
and RC plant and protect mangrove forest (12.000
hectares)
 In 2000 typhoon Wukong devastated Vietnam, project
areas were protected
 Benefit to 8000 families.
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Self-reliance in the south-west
Pacific
In 2001 Papua-New Guinea (PNG) Red Cross initiated a Vulnerability
and Capacity Assessment (VCA) on Manam Island.
Only 11% of islanders were aware of the risks facing them
and just 6 % knew about resources available to deal with those risks. Over
half were aware of escape routes and pickup points
No one knew what the government’s evacuation plan entailed
Based on the VCA, the PNG-RC began a community-based self-
reliance (CBSR) project
Its aim is to boost islanders’ faith in their own resourcefulness to
reduce risks
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Key policy objectives.
 Relief Recovery & Development are not isolated, together
they should:
 Lead to rehabilitation of more resistant livelihoods.
 Provide integrated planning that consults with & involves
communities and eases the transition from relief to
development.
 Be people-centered, enhance local capacities, use local
materials and resources for recovery and development and
provide models that can improve disaster management;
 Do not inadvertently reinforce tensions or conflict but
contribute to reconciliation and harmony.
 Contribute to more systematic and proactive coordination
through joint assessments, planning and information
exchange.
 Promote solutions to root causes, better linkage and
understanding with donor funding for the continuum.
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Focus on capacities, as well as needs
 Dispel myth of helpless victims
 Avoid top-down interventions
 Assess local strengths and priorities – not just
vulnerabilities and needs
 Build on the resources and resilience found in the
community
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Tsunami: Challenges & Opportunities
For the Red Cross/Red Crescent, the tsunami was a call for action. With
the overwhelming generosity of the global community, we were given
the possibility not only to meet the immediate needs for survival,
protection and early recovery of the tsunami affected populations, but
also to help them restore their shattered lives and livelihoods. We were
also given a new opportunity, the means to address the predicament of
vulnerable communities throughout the wider region of the Indian
Ocean, Southeast Asia and South Asia & E. Africa. It is a unique
opportunity not only to meet the immediate needs of the affected
population but to take forward the global commitment made at the Kobe
World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005, to work with
communities, governments, the United Nations and NGOs to build a
culture of disaster resilience. To play an effective role, the challenge for
the RC/RC is to complement its local level immediate relief support and
development programmes with a greater emphasis on public education
and advocacy to create platforms for the voices of the vulnerable that
will influence appropriate changes to policies and practices of institutions
in their favour. Accountability, stewardship and transparency will be
combined with well-coordinated partnerships with the UN, governments
and communities.