India

Best Practices and Lessons Learned: Earthquake Preparedness

Christian Aid, SEEDS

GovernanceWorking closely with the governance

structure creating ownership and sustainability

RetrofittingExisting buildings can be made less life threatening with low investment

Non Structural MitigationMinimal investment in NSM can eliminate upto 60% of earthquake injuries

Duck, Cover and HoldORGANISED and INSTANT action can save precious lives in a disaster

Sequence of actions & Task ForcesEach student and teacher must know what is to be done and when if an emergency strikes

School Disaster Management PlansEach school must have a SDMP and instructions must be clear, yet very very simple

DIYHazard Hunt, Action Plan

Learning can be fun!Teaching aids, and informal educational material

What a teacher gives, stays for lifeInvest in teacher training besides direct action

Social Inclusion in DRR initiatives Account for socially excluded groups and children with disabilities

Lessons Learned

Earthquake Preparedness:SESIS (Shimla Earthquake

Safety Initiative)

Key stakeholder group is much larger than the target beneficiariesStudents, teachers, parents, staff, government depts , neighbours, private sector…

Institutionalisation at the right places is the key to sustainabilityWorking with government structures does have limitations - which structure rules? Conflicts within governance structures

Knowledge hosting, not just transferReal local capacity building happens through local hosting of reflective and knowledge processes

Ownership must come with accountabilityDutibearers must take responsibility for follow-up action beyond the assistance provided

Pilots must move towards becoming institutionalised Demonstration actions must lead to strategic planning and finally influence policy for making DP a way of life

Key strategies and approaches

Governance and institutionalisationAppropriate technologies

Organised and instant actionSimple plans

Invest in teachersLarger community

Local knowledge processesOwnership and accountability

Make DP a way of lifeDo It Yourself

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THANK YOU!