Community Coping SkillsCommunity Coping Skills

PAHO Leaders CoursePAHO Leaders CourseNovember 2006November 2006

JamaicaJamaica

Lois HueLois Hue

IntroductionIntroduction

• Disasters create situations which require Disasters create situations which require enormous efforts on the part of community enormous efforts on the part of community members to survive. Several skills are members to survive. Several skills are necessary, which if they are not innate can necessary, which if they are not innate can be honed and fortified. In addition there are be honed and fortified. In addition there are several mechanisms at various levels – several mechanisms at various levels – national, regional, international – which national, regional, international – which provide support to communities to facilitate provide support to communities to facilitate coping and recovery.coping and recovery.

ObjectivesObjectives

• Through this session it is hoped that Through this session it is hoped that participants will:participants will:

• 1. 1. Have a deeper understanding of the Have a deeper understanding of the skills skills necessary for communities to necessary for communities to cope with cope with disaster;disaster;

• 2.2. Know the systems that are in place to Know the systems that are in place to help help communities communities

• 3.3. Be able to identify challenges, Be able to identify challenges, lessons lessons learned, good and bad practices learned, good and bad practices at at community level community level

Objectives contd.Objectives contd.

• 4. Have gained an opportunity to examine 4. Have gained an opportunity to examine problems associated with community coping problems associated with community coping skills and have generated potential solutionsskills and have generated potential solutions

• 5.5. Review case of a major crisis and identify Review case of a major crisis and identify strategies for coordinating and delivering strategies for coordinating and delivering

an an effective responseeffective response

• 6.6. Develop the skills and willingness to pass Develop the skills and willingness to pass on on what has been shared in this sessionwhat has been shared in this session

BrainstormingBrainstorming

• What skills do you think are necessary What skills do you think are necessary to cope with community crises?to cope with community crises?

• Are you aware of any mechanisms in Are you aware of any mechanisms in place to address these issues?place to address these issues?

• What are they?What are they?

SkillsSkills

• EvacuationEvacuation

• Risk awareness & managementRisk awareness & management

• Organization of Search & RescueOrganization of Search & Rescue

• First AidFirst Aid

• Damage & Needs AssessmentsDamage & Needs Assessments

• Decision makingDecision making

• CommunicationCommunication

Skills contd.Skills contd.

• Warning & predictingWarning & predicting• Media relationsMedia relations• Sensitivity to needs of the aged and Sensitivity to needs of the aged and

differently ableddifferently abled• Gender sensitivityGender sensitivity• Understanding how things work or Understanding how things work or

are supposed to workare supposed to work• Psychosocial SupportPsychosocial Support

International Strategies & International Strategies & MechanismsMechanisms

• International Strategy for Disaster Risk International Strategy for Disaster Risk ReductionReduction

ISDR ensures effective international promotion ISDR ensures effective international promotion of, and coordination and guidance for, disaster of, and coordination and guidance for, disaster risk reduction. The secretariat, accountable to risk reduction. The secretariat, accountable to the United Nations Under Secretary General, the United Nations Under Secretary General, serves as a broker, catalyst and focal point for serves as a broker, catalyst and focal point for disaster risk reduction within the United disaster risk reduction within the United Nations and among the members of the ISDR Nations and among the members of the ISDR systemsystem

ISDR contd.ISDR contd.

• The ISDR advocates for commitment The ISDR advocates for commitment to disaster risk reduction and the to disaster risk reduction and the implementation of the Hyogo implementation of the Hyogo Framework and reports on progress.Framework and reports on progress.

States/govs Regional Orgs International Orgs

ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction)

ISDR is responsible forISDR is responsible for

• Developing a matrix of roles & initiatives Developing a matrix of roles & initiatives related to the Hyogo Frameworkrelated to the Hyogo Framework

• Facilitating the coordination of actions at Facilitating the coordination of actions at the international & regional levelsthe international & regional levels

• Developing indicators of progress (HFA)Developing indicators of progress (HFA)• Supporting national platforms and Supporting national platforms and

coordination mechanismscoordination mechanisms• Stimulating exchange of best practices & Stimulating exchange of best practices &

lessons learnedlessons learned

Hyogo Framework for ActionHyogo Framework for Action

• Governments of the world have committed Governments of the world have committed to take action to reduce disaster risk, and to take action to reduce disaster risk, and have adopted a guideline to reduce have adopted a guideline to reduce vulnerabilities to natural hazards, called vulnerabilities to natural hazards, called the Hyogo Framework for Action the Hyogo Framework for Action

• Collaboration is at the heart of the HFA. In Collaboration is at the heart of the HFA. In January 2005, 168 governments adopted January 2005, 168 governments adopted this 10 year plan to make the world safer this 10 year plan to make the world safer from natural hazards. It offers guiding from natural hazards. It offers guiding principles, priorities for action and principles, priorities for action and practical means for achieving disaster practical means for achieving disaster resilience for vulnerable communities. resilience for vulnerable communities.

Priorities for ActionPriorities for Action

• 1. Make disaster risk reduction a 1. Make disaster risk reduction a prioritypriority

• 2. Know the risks and take action2. Know the risks and take action

• 3. Build understanding and awareness 3. Build understanding and awareness (use knowledge, innovation and (use knowledge, innovation and education)education)

• 4. Reduce risks4. Reduce risks

• 5. Be prepared and ready to act.5. Be prepared and ready to act.

United Nations SystemsUnited Nations Systems

• The United Nations Disaster Assessment and The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team is a standby team of Coordination team is a standby team of disaster management professionals who are disaster management professionals who are nominated and funded by member nominated and funded by member governments, OCHA, UNDP and operational governments, OCHA, UNDP and operational humanitarian UN agencies such as WFP, humanitarian UN agencies such as WFP, UNICEF and WHO. UNICEF and WHO.

• The UN can also make available The UN can also make available Central Central Emergency Response Funds (CERF)Emergency Response Funds (CERF) to to member states.member states.

The Sphere ProjectThe Sphere Project

• The sphere project was launched in 1997 The sphere project was launched in 1997 to develop a set of universal minimum to develop a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian standards in core areas of humanitarian assistance.assistance.

• Aim – to improve the quality of assistance Aim – to improve the quality of assistance provided to people affected by disasters provided to people affected by disasters and to enhance the accountability of the and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system in disaster humanitarian system in disaster response.response.

SphereSphere

• Sphere is based on two core beliefs:Sphere is based on two core beliefs:

• 1. 1. All possible steps should be All possible steps should be taken to taken to alleviate human suffering alleviate human suffering arising out of arising out of calamity and calamity and conflict.conflict.

• 2. Those affected by disaster have a 2. Those affected by disaster have a right right to life with dignity and to life with dignity and therefore a right therefore a right to assistance.to assistance.

Inter-Agency Standing Inter-Agency Standing CommitteeCommittee

• IASC established in June 1992 in IASC established in June 1992 in response to UN General Assembly response to UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182 on the strengthening Resolution 46/182 on the strengthening of humanitarian assistance. It is an of humanitarian assistance. It is an inter-agency forum for coordination, inter-agency forum for coordination, policy development and decision policy development and decision making. It initiated among other making. It initiated among other things, sector responsibilities allocated things, sector responsibilities allocated to individual organizations.to individual organizations.

IFRC & shelterIFRC & shelter

• As the lead agency on emergency As the lead agency on emergency shelter, the International Federation shelter, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has signed a MoU with the Societies has signed a MoU with the UN Office for Coordination of UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Full members:

FAO

OCHA

UNDP

UNFPA

UNHCR UNICEF

WFPWHO

American Council for Voluntary International Action (InterAction)

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

IOM

Standing Invitees:

International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)

Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (RSG on HR of IDPs)

Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR)

WORLD BANK

TaskTask

• Develop a scenario and elaborate a Develop a scenario and elaborate a plan for a response utilizing the skills plan for a response utilizing the skills honed in the community and drawing honed in the community and drawing on the mechanisms that are on the mechanisms that are available at the national, regional available at the national, regional and international levels.and international levels.

ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Number and vulnerability type of Number and vulnerability type of threatened peoplethreatened people

• Possible actions to be taken by the Possible actions to be taken by the government, local authorities, NGOsgovernment, local authorities, NGOs

• Capacity of each stakeholderCapacity of each stakeholder• External aid that could be necessary, External aid that could be necessary,

how to ask for it, who should ask, how to ask for it, who should ask, protocols to be followedprotocols to be followed

Considerations contd.Considerations contd.

• Previous community capacity and Previous community capacity and experienceexperience

• Available aid – who supplies whatAvailable aid – who supplies what• Security – who is responsibleSecurity – who is responsible• Psychological support available Psychological support available

human resourceshuman resources• Activities for reducing risks- who will Activities for reducing risks- who will

carry them outcarry them out

RememberRemember

• ““We cannot stop natural calamities, but We cannot stop natural calamities, but we can and must better equip individuals we can and must better equip individuals and communities to withstand them” and communities to withstand them”

UN Secretary General Kofi AnnanUN Secretary General Kofi Annan

Thank you.Thank you.