Disaster preparedness in a complex urban system: the case of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

The city is a growing centre of humanitarian concern. Yet, aid agencies, governments and donors are only beginning to comprehend the scale and, importantly, the complexity of the humanitarian challenge in urban areas. Using the case study of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, this paper examines the analytical utility of recent research on complex urban systems in strengthening scholarly understanding of urban disaster risk management, and outlines its operational relevance to disaster preparedness. Drawing on a literature review and 26 interviews with actors from across the Government of Nepal, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies, and at-risk communities, the study argues that complexity can be seen as a defining feature of urban systems and the risks that confront them. To manage risk in these systems effectively, preparedness efforts must be based on adaptive and agile approaches, incorporating the use of network analysis, partnerships, and new technologies.

Aid in a city at war: the case of Mogadishu, Somalia.

Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, has been central to life, war, and peace in the country for almost two decades. Its urban characteristics, though, have been put to one side for the most part. In recent years, Mogadishu-related issues have been merged mostly into a global agenda for South and Central Somalia, resulting in the technical and coordination approaches employed in the city largely being reproductions of solutions utilised in refugee camps and rural areas. Unfortunately, urban problems require urban solutions. The aid system is just starting to discover how specific aid in cities at war should be, both from an organisational and a technical standpoint. The enhancement of aid practices in an urban setting implies, among other things, a more strategic approach to the specific spatial characteristics of the city, a more fine-tuned analysis of the technical requirements of the urban service delivery systems, and a better understanding of the role of urban institutions.

Health response to the earthquake in Haiti January 2010: lessons to be learned for the next massive sudden-onset disaster

Publication about lessons on response to disasters learned from the earthquake that stroke Haiti in January, 2010. Its content it's divided into 9 chapters and includes an overall view on the situation of the country before the disaster, information about the disaster, its impact in health, the response to it and more. Published on 2011, 180 pages, available on PDF format.

Contextual understanding, coordination and humanitarian space: key issues for Haiti

Cet article, rédigé par la directeur général du Groupe Urgence Réhabilitation Développement (URD), revient sur l'importance de la compréhension du contexte national (culturel, historique, socio-économique, politique, institutionnel, etc.), des modalités de la coordination et de la relation entre les humanitaires et les acteurs politiques et militaires, pour permettre que l'aide humanitaire soit durable, efficace et de qualité. Dans ce sens, il les présente brièvement dans le cas d'Haïti suite au séisme de janvier 2010.

Compréhension du contexte, coordination et espace humanitaire: quelques clés pour Haïti

Cet article, rédigé par la directeur général du Groupe Urgence Réhabilitation Développement (URD), revient sur l'importance de la compréhension du contexte national (culturel, historique, socio-économique, politique, institutionnel, etc.), des modalités de la coordination et de la relation entre les humanitaires et les acteurs politiques et militaires, pour permettre que l'aide humanitaire soit durable, efficace et de qualité. Dans ce sens, il les présente brièvement dans le cas d'Haïti suite au séisme de janvier 2010.

Health response to the earthquake in Haiti january 2010: lessons to be learned for the next massive sudden-onset disaster

The objective of this publication is to draw the lessons to be learned for improving the health response in future sudden-onset disasters. We know that massive earthquakes will occur again and some will devastate metropolitan areas or even the capital city, as was the case in Haiti. Haiti is the subject of this study, hopefully not the object, as Haiti has had her share of catastrophes.The scope of the book is limited to the health response, health being defined in its broad sense, not merely medical care or disease control. The review is confined to the immediate and early response in the first three months, the period during which most of the international assistance was mobilized and influences, for better or worse, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The publication focuses specially but not exclusively on those lessons that are of general interest, i.e., not specific to the special case of Haiti. The international community has much to learn from the response in Haiti where it has shown an ability to repeat its errors and shortcomings from past disasters. The methodology used for this study is common to most evaluations: in-depth review of reports, evaluations, studies, and peer-reviewed scientific publications; over 150 interviews, half of them carried out exclusively for this study and others for similar evaluations carried out by one of the three authors; circulation of the draft to all interviewees for factual validation and comments on the authors’ interpretation of the findings; and, finally, discussion with a review board convened by PAHO/WHO.

UNFPA in Haiti: A facilitated after action review: Report: Draft 3

Ce document est une Revue Après Action (AAR, ou RETEX en français) qui a pour but de passer en revue l'action de UNFPA suite au séisme du 12 janvier 2010 en Haïti, et ce pour améliorer l'action présente mais aussi en préparation à d'éventuelles catastrophes à l'avenir.

Evaluation en temps réel en Haïti: 3 mois après le tremblement de terre

Ce document est le rapport final de l'évaluation en temps réel (ETR) qui concerne la réponse humanitaire qui fit suite au tremblement de terre entre les mois de janvier et dÆavril 2010 qui a pour but de tenir les décideurs ‐au niveau dÆHaïti et des sièges des agences‐ informés des avancées de la réponse ainsi que pour tirer régulièrement des leçons et prendre les mesures correctives qui pourraient en résulter. Il présente des recommandations dont une part sÆapplique directement au contexte haïtien et une autre aux désastres à venir.

The health response in Haiti after the earthquake: Some food for thought

Ce document présente et analyse la réponse en termes de santé après le séisme de janvier 2010 en Haïti. Il présente d'abord les caractéristiques du contexte et du séisme, puis les phases de l'attention suite au séisme : la première phase de recherche et secours, la phase de l'action humanitaire classique et la gestion des risques et besoins futurs au moment de la rédaction. Finalement des recommandations sont dirigées à la communauté internationale et au gouvernement haïtien.

Evaluation de lÆapproche cluster phase 2: Etude pays: Haïti

Ce rapport est lÆun des six rapports pays de lÆévaluation de lÆapproche Cluster - Phase 2. LÆévaluation analyse lÆefficacité opérationnelle et les principaux résultats de lÆapproche Cluster aussi bien que ses interactions avec les autres piliers de la réforme humanitaire. Ce rapport étudie la coordination Cluster en réponse aux tempêtes et ouragans tropicaux qui ont frappé le pays en août et septembre 2008. Le rapport cherche à identifier la valeur ajoutée de lÆapproche Cluster depuis son introduction à Haïti au début de 2008 et à en tirer des leçons pour améliorer le système Cluster à la fois en Haïti et dans des contextes similaires où lÆapproche pourrait être utilisée dans le futur.

Panel 2.1: assessing impact and needs.

This is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Panel 2.1 of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04-06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to assessing needs and measuring impact as pertaining to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) key questions; (2) assessing needs; (3) measuring impact; and (4) lessons learned and recommendations.

Rights, standards and quality in a complex humanitarian space: is Sphere the right tool?

The Sphere Project (consisting of both the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards for Disaster Response) has made prominent contributions to the debates, thinking and work on the quality of assistance and accountability of aid agencies. However, since its inception in 1997, several agencies expressed concerns regarding Sphere's approach, many of which were confirmed by the Sphere evaluation (2002/3). The present article restates these concerns, and addresses more fundamental issues regarding Sphere's cornerstone. It questions the validity of Sphere's rights-based approach, which consists of a tenuous link between the rights of affected populations and standards for technical interventions. Sphere is founded on "the right to assistance", although this right does not exist in international law. Its elaboration would entail solving several complex legal and political issues, which Sphere fails to address. This article also questions the validity and usefulness of universal standards for technical performance in helping relief agencies provide adapted assistance to disaster-affected populations, in line with their mandates and principles. It suggests that Sphere's approach and content largely reflect the concerns, priorities and values of technical professionals in Northern agencies, leaving limited space to genuine "participation" by affected populations and partners from the South.

NGO Responses to hurricane Mitch : Evaluations for accountability and learning

In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused the first regional disaster in Central American history. Winds, flooding and landslides killed 9.000 people, and seriously injured 13.000 more. The storm destroyed or badly damaged almost 80.000 homes, leaving 300.000 people homeless. Thpunsands of Central Americans required rescue and emergency medical care, and millions needed humanitarian relief aid. This Network Paper combines insights about NGO responses to Hurricane Mitch from three major sources: 1. Huit mois apres Mitch : Bilan des acions et premieres lecons, an evaluation of the French NGO response carried out by the Groupe Urgence - Rehabilitation Developpement (Groupe URD), 2. An evaluation of the British NGP response, commisioned by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and conducted by a team of consultants brought together by Espacios Consultores Asociados S.A. of Costa Rica, 3. A comparison study to the DEC evaluation, Scaling-up After Hurricane Mitch : A Lesson - Learning Study for the Disasters Emergency Committee, by Sarah Lister. This paper does not compare the performance of French and British NGOs, nor was this an aim of the respective evaluations, which were separately designed and implemented. If anythong, the impression conveyed by both evaluations is that French and British NGOs face the same challenges, and are grappling with many of the same issues. This paper also makes no comment on the comparative quality of these evaluations, or on the relative position of evaluations as a whole in the French and the British aid worlds. What this paper does offers is: a) a synthesis of key attention and learning points from the response to Hurricane Mitch. Most are, in general terms, trasnferable to other crisis responses. b) an example of inter agency NGO evaluations, and their potential value for organisational learning. c) an example of the sorts of questions that evaluations pose, and ideas for designing evalations. d) an analysis of the role of inter agency platforms in public appeals and fund management (AU)