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Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia

22.11.2016

In observance of the International Day for Disaster Reduction (13 October), a regional consultative workshop on ‘Strengthening Capacity for Disaster Risk Reduction’ was organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Offices in New Delhi, India and Kathmandu, Nepal with AMARC Asia-Pacific, the regional chapter of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, on 19-21 October 2016 in Kathmandu.

The workshop brought together government officials, experts and media stakeholders from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal to exchange knowledge, experiences and good practices of disaster risk reduction. The aim of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of policymakers and professionals in the fields of disaster management, development and media communications for improved disaster risk reduction in South Asia.

South Asia, which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is home to approximately one-fifth of the world’s population. The region is the world’s most disaster prone region due to its geo-climatic characteristics as well as increasing population, high poverty, low literacy, poor health and sporadic development, which directly and indirectly undermine South Asia’s coping and adaptive capacities.

There has been a surge of disasters in the region, ranging from earthquakes, floods and droughts to avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods and cyclones. The history of disasters shows that more than two-thirds of disasters were hydro-metrological, and climate change will further increase the frequency, severity and unpredictability of such natural disasters. This necessitates a driven effort to mitigate the impacts of climate change, reduce vulnerabilities and augment the existing infrastructure and people’s knowledge about disaster risk reduction.

The workshop provided insights into the recovery and reconstruction process following the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. On 25 April 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, followed by an even more devastating earthquake two weeks later resulting in almost 9 000 deaths and 8 million people affected. Though the initial process of relief was fast, its speed and strength dropped significantly and many of the victims have still not been reached. The discussion on the present status of recovery and reconstruction in Nepal provided a platform to analyse best practices from across South Asia that can be replicated in Nepal for effective reconstruction and rebuilding.

Himani Joshi, Project Officer from the Himalaya Initiative of Centre for Environment Education (CEE Himalaya), participated in the workshop and presented the work done by CEE Himalaya in disaster risk reduction, media capacity building and sustainable livelihoods across the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). CEE Himalaya has responded to almost all natural disaster in the IHR through long-term rehabilitation programmes. Joshi presented their work done under ‘Rebuilding’ programmes, including Rebuilding Trust (Kashmir Earthquake, 8 October 2005, and J&K Deluge, September 2014) and Rebuilding Faith (Uttarakhand Floods, 16-17 June 2013). Her presentation also included discussions of the ‘Media capacity building Workshops on Climate Change and Development in the Indian Himalayan Region', ‘Supporting Science Express Climate Action Special' and ‘Multimedia Mobile Exhibition in the Indian Himalayan Region'.

News and photo by CEE Himalaya