emi

Name of Funding Organization/Sponsor: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Asia Pacific

Country and Location: Kuala Lumpur and Philippines with study areas in Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia; and Hanoi, Vietnam

Start Date: October 2011

Completion Date: February 2012

Project Summary:

The Project entails a comprehensive research study to analyze and advise IFRC on possible strategies, programmatic directions and overall community resilience programming aspects in urban areas in the Asia Pacific. The study will inherently consider climate change issues as well as the preparedness, mitigation, prevention, response, early recovery elements. The field-work focuses on three countries: Indonesia (Jakarta), Vietnam (Hanoi), and Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar).

The two inter-linked objectives of the project are as follows:

1. To analyze the urban context, existing knowledge and resources relevant to the overall purpose of this study through a comprehensive desk study, interviews with key informants and workshops with stakeholders.
2. Based on the findings of the analytical work, to develop a guidance document that will help the Federation to determine a place for the Red Cross and Red Crescent services in urban DRR and response.

In accomplishing the above objectives, EMI will put special emphasis on identifying operational strategies that enable the National Societies to mainstream into their existing services new initiatives focused on urban resilience building and disaster risk reduction. The strategy can and should be built on fully utilizing Red Cross and Red Crescent’s vast volunteer-base and community-oriented vision, as well as its advocacy power and constitutionally mandated role in disaster management.

Methodology:·

Our methodology has two pillars that reflect the two objectives of the project:

An analytical study to gather and analyse information, data and input from stakeholders and provide a consolidated Red Cross and Red Crescent point of view through:

• Desktop review of relevant RC and external materials including the policy and guidance documents, case studies, tools and communication and training materials.
• Consultation with stakeholders: Face to face and teleconference interviews with key informants.
• Workshops with key stakeholders.

The process is simultaneously informed by the knowledge and data generated by the scientific and social research communities relevant to the organizational mission and culture of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Development of a guidance document synthesizing the findings of the analytical study and identifying:

• Proposed RC role and relevant programmes/services in addressing urban disaster risk.
• Perception mapping about the role of RC in urban risk reduction by internal and external stakeholders.
• Programmatic directions and operational strategies in building resilience of urban communities.
• Recommendations for existing/potential urban disaster risk reduction tools for NS
• Recommendations for partnership opportunities.

The analytical methodology provides the scientific foundation for a rational outcome of the project. It will incorporate the following steps, which also identify each of the tasks in the project:

Step/Task 1:Review existing RCRC resource materials.
Step/Task 2:Collect and review external DRR/response resource materials.
Step/Task 3:Synthesize the information and develop a pertinent consultation approach and identify gaps and needs as well as strengths and opportunities
Step/Task 4:Design the tools for consulting with the stakeholders including interviews with key informants, survey guides and data collection.
Step/Task 5:Design a set of assessment indicators. A set of Urban Community Risk Resiliency Indicators (UCRRI) will be developed to serve as a communication tool to engage the stakeholders in analyzing the parameters of the current practice and to provide input on new strategies and approaches.
Step/Task 6:Consult with the stakeholders based on the structured approach developed in Steps 4 and 5. Collect all relevant data and information as well as stakeholders’ qualitative assessment obtained through the indicators.
Step/Task 7:Undertake a desktop analysis of the collected data and information as relevant to the Federation’s objectives for this project. Establish an initial strategy and a programmatic road map focused on urban community resilience.
Step/Task 8:Develop the initial strategies and programmatic road-map: together with the rationales and justifications established by EMI strategies and road map will be discussed and validated with the Federation and a select group from the stakeholders to provide a final set of input and feedback, and to build consensus.
Step/Task 9: Based on the insight gained from the project, EMI will propose an approach for the Federation to implement the suggested urban resilience strategies and programmatic road-map. This will include:

• List of potential partnerships and collaborative opportunities.
• Strategies for partnering with the private sector, financial institutions and donors to secure funding and incorporate community based approaches in large-scale investment projects targeting to reduce urban disaster risk of the disadvantaged.

Step/Task 10 Reporting: This includes the production of the draft report for circulation to obtain comments and feedback from the key stakeholders. After incorporating the input into the draft report, the EMI consultants will present the findings and recommendations to the reference group that the Federation has established for this study.

EMI Personnel Involved: 

1. Dr. Fouad Bendimerad, Urban DRRM and Risk Quantification Expert
2. Ms. Aynur Kadihasanoglu, Urban Planning and DRR Expert
3. Ms. Atoussa K. Parsey, RC Analyst and Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant
4. Jerome Zayas, Urban Risk Reduction and Social Participation Expert
5. Mr. Jose Mari Daclan, Knowledge Management Expert

Jerome Zayas, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it