21 January 2008
Key lessons from evaluations of past responses to flooding are highlighted this month in a new briefing paper to enable agencies to learn and adapt their responses to future disasters.
The paper analyses flood responses from the last 20 years in Africa, Asia and the Americas. It concludes that effective responses must take account of the complex causes of flooding, which include human vulnerabilities, inappropriate planning and – increasingly - climate variability.
The lessons in the paper, published by the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) and the global ProVention Consortium of actors dedicated to reducing the impacts of disasters in developing countries, are particularly relevant for the ongoing flood responses in southern Africa and many are also applicable to other disasters.
An ALNAP spokesperson said:
“The magnitude of flooding disasters is often not determined by the amount of flood water alone, but also by the pattern of vulnerability in which people live. The lives and livelihoods of many poor people are hardest hit by floods. These people, often already vulnerable to other disasters and stresses such as HIV/AIDS, drought, food insecurity, cyclones and ongoing conflict, are forced to live in hazardous places, building their homes and growing their food on floodplains. We hope that this paper will encourage agencies to take full account of these factors when planning and responding to floods in the future.”
The paper outlines key lessons in a number of areas, from flood risk reduction to the effective coordination of a nationwide response. For the response that is mobilising in southern Africa, key lessons include:
- Involving affected populations when determining needs and in the design and management of responses. Lack of participation can limit the impact of both emergency and long-term interventions.
- Providing accurate information to affected people about the assistance they can expect to receive so that people’s own recovery plans can drive the overall process.
- Local communities’ coping capacities should not be underestimated, but rather built upon. Living conditions and livelihood opportunities do not necessarily improve when the water recedes but it is often at this point that many agencies end their assistance.
- Aid targeting should be flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions. This requires a monitoring process that reviews changes in need and can manage the emergence of new categories of people needing assistance.
- There are a number of pre-conditions for reducing the spread of disease and preserving the quality of the environment during and after flooding. These include a good understanding of water and sanitation conditions, disease monitoring, speedy responses to warnings of disease outbreaks and the preparedness of health agencies to act.
- The quick provision of temporary shelter with adequate water, sanitation and cooking facilities reduces people’s exposure, and limits the outbreak of disease.
- Coordination takes time and effort but is absolutely necessary at both national and local levels, and should include local government and local NGOs.
(ENDS)
Media Contacts
Anna Tublin: Tel: +44 (0)20 7922 0419, email: a.tublin@odi.org.uk
Sue Martin: Tel: +44 (0)20 7922 0423, email: s.martin@odi.org.uk
Notes for Editors
1. The ALNAP and ProVention Consortium Briefing Paper, ‘Flood disasters: Learning from previous relief and recovery operations’ (January 2008) can be found at: www.odi.org.uk/alnap/publications/pdfs/ALNAP-ProVention_flood_lessons.pdf
2. ALNAP and ProVention Consortium representatives are available for comment, interview and background briefings. Please contact Anna Tublin (contact details above).
3. The Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) is a collective response by the humanitarian sector, dedicated to improving humanitarian performance through increased learning and accountability. It is a unique sector-wide network that brings together the major international humanitarian organisations and experts from across the humanitarian sector, including members from donor, NGO, Red Cross/Crescent, UN and independent/academic organisations. ALNAP works to utilise the broad range of experience and expertise within its membership to produce tools and analyses relevant and accessible to the humanitarian sector as a whole. More information can be found at: www.alnap.org
4. The ProVention Consortium is a global coalition of international organisations, governments, the private sector, civil society organisations and academic institutions dedicated to increasing the safety of vulnerable communities and to reducing the impacts of disasters in developing countries. It provides a forum for multi-stakeholder dialogue on disaster risk reduction and a framework for collective action. More information can be found at: www.proventionconsortium.org
5. The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is Britain's leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues. Its mission is to inspire and inform policy and practice which lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation of suffering and the achievement of sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. Locking together high-quality applied research, practical policy advice and policy-focused dissemination and debate, ODI works with partners in the public and private sectors, in both developing and developed countries. See: www.odi.org.uk
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