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Meeting the immediate and longer-term needs of the communities affected
The recent disasters such as tsunami, earthquake, wind-storm and flood from exceptional rainfall provide an opportunity to avoid repeating the errors of previous post-disaster relief and reconstruction and contribute to the strategic aims of poverty reduction. Disasters will continue to occur.
Poor inhabitants always seem to suffer most. The reconstruction of the settlements that are damaged or swept away must focus on providing a secure and appropriate basis for their long-term development, as well as protecting inhabitants from future disasters.
Through the post-disaster rehabilitation process, major donors have an opportunity to influence the wider development debate and help realize the Millennium Development Goals. It is vital that external funding is seen to be well co-ordinated and well spent, so that future efforts to improve international co-operation on poverty reduction measures can be enhanced.
Three key principles should remain at the forefront of all post-disaster practice, not just in theory: - Development during and following recovery should be driven by the wishes and needs of local communities affected by the disaster, including the right to return.
Assessments of needs should be based on the expressed priorities of affected communities. People should be centrally involved in planning the rehabilitation of their own communities, including decisions on location, infrastructure and housing design.
The right of all communities that wish to rebuild their settlements and social support systems where they were before should be recognized. Any relocation should be voluntary and household that choose to remain should be made aware of the benefits and risks involved.
Residents of affected settlements can be protected from land grabbing by establishing temporary and communal forms of tenure until a more formal status can be agreed or existing tenure rights confirmed.
- The development process should be transparent and ensure financial accountability, with funds distributed to the lowest practical level.
It is vital that external funding is allocated in ways that reach local communities and organisations. Existing and new local micro-finance institutions and poverty elimination funds have a major role to play in ensuring that external resources reach those in greatest need and in achieving transparency and good governance.
- Development should be comprehensive and long-term and rebuild lives, not just houses and infrastructure.
Support is needed for income generation, rebuilding social support networks, activities essential for maintaining cultural identities, and reviving, restoring and conserving the often protective but vulnerable ecosystems where communities live and work.
Practical Issues
In addition to these three key principles, the following practical issues need to be addressed:
- Early attention must be given through risk assessment, preparedness, as well as the immediate relief efforts, to the medium and long term reconstruction, and re-planning, if necessary, of settlements. Externally-driven rebuilding too often takes place without proper consultation or assessments of its social, economic or cultural acceptability.
- Whilst recognising the concerns of national security in many of the affected areas and those at risk, plans, satellite images and other information need to be readily available to all those involved in reconstruction and development.
- Government efforts should concentrate on rebuilding major infrastructure systems such as roads, bridges, railways, harbours and public services.
- Measures need to be taken to minimize the impact of future disasters, including reinforcing natural boundaries, and rehabilitating degraded naturally protective ecosystems.
- The capability of local governments, professionals and academic institutions will need to be strengthened as many will have lost key staff whilst facing unprecedented conditions. Training in working with communities will be vital.
- Self-help construction methods that utilize local skills and resources, including recycled building debris, should be encouraged wherever possible.
Planned actions
This revised statement is being circulated to the signatories of the TRN and key agencies involved in the reconstruction efforts and will provide the basis for expanding the Network membership and the sources of knowledge coming to it through this website. We also intend to take up these issues by direct lobbying at the highest level of UK and international donor agencies as the funding they provide helps set the agendas. The re-constituted internet-based information and resource facility www.development-from-disasters.net will continue to pursue the recommendations outlined above and share information about emerging needs, approaches, strategies and resources in disaster-affected region.
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If you agree with the statement and are happy for you and/or your organization to be publicly listed in support please Join the Network by entering your details there.
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