“Synergy in Disaster Risk Reduction”Bangladesh Experience

Making a Difference ….

Syed Shahnawaz Ali

Islamic Relief Worldwide,

Bangladesh

On behalf of

The NARRI Consortium

• Eight International NGOs (Consortium Members)

• Two International NGOs (Technical Partners)

The NARRI Consortium

Country Context

Natural Disasters from 1980-2010: Bangladesh Overview

No of events: 234

No of people killed: 191,836

Average killed per year: 6,188

No of people affected: 323,480,264

Average affected per year: 10,434,847

Economic Damage (US$ X 1,000): 17,072,500

Economic Damage per year (US$ X 1,000): 550,726

Source: EMDAT

Hazard Portfolio

o FLOODS (mainly

originate from

mountains)

o CYCLONES AND

STORM SURGES

o TORNADO

o RIVER BANK EROSION

o EARTHQUAKE

o DROUGHT

o ARSENIC

CONTAMINATION

o SALINITY INTRUSION

o TSUNAMI

o FIRE OUTBREAK

o LANDSLIDE

Vulnerability or Risk burdens

Geographical placement

Lack of (access to) resources

Unplanned growth

Lack of governance

Increased economic severity –Population and economic activity in high risk exposure areas

Vulnerability Statistics

Bangladesh Risk Profile: Human Exposure

Hazard Type Population Exposed Country RankingCyclone 4,641,060 6th out of 89Drought 642,277 63rd out of 184

Flood 19,279,960 1st out of 162Landslide 3,758 35th out of 162

Earthquake 1,330,958 17th out of 153Tsunami 1,598,546 3rd out of 76

Bangladesh Risk Profile: Economic Exposure

Hazard Type GDP Exposed (billion – US $)

Country Ranking

Cyclone 2.39 12th out of 89Flood 9.74 3rd out of 162

Landslide 0.16 25th out of 162Earthquake 6.81 42nd out of 153

Tsunami 0.66 15th out of 76

Why Consortium?

– To provide comprehensive and more durable programme impact: sustainability of action

– Potential for greater impact through complementing each other’s efforts, leveraging each other’s strengths, avoiding duplications,

– Diverse experience and complementary efforts: specialized technical expertise of member organizations.

– To incur cost effective programme delivery: economics of scale.

– Greater credibility and negotiation ability particularly from advocacy point of view

– Current donor trends

How Did it All Start?

• HFA - collaboration is a key

• Leadership – Experienced in coordination across the world

• A new Call opportunity from DIPECHO

• 04 months of intensive consultations

• SWOT analysis, internal ‘green signal’ and INGO partner commitment

Vision of NARRI

We envisage Bangladesh resilient to the dynamic climatic and non-climatic hazards in Bangladesh

Mission: ‘Work together in an inclusive and sustainable manner to become a

recognized consortium in contributing toward disaster resilient communities in

Bangladesh’

Position in Resilience

• Attain trust and larger impact through strategic partnerships and alliances

• Targeting most vulnerable with special emphasis to socially excluded, marginalized, women, elderly and children in disaster hotspots

• All the resilience work to link and focus with poverty reduction, climate change and environment management

• Building on and scaling up local capacity and institutions

• Urban risk reduction with special emphasis

• Research and information hub in the country and globally

The Journey of NARRI So Far

• NARRI with financial support of DFID and ECHO

implementing 5 projects on DRR & Emergency response

and recovery worth approximate 30 Million Euros

• Reaching to more than 1 million people in 13 districts since

its inception (just a year and half ago)

• NARRI has close working relationship with DMRD, MoFDM,

Ministry of health, Ministry of Education, CDMP, DMB etc.

• NARRI is on its way to set an excellent example not only in

Bangladesh but also in South Asia as far as working in aconsortium approach successfully

… Going fast and Growing strong

Erasing the notion of impossible with self belief

Strength of the Consortium

Strength of the Consortium

• Common Goal – experienced orgnisations and professionals working collectively to make it a success

• Greater Negotiation Power:

Institutionalization of the relationship with key stakeholders: Signed agreements with DMB, DMRD, FSCD, DGHS, DNC, CDMP, Pathshala, BRAC university and BUET

• Networking and Working Relationship with Government Agencies and Departments:

Strength of the Consortium

• Government and Donors’ Reliability:

– Asked by GoB to develop DM Policy and EW Guidelines (Floods and

Tsunami)

– DFID and ECHO assisted 2 projects for emergency response and early

recovery for the AILA and Waterlogging affected people in the

southwest coastal region through NARRI Consortium

• Optimization of Resources:

– Reduced cost and time in developing and printing IEC materials,

conducting field level studies, procuring common materials, and

organising various events.

• Learning Opportunities: Not reinventing the wheel

Baseline survey;

Mid-term Peer Review;

Sharing learning in joint meeting;

Web-based sharing and learning (NARRI website, NARRI Facebook)

Major achievements

• Government order, NARRI complimenting and supplementing Government programs

• Involved in some of the key processes with the government

– DM policy, Tsumani and Flood Early warning systems for Govt.;

– Harmonization of the capacity building initiatives

– Supporting HFA Progress Monitoring Report for the Govt.;

– Mainstreaming DRR into WASH Policy

– Impact of DRR compared with Emergency Response

Major Achievements contd….

• Resource Mobilization from various key

stakeholders (government, community): 1 million

euro

• NARRI is a part of various government led

advocacy processes: AMCDRR

• Strategic partner to the largest government

program on DRR

Major Challenges

• Meeting deadlines:– Taking decisions having everyone on board on time

• Ensuring participation of all members in developing IEC materials jointly; implementing joint activities;

• Ensure full support to members with current staff capacity:– Less staff to support field level monitoring, implementing PM&E,

– Communicate with government agencies, attending meeting ;

– Providing quick support to field visit by donors;

– Organizing joint monitoring etc.

• Ensuring full support by the Technical Partners and monitoring of their support at field level

Vision for future

Establishing NARRI as a credible brand name on DRR and Response globally Laying down the operational guidelines; each

organization has different processes for finance, admin, procurement, HROrganizational development strategy for NARRI

for the next five years Communication, visibility, resource mobilization,

advocacyWorking modalities with other consortium: ECB,

Deshari

Thank You