Geneva, 25 October 2006 Towards a

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Geneva, 25 October 2006 Towards a Global
Network of NGOs for Community Resilience to
Disasters Michele Cocchiglia, ISDR secretariat

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Current context

• The number of disasters is on the rise, as a
  result of increased vulnerability and number of
  natural hazards
• HFA highlights the importance of involving NGOs
  in DRR processes and provides the Framework to
  address DRR issues at the community level
• Building a Disaster Risk Reduction Movement
  cannot be done without the active participation
  of NGOs
• Under its growing outreach capacity, ISDR is
  determined to strengthen its links with
  non-governmental and civil society organisations

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NGOs and Disaster Risk Reduction

• Increased awareness of potential and current role
  of NGOs in building the resilience of local
  communities to disasters
• Importance of linking changes at community level
  with changes at the national and international
  levels in order to achieve effective DRR for
  sustainable development
• NGOs involvement in DRR activities has proved
  beneficial for several reasons, including the
  following
• NGOs can operate at grassroots level
• NGOs enjoy higher operational flexibility
• NGOs often work with and on behalf of most needy
  groups

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Progress made by NGOs

• Increased recognition of NGOs contribution to DRR
  and the role they play in building the resilience
  of communities to disasters
• Following broad areas of intervention identified
  as the ones in which NGOs appear to be more
  actively involved (ref. background paper)
• Policy and advocacy
• Knowledge and education
• Community-based risk and vulnerability
  assessment
• Community-based mitigation and preparedness

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And existing gaps..

• Community-based DRR processes and actions still
  mostly focused on concepts, awareness and
  educational activities, less on mainstreaming DRR
  into development activities
• NGOs sometimes working in isolation and
  competing with each other for resources
• Need to scale up successful initiatives, and
  understand what approaches work most effectively
  and under what conditions
• Better networking needed to improve access to and
  exchange of information and knowledge, and
  support partnerships development

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Proposed Goal and Objectives for the Global
Network

• Goal
• Contribute to the growing global effort to reduce
  the impact of disasters, and build disaster
  resilient communities.
• Objectives
• To provide a platform for NGOs to exchange and
  share information
• To enhance knowledge transfer from local to
  global levels, and vice versa
• To encourage an active role by NGOs in
  mainstreaming disaster risk reduction
• To promote South-South and South-North
  cooperation among NGOs
• To increase the voice and visibility of NGOs
  working on DRR issues
• To facilitate NGOs access to global resources
  (i.e., knowledge, skills, networks, funding,
  etc.) for DRR and related activities

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Proposed Structure (I), Mechanisms (II), and
Membership Criteria (III)

• (I)
• A Global Advisory/Steering Committee
• Regional Advisory/Steering Committees and
• National NGO Coalitions or Associations
• (II)
• GASC to provide leadership in guiding the
  development of the Global Network
• Global Network may meet in Geneva - back-to-back
  meeting with the ISDR GP/DRR
• (III)
• General understanding of the DRR concept, ISDR
  and the HFA
• Demonstrated commitment to implementation of HFA
• Demonstrated commitment to developing the Global
  Network of NGOs

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Proposed Strategy for Developing the Global
Network

1. Taking stock of existing dynamics and NGOs
   activities in DRR
2. Building ownership and leadership by a small
   group of NGOs and holding initial discussions on
   the Global Network
3. Gaining greater support from NGOs and building
   wider ownership
4. Establishing an Advisory Group as an initial
   driving force
5. Holding a broader meeting to discuss the proposed
   structures and mechanisms and decide on the way
   forward

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• Lets move forward together !