Emergency Capacity Building (ECB) Project A collaborative effort of the Interagency Working Group on Emergency Capacity (IWG)

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Emergency Capacity Building (ECB) ProjectA
collaborative effort of the Interagency Working
Group on Emergency Capacity (IWG)
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Interagency Working Group (IWG)- 7 Member
Organizations

• CARE International
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• Mercy Corps (MC)
• OxfamGB (OGB)
• Save the ChildrenUS
• World Vision International (WVI)
• - Emergency/Humanitarian Directors CEOs

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The Emergency Capacity Building Project

• An activity of the Interagency Working Group on
  Emergency Capacity (IWG)
• Funded by
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (5.12 m)
  and Microsoft Corporation (1 m)
• Two-year time frame ending 31-Mar-07
• Four initiatives 1) Staff capacity, 2)
  Accountability and Impact Measurement, 3) Risk
  Reduction, 4) Information and Technology
  Requirements

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Overarching Principles of the ECB Project

• Benefits intended for the entire humanitarian
  community.
• Committed to transparency and sharing of research
  with as wide an audience as possible.
• Efforts not duplicative will work through or
  with existing bodies or networks to build synergy
  and reinforce those efforts.

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction

• the key to putting
• us all out of business

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Context

• only 4 of the estimated 10 billion in annual
  humanitarian assistance is devoted to prevention
• and yet
• every dollar spent on risk reduction saves
  between 5 and 10 in economic losses from
  disasters
• - Eric Schwartz, The Boston Globe, 23rd March 2006

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Goal

• ECB Overall Project Goal
• To improve the speed, quality, and ultimate
  effectiveness of the humanitarian community in
  saving lives, improving the welfare, and
  protecting the rights of people in the
  emergencies
• ECB3 Initiative Goal
• To improve capacity for risk reduction among IWG
  agency staff, affected communities, and local and
  national authorities

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Outcomes Results

• Outcomes
• IWG agencies will have implemented a variety of
  promising community-based DRR projects in at
  least 3 pilot countries, and disseminated the
  results widely
• Targeted local communities in the 3 pilot
  countries are better prepared to respond
  effectively to disasters
• Local and/or national authorities in the 3 pilot
  countries, and/or at least 1 academic institution
  are more aware of DRR principles
• Results
• Models and promising practices for disaster risk
  reduction designed and tested in three pilot
  countries
• Hands-on training package for program staff and
  community members in disaster risk reduction
• Advocacy initiatives piloted in three countries
  to promote the acceptance of and commitment to
  disaster risk reduction principles by local
  and/or national authorities and other key
  stakeholders

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Strategic Approach

• Dont reinvent the wheel
• A listening and learning approach that embraces
  innovation
• Focusing on collaborative and value-added work
• Building effective local-level partnerships, and
  engaging extant risk reduction initiatives,
  networks, and resources
• Make a better case for investment in preparedness
  to donors

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Action Areas
Pilot Projects
Research/ Review
Training
Advocacy
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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Field Focus .. 3
pilot countries

• Ethiopia (led by SC-US)
• - 20 years of emergency program experience
• Guatemala (led by Mercy Corps)
• - Post-Hurricane Mitch CAMI work
• Indonesia (led by CRS)
• - Post-tsunami recovery
• N.B. All 3 pilot countries have been subject to
  emergencies during 2005/6.

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- 9 field pilot
projects (630,000 total)

• Ethiopia (led by SC-US)
• 1) CRS Flood risk mitigation (Dire Dawa
  Admin. Council Shinile Zone, Somali Region)
• 2) Mercy Corps DRR strategies in CARE's, CRS'
  and MC's operational areas (W E Harrarghe)
• 3) SC-US "Writeshop" project for a Handbook
  on Disaster Risk Reduction (with IIRR)
• 4) SC-Canada Sensitization workshop
• Guatemala (led by Mercy Corps)
• 1) CARE Mercy Corps Strengthening
  preparedness and risk reduction capacities
  (Senahú, Alta Verapaz and surrounding
  communities)
• 2) CRS Community municipal strengthening of
  risk management disaster preparedness
• 3) Mercy Corps SC-US Integrated Risk
  Management as a Tool for Reduction and Mitigation
  of Disasters (Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Nahualá,
  San Lucas Tolimán y Santiago Atitlán)
• 4) Oxfam-GB Strengthening emergency
  preparedness capacities (Nuevo Amanecer, zona 21,
  Guatemala City)
• Indonesia (led by CRS)
• 1) Mercy Corps Community-based disaster risk
  reduction capacity building, with KOGAMI (Padang,
  W. Sumatra)

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Initiative 3 Risk Reduction- Learning

• Greatest Benefits of Collaboration
• Advocacy - focus on raising the bar
• Support - communities of practice
• Innovation
• Most Significant Learning
• Build on existing knowledge experience
• Integrated community-based approach
• Advocacy for increased DRR resource investment
• Connect 1) HQ with field and 2) intra-agency
  coordination and learning

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What Have We Learnt?

• TIME Time spent in setting up collaborative
  processes should not be underestimated.
• TRUST Trust is essential nothing moves
  forward without it.
• FIELD UP Buy in from the field is key for
  sustainability.
• LARGE INVESTMENT Organizational learning
  requires a large investment of staff time.
• INTRA-AGENCY BUY-IN Engagement by senior
  management and across departments is critical.

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What Next?

• ECB Phase II!

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For further details, please check out
http//www.ecbproject.org

• Thank you!