International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015

The slogan for International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is announced " Knowledge for life".

 The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) launched a search for communities that demonstrate excellence in managing disaster risk in order to draw attention to the importance of local knowledge, traditions and customs in the struggle against extreme weather events, climate change and earthquakes. 

Margareta Wahlström, the head of UNISDR, said: “We want to identify and honour communities which exemplify the use of traditional, indigenous and local knowledge and practices, to complement scientific knowledge in disaster risk management. Over 19 million people from communities across the globe were newly displaced by disasters last year and we need to improve our understanding of how local practices can contribute to better management of disaster risk. 

“Under the campaign slogan, KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE, we are seeking nominations from governments, local governments and civil society organizations for communities which should be declared Champions of Disaster Risk Reduction for their efforts. The first communities to be designated Champions will be announced on International Day for Disaster Reduction, Tuesday, October 13, this year.” 

The newly adopted global agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, contains several references to the need for a strong focus on communities and indigenous peoples, their traditional, indigenous and local knowledge and practices, in the design and implementation of policies, plans and standards for disaster risk management. Nominations and queries should be addressed to iddr2015@un.org by COB September 14, 2015.  Source:    http://www.unisdr.org/archive/45245

NEPAL and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

In this scenario, Nepal is also celebrating the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction. Nepal should utilize the slogan to make government, CSOs, Community people understand gaps, challenges and learning during April Earthquake 2015 and able to prepare or design the plan for the resilient communities.

It is observed that the Duck, Cover, Hold is the best method in the world applied during the earthquake to make oneself protected but the use of such method was misunderstood or mis-transferred to Nepalese communities so that numbers of death cases are related due such knowledge. Some cases recorded from the Sindhuplachowk district of Nepal stated that many people standing outside the ground went inside the home for Duck, Cover and Hold  and none of them were alive after the collapse of the house. Most of the people stand under the pillar of the house to make them protected but the strength of Pillar was not studied and people died. Government, NGOs, INGOs including all stakeholders started to transfer the knowledge from the other country where the structure were safe  but the other factors like pillars, our topography and building structure were not considered while tranfering the knowledge.

Thus, I think Nepal government should focus Knowledge for life  slogan more effective to make realize on the proper  knowledge transfer and support for the resilience community.

 Rajan 

Karnali Update(3/3/2015, 2:00)

Kalikot

Due to heavy rainfall  on 1^st and 2^nd March 2015, three people ( two female, one male) died in Thirpu VDC in the collapse of the house yesterday.

      Humla 

           Police office of Muchu and Yanchu VDC provided the information that water level of Humla river deceased by 20% to 30% in the 7 am morning to CDO office of Humla.  The updated information states that the small river flowing from Limi that joins to Humla river was blocked and not the Humla Karnali river. As per the information provided by CDO, people of Halgi village have travelled to safe place themselves as people are in fear that the glacier lake above the Halgi village might have been blocked and may burst but till not confirmed. Till the time, the river flow from Limi side river has also been improved. 

   

      Information provided by KIRDARC Kalikot and KIRDARC Humla

 Promotion of Alliance for Disaster and Climate Resilience for resilience communities

Rajan Subedi, Youth Activist

Being the part of the development sector, it was realized that without the alliance of organizations working in the sector of climate change and disaster sector, it is difficult to work for the resilience communities. The resilience communities can be prepared if the alliance among the local NGOs working in the same sector lain for the advocacy of  the issue. The alliance was formed in districts of Karnali region i.e Kalikot, Humla and Mugu in 2014. 

As per the formation of the alliance, DRR and CCA advocacy plan was prepared in the district where as the Earthquake safety day was celebrated in each districts of Karnali region where Kalikot come up with fourteen point  commitment "Kalikot Karnali Kachahari Declaration" was agreed and signed by all participants. The major highlights of the declaration were the initiation to establish District Emergency Center,  prioritizing DRR during development planning, initiation to establish mountain suitable Early Warning System, ensuring earthquake safety infrastructures like house, schools, hospitals and offices through implementation of National Building Codes and  identification of Vulnerable zone for small scale mitigation etc.

The major learning after the formation are i) alliance and  mobilization with joint advocacy plan accelerates mainstreaming of DRR ii) Technical support and effective mobilization of alliance members helps to reinforce government capacity and support to make the government accountable. iii) A platform for dialogue for change is essential for the sharing of experiences with the stakeholders to bridge the gap among the policy makers and implementers at micro, macro and meso level in the issue  Dissemination of key learning/experiences through media help to aware the communities living in the dispersed areas with the limited resources. The major lacking was the experts groups to train them and link of with national level stakeholders.

To fulfill such gaps, a national level youth Network was formed in 2015 to link up with the district level network and provide the technical support to advocate on the issues of climate change and disaster. The national level youth Network "YADC Youth Alliance for Disaster and Climate Resilience"  initiated an idea  of youth march for climate justice with umbrella rally. More than 500 youth people participated in the program with an Umbrella.  Detail on: http://www.spotlightnepal.com/News/Article/KIRDAC-Youth-Rally-climate-change

The network was formed as the technical group to advocate on the issues of climate change through the evidence and provide technical expertise to district level groups. Alliance building is a idea of making change and advocating for the resilience community.
For detail contact: For Detail: http://kirdarc.org/index.php?pagename=detail&nid=60
rsubedi@kirdarc.org