This study analyses the role of social capital in community resilience. The paper bases its analysis on recent literature and on case studies from nine communities in Nepal, China and Myanmar. The research included a household survey with 888 respondents, and workshops with communities and Red Cross branches.
Overview
Cognitive aspects of social capital such as social embeddedness, trust and propensity to civic engagement appear to be the critical foundation on which overall resilience depends. The case of Bingalar, a Myanmar village severely affected by the 2008 Cyclone Nargis, where villagers supported each other through the first days of hardship and recovery, illustrates how social capital can make a tremendous difference to resilience and overall outcomes.
Social capital is one of the key driving forces behind community resilience – the others being economic, human, physical and natural capital.
The study finds that existing IFRC tools can be used to assess structural aspects of social capital if they are properly understood and used. For instance, the baseline survey tool (part of the VCA toolkit) needs to be complemented with a component that can capture cognitive social capital.
The purpose of this document is to present key partners with the IFRC’s definition of, and perspectives on, resilience. It includes case studies from America, Asia and Africa.
Overview:
For the IFRC, resilience is defined as the ability of individuals, communities, organisations, or countries exposed to disasters and crises and underlying vulnerabilities to anticipate, reduce the impact of, cope with, and recover from the effects of adversity without compromising their long-term.
Interventions to strengthen resilience aim to: (a) address underlying causes of vulnerability in order to protect development; (b) reduce and mitigate radical drops in resilience caused by disasters and crises; and (c) enhance bouncing back from adversity.
To strengthen resilience there is a need to accept that people come first. Resilience is not something outsiders can do, or bring to individuals or communities; one must respect local ownership. Dependency on outside support or substitution should be avoided as much as possible. It is also necessary to engage in comprehensive cross-sector assessments, planning and implementation, and to develop a long-term perspective. Strengthening resilience does not happen overnight and requires long-term engagement and investment; working in partnership; knowing the limits; and strengthening disaster laws and policies.
Characteristics of a resilient community, with case studies, can be found on pp. 17-25.
Usage:Guidance for project implementation
Audience:National Society leadership, Technical staff
The guidelines were developed by PMI in order to build capacity, skill and practice in performing standard planning and reporting in PMI at all levels, to ensure that all efforts taken by PMI nationwide will contribute to strong PMI’s character, professionalism, self-sustenance and respect by the communities. The guidelines were developed based on inputs from various PMI personnel, from National Headquarters, Chapters and Branches.
Overview:
The guidelines outline:
Introduction: describes the development process of Strategic Plan and Operational Plan, the purpose and benefits, as well as the scope of planning in PMI at all levels.
PMI Planning Documents 2014-2019: consisting of Flowcharts of the Strategic Plan and Operational Plan, background and rationale, Strategic Plan and Operational Plan matrices, Indicator Registry and List of Activities to achieve outputs.
Planning Mechanism: the principles of planning, planning process, planning or annual meeting schedule.
Work Plan Development Process: consisting of planning formats for all levels along with filling instructions.
Reporting: consisting of the purposes and benefits, reporting content and schedule, formats of monthly, quarterly, semester and annual report.
Usage: Policy and strategy, Guidance for implementation
Purpose: The key policy and strategy document serves as a reference to guide the overall PMI’s organizational direction, in keeping with PMI’s mandates, responsibilities and in addressing future challenges.
Overview: The document outlines:
Strategy Plan Framework
Strategic Environmental Analysis
PMI Strategic Plan year 2014-2019
PMI Operational Plan year 2015-2019 (with respect to its strategic objectives)
Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
Annex that includes: Key Performance Indicators for PMI Strategic Plan 2014-2019, Achievement Indicators for PMI Operational Plan 2015-2019, and Indicator Registry
Usage: Policy and strategy
Audience: National Society leadership, National Society staff
This brochure reports on the contribution of national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to the ASEAN School Safety Initiative (ASSI). The ASSI is a project endorsed by the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management to be one of the flagship projects of ASEAN in the areas of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative, which endeavours to make schools safer by applying and maintaining common standards to school buildings and facilities, conducting teacher and student trainings, school management and planning for disasters.
Overview
The contributions of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies include: implementing joint activities with ASEAN Member States and partners including community-based networks of young people and volunteers to strengthen the School Safety Initiative; promoting the Public Awareness Public Education (PAPE) Guidelines and key messages to ASSI partners; enhancing joint learning processes; improving knowledge and information management including increasing use of new technologies and innovative approaches; and promoting peer-to-peer collaboration among National Societies, public authorities and external partners.
The document also includes a call to ASEAN Member States to: recognise National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in Southeast Asia as key implementing partners for the operationalisation and expansion of ASSI; enhance the in-country partnership between national disaster management offices, education ministries and National Societies as well as other technical partners, with the aim of promoting a comprehensive School Safety Framework; and recognise the Red Cross / Red Crescent contribution to school safety as part of the ASEAN School Safety Initiative.
Usage: Learning from experience; Policy guidance
Audiences: National Society leadership; Technical staff
This publication presents a set of practical guidelines to support National Societies in developing the processes, systems, teams and individuals involved in preparing for and responding to, disasters. The guidelines acknowledge that response is, first and foremost, local but that it takes place within the global solidarity of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
It includes case studies from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Belize and Sudan.
Overview
The first stage in creating a National Disaster Preparedness and Response Mechanism is to develop the political will to do so. This decision must be supported by leadership at the top of the National Society in question. Section 1 of the document explains how to develop the political will within a National Society to set up the mechanism. This is done by linking the mechanism with global priorities, taking the decision to establish and support the mechanism and, finally, defining the general direction and allocating resources accordingly.
The next step is to ensure that the conditions are viable to establish the mechanism. Section 2 sets out the tasks involved in ensuring that the conditions are ready. First, this means making sure that all staff and volunteers understand the National Society and its wider context, and accept the need for the mechanism. It also involves linking the mechanism to existing operations, integrating policy into strategy and planning, and planning for implementation and sustainability.
The final stage in establishing the mechanism is to ensure that it is ready to operate successfully. Section 3 outlines the key steps in implementing the mechanism. This involves putting in place effective procedures for recruitment, capacity-building and high-quality deployment. It also comprises work to coordinate operations with other international response activities, integrate the mechanism teams in existing operations, monitoring and evaluation, and guaranteeing continuity and sustainability.
Usage: Guidance for project implementation; Policy development
Audiences: National Society leadership; Technical staff; Human Resources
Citation: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2010). Setting up a National Disaster Preparedness and Response Mechanism: Guidelines for National Societies (pp. 1-64).
This guide aims to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ engagement on national level policy discussions regarding climate change adaptation, particularly through the development of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) by their respective governments.
Overview:
This guide outline the development of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and national level policy discussions regarding climate change adaptation. The document is organized as follows:
Chapter 1 provides relevant background information on the NAPs and an overview of their relevance to the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent.
Chapter 2 provides step-by-step guidance on how to engage in the NAP process, including collecting relevant information, evaluating information, the NAP process and engagement of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in it.
Four key steps can be identified that support Red Cross/ Red Crescent engagement in the NAP process:
Step 1: Understanding key climate change issues affecting a country. This involves: understanding climate change in general; understanding climate change in the country affected; understanding national climate change adaptation policies; knowing relevant public documents on national adaptation policies; and getting in touch with the relevant NAP focal point.
Step 2: Evaluating the information. This involves building on Red Cross/Red Crescent daily work; using well-known tools such as the vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA); getting everyone involved; understanding relevant sectoral entry points.
Step 3: Networking and advocacy. This involves approaching government; a society knowing its niche role; and teaming up with like-minded stakeholders.
Step 4: The NAP process. This involves initiating and launching the NAP process; preparation of the NAP; implementation strategy; reporting, monitoring and review.
Usage: Policy development
Audience: National Society Leadership, Technical staff
Reference: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2013). How to Engage with National Adaptation Plans: Guidance for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (pp. 1-74).
This guide has been developed to support Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and IFRC staff in more systematically integrating risk reduction measures into their planning. It describes in detail what key issues need to be considered, and when. The guidance aims at ensuring that risk reduction measures are taken into account in different sectors and contexts. It also details the key elements that need to be in place to create an enabling environment.
Overview:
General steps for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) are: DRR and CCA screening. The strategy, policy, programme or project in question must be first screened with a DRR and CCA lens, and then a detailed assessment made. If this shows that disaster and climate change risks have not been duly considered or addressed, then adjustments should be made to the planned activity. A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework should also be developed. Mainstreaming DRR and CCA can be ensured only when the process is regularly monitored and evaluated.
The paper details six specific programming contexts (conflict, urban, reducing vulnerability, strengthening resilience, disaster preparedness, disaster response, and recovery) and key sectors (health and care; water, sanitation and hygiene; migration; shelter and settlement; livelihood and food security; natural resource management) for mainstreaming DRR and CCA. Each of these is accompanied by specific key principles of DRR and CCA mainstreaming, as well as good practice checklists. Aside from the context-specific guidance, there are two general principles: first, a National Society needs to ensure that it has adequate capacity at relevant levels to mainstream DRR and CCA; second, given that risk patterns change, risk should be monitored at least once per year. If changes in circumstances and risk are identified, programming choices and activities may need to be adapted to these changes.
A gender good practice checklist can be found on p.52.
Usage: Guidance for project implementation
Audiences: Technical staff
Reference: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2013). A Guide to Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (pp. 1-62).
This case study explores the extent to which legal frameworks in Vietnam support national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts against natural hazards. It covers a wide range of law and regulatory issues including the integration of DRR into disaster management laws, institutional arrangements, liability, early warning systems, infrastructure, building codes, land use planning, environmental management/climate change adaptation, awareness-raising and education.
Overview
Law and regulation is crucial to the current successes in DRR in Vietnam. Although there remain some gaps in the legal framework and its implementation, the new disaster risk management (DRM) law seems likely to address many of these gaps.
Many effective DRR mechanisms in Vietnam are supported by legal frameworks which detail the institutional framework, implementation methods, allocation of financial resources, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Responsibilities are now more clearly allocated and defined under the new DRM law, but the well-established implementation mechanisms through responsible ministries and People’s Committees (PCs) remain in place under the new DRM Law. These mechanisms assist in integrating DRR principles into the legal and policy environment in Vietnam which, in turn, contributes to sustainable development and community resilience in the face of natural hazards.
Usage: Learning from experience
Audiences: Technical staff
Citation: Tukker, H. & Chinh, N. C. (May 2014). Vietnam: Country Case Study Report. How Law and Regulation Support Disaster Risk Reduction. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (pp. 1-86).
This document presents guidelines for the Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance (the IDRL Guidelines). The guidelines are a set of recommendations to governments on how to prepare their disaster laws and plans for the common regulatory problems in international disaster relief operations. They advise them as to the minimal quality standards they should insist upon in humanitarian assistance, as well as the kinds of legal facilities aid-providers need to do their work effectively.
Overview
The guidelines look at:
Core responsibilities: of affected states; of assisting actors; additional responsibilities of all states; and responsibilities concerning diversion and the intended use of resources.
Early warning and preparedness: early warning; legal, policy and institutional frameworks; and regional and international support for domestic capacity.
Initiation and termination of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance: initiation; initiation of military relief; and termination.
Eligibility for legal facilities: facilities for assisting humanitarian organisations; and facilities for other assisting actors.
Legal facilities for entry and operations: personnel; goods and equipment; special goods and equipment; transport; temporary domestic legal status; taxation; security; extended hours; and costs.
Usage: Policy guidance
Audiences: National Society leadership; Technical staff
Citation: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2011). Introduction to the Guidelines for the Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance (pp. 1-28).
