(GIST OF YOJANA) Post Sendai Initiatives and Way Forward-March-2017

(GIST OF YOJANA) Post Sendai Initiatives and Way Forward-March-2017

March 18, 2015 was a historical day as it witnessed adoption of a IS-year plan by 188 UN Member Nations, including India. The plan termed as 'Sendai Framework' was adopted during the 3rd UN World Conference on disaster risk reduction, held in the Japanese city of Sendai in 2015. Interestingly, it is the first major UN agreement on the post- 2015 development agenda consisting of four major priority areas and seven targets to be met by 2030. The expected outcome of the framework is to prevent creation of new disaster risks and also to substantially reduce disaster risks. The four priority areas of Sendai Framework include: 1) Understanding Risk; 2) Strengthening Risk Governance; 3) Investing in disaster resilience; and 4) Improving capacities for disaster response as well as for building back better after disasters.

The Sendai Framework has set targets for substantial reduction in losses including reduction in number of deaths from disasters, number of people affected by disasters, economic losses and infrastructure losses. At the same time, it calls for increase in capacities through national and local strategies, international cooperation and improved' access to early warning.

In furtherance to its commitment to the Sendai framework, Government has taken up several important initiatives post Sendai Declaration. Firstly, as committed during the Sendai conference, India has successful1y hosted the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction (AMCDRR) in November, 2016 and adopted 'New Delhi Declaration' and 'Regional Action Plan for implementation of the Sendai Framework'. In line with the all-of-society approach for disaster risk reduction enshrined in the Sendai Framework, the AMCDRR also provided an opportunity for multiple stakeholders to come together and make specific commitments to the implementation of Sendai Framework in Asia and the Pacific. These outcomes of the AMCDRR will guide the implementation of the Sendai Framework in Asia and the Pacific. On one hand these outcomes will help contextualize Sendai Framework for Asia-Pacific, and on the other hand these will infuse a sense of urgency with regards to its implementation in the regional.

Secondly, Government of India has issued a set of priority actions to all the State Government based on the goals, targets and priorities of Sendai Framework 2015-2030. Government of India, during AMCDRR, 2016, has extended the grant of US $ 1 million to UNISDR towards effective implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Asian region.

Thirdly, in line with Sendai priority 4, National Disaster Response. Force (NDRF) is strengthened, both in terms of state-of-the-art training and equipment so as to further empower it as a professional disaster response force. Besides, Government of India has approved the creation of National Disaster Response Reserve (NDRR) through a revolving fund of Rs.250 crore to be operated by the National Disaster Response Force.

Fourthly, the government expressed keenness to share India's expertise and help other countries in disaster response as it did during Japan Earthquake in 2011 and Nepal earthquake of2015. The government of India is making consistent efforts to promote regional cooperation by hosting the SAARC Disaster Management Centre to reduce disaster risks in the region and promoting knowledge sharing among the SAARC countries.

Fifthly, in an effort to augment the capacity building in the field of Disaster management, inAugust2015, NIDM has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for financial assistance and academic cooperation for establishment of a Centre. for Excellence in Disaster Research and Resilience Building at JNU for promoting higher education and research within a multi-disciplinary framework. In addition to this as a part of institutional strengthening, the Government of India has constituted the National Disaster Response Force Academy at National Civil Defence College, Nagpur for training to personnel involved in disaster management and response. The Government has also allocated Rs.205 crores for strengthening and up-gradation of National Fire Safety College to make it a state-of-the-art facility.

Asian Ministerial Conference on  Disaster Risk Reduciton 2016

The Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction was held recently in New Delhi with the aim of providing a platform to member countries for sharing best practices in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction. About 4000 participants from the Asian Region participated in the Conference.
This was the first Asian Ministerial Conference Reduction (AMCDRR) after the advent of the Sendai Framework for DRR (SFDRR). The SFDRR (2015-2030) was adopted at the Third World Conference on DRR at Sendai in Japan in March, 2015.

It identifies targets and priority action areas towards reducing disaster risk by 'reducing the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones, through an ethic of prevention’

Established in 2005, the AMCDRR is a biennial conference jointly organized by different Asian countries and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

The next AMCDRR will be held in Mongolia in 2018
Two important documents - 'New Delhi Declaration' and the' Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework' were adopted at the 3-day Conference.

New Delhi Declaration

The 'New Delhi Declaration' is a political statement spelling out the commitment of participating governments towards preventing and reducing disaster risk, and strengthening the resilience of communities, nations in the Asian region. Recognising the need to accelerate the implementation of global frameworks, it commits to a people-centred and whole-of-society approach towards DRR. It also emphasises the need to enhance the capacity of communities and ensure participation of all stakeholder groups towards achieving resilience.

Asian Regional Plan

The 'Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai Framework' focuses on the 'How to' reduce disaster risk at national and local levels. It has arrived at a longer term road map of cooperation and collaboration, spanning the 15-year horizon of the Sendai Framework, as well as a two-year action plan to further disaster risk reduction with specific, actionable activities:

Among the actions highlighted in support of the implementation of the Sendai Framework was a focus on developing national and local strategies, policies and plans for Disaster Resilience and implementing them, including substantially increasing investment in disaster preparedness and to promote and strengthen education on disaster risk reduction. Risk assessment, the quality and availability of data and effective risk information systems for communities were referenced as a cornerstone for community participation and resilience even for those located in exposed areas.

The Conference also commemorated the first World Tsunami Awareness Day to spread awareness on tsunami. The observance of the day stressed on the importance of early warning systems and preparedness of communities in order to mitigate damage from the' often devastating natural hazard.
Inaugurating the conference, the Prime Minister had called for regional and international cooperation in building disaster resilience. Reiterating the government of India's commitment to the Sendai framework, the Prime Minister outlined a ten point agenda for disaster management.

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Courtesy: Yojana