ISDR Regional Highlights for Asia and the Pacific is an initiative of the UN/ISDR Asia & Pacific to reflect and promote the wealth of activities and expertise in disaster risk reduction available throughout the whole region, thereby recognizing regional partners’ valuable achievements and contribution to advancing disaster risk reduction in Asia and Pacific. The information below is displayed in chronological order, starting with the most recent activities.


An International Expert Consultative Meeting on Drought Risk Reduction, organized by UN/ISDR and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China, was held on 27-29 June 2006 in Beijing, China. 35 participants including officials and experts from some dozens of nations and international organizations with responsibilities for drought disaster reduction reviewed the activities and priorities for action in building drought resilient society and strengthening drought risk reduction in the context of the Hyogo Framework for Action. The meeting provided a forum for international and Chinese experts to share the experiences and lessons on this issue, focusing in particular on 1) policies and governance, 2) risk assessment, 3) mitigation measures, and 4) international and regional cooperation. A broad range of principles, priorities activities, methodology and case studies were developed for an effective international/regional cooperation on disaster risk reduction in the region. The ultimate goal of the exercise will be to develop an international programme on drought risk reduction as the basis to establish the International Center for Drought Risk Reduction in Beijing. A forum for experts will be set up to share knowledge, experience and lessons learnt on drought issues, review and improve the framework on drought resilient society developed in 2003, build consensus on areas of priority, as an international programme to advance drought risk reduction in the context of implementation of the HFA and discuss ways and means for implementation. The UN/ISDR and MCA will cooperate closely in developing an international programme and drought risk reduction center.

For more information, please contact Guan Yan, Department of International Cooperation,
National Disaster Reduction Center of China at Email: guanyan@ndrcc.gov.cn

The Government of Sri Lanka, in close cooperation with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), TRC, Inmarsat, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Lanka Business Online, organized a “Regional Workshop on ICT for Effective Disaster Management” (26-28 June 2006), in Ahungalle, District of Galle, Sri Lanka. The three-day forum contributed to facilitate the understanding of how stakeholders can effectively use information communication technology (ICT) to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and reduce the vulnerability of communities, nations and regions to disasters. The representatives from the civil society and national authorities (development planning, disaster management) from Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh as well as significant telecommunication groups and the private sector (Ericsson, Inmarsat) engaged into fruitful discussions with international organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the UN/ISDR, the World Bank and IFRC country offices in Sri Lanka, as well as regional organizations like the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) to explore ways to cooperate in empowering local communities to respond effectively to disasters and to reduce their vulnerabilities through increased capacity-building, space technology applications, education and training activities. The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) was recognized as the global umbrella under which nations and communities should implement disaster risk reduction. The HFA video clearly illustrated that both governments, communities and all sectors of society, including the ICT community, have a strong role to play to make it happen. A strong message that came out of the workshop was that the highest space technology and telecommunications systems are important to make early warning systems reliable and timely, but traditional knowledge and practices as well as human / people centered aspects are the only real means to disseminate effectively the warning within the community and make it understood and acted upon.

For more information, please contact UN/ISDR Asia and Pacific at isdr-bkk@un.org

A two-day International Workshop on Lessons Learnt from Past Recovery Programmes concluded its work last 28 June in Lorestan, Iran, after reviewing lessons learnt and experiences from past response operations and reconstruction programmes in Iran and some other affected countries, in a bid to help the Government draw up a strategic framework for response and post-earthquake reconstruction. Jointly organized by UNDP and the Governor General Office of Lorestan province in collaboration with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the two-day high-level workshop in the western province of Lorestan, scene of a destructive earthquake in March this year, brought together senior national and provincial policy-makers and officials from the Government and Parliament; as well as representatives of the private sector and NGOs and renowned national and international experts from Iran, Pakistan, Japan and India. One of the outcome of the discussions was that Iran’s capacities in providing immediate response to disasters are enormous but that there is a strong need to empower community groups, as they are the key players in initiating rapid response within the crucial first few hours of disasters everywhere. Disaster risk reduction programmes should therefore focus on empowering local authorities and community-based groups to ensure effective rapid response to disasters. The workshop concluded on the second day by covering such issues as institutional arrangements for reconstruction; public awareness and information management; appropriate delivery mechanisms and community participation in shelter reconstruction, rebuilding critical infrastructure and promoting higher standards of safety; appropriate policies in livelihood sector recovery; and main considerations for recovery of social.

For more information, please visit http://www.undp.org.ir/news-desc.asp?NewsID=68 or contact Tooraj Akbarlou at tooraj.akbarlou@undp.org

UNDP promotes End to end Early Warning Systems in the tsunami affected countries
Bridging the gap between national and locally-led Early Warning Systems has been the priority of a UNDP regional programme for capacity building in tsunami-affected countries. In the Maldives, UNDP is working closely with key government and non-government sectors to assist the country in developing an appropriate national disaster management plan and the UNDP regional Programme is supporting initial studies to produce detailed Island level risk assessments, through the Ministry of Planning and National Development. A training was conducted in Sri Lanka with the National Disaster Management Centre on 24-25 June for a community of 200 residents in Hambantota to introduce them to risk mapping and evacuation route identification. The number of households and the number of people by class and age were also determined. These exercises were followed by an evacuation drill involving the residents and the police. Support is also being directed for Indonesia to conduct a tsunami drill in December 2006, through the production of Standard Operation Procedures for Tsunami Warnings and support emergency response planning at the national and sub national levels. In all the tsunami affected countries, an exercise to examine some of the basic components of EWS, such as risk knowledge, monitoring and forecasting, warning dissemination and communication as well as response preparedness, has begun. Once the gaps have been identified, additional issues such as institutional coordination of end-to-end early warning initiatives will also be mapped.

For more information, please contact Sanny Jegillos, RP team leader at Email: sanny.jegillos@undp.org

Training Course towards Awareness Enhancement and Better Understanding on Natural Disaster Related Risks
This training course was conducted by the local NGO Komunitas Siaga Tsunami (Kogami) in collaboration with UNESCO Office, Jakarta, on 24 June 2006 in Padang city. It was attended by local religious leaders and prominent community representatives to actively participate them in disseminating disaster related knowledge.

For more information, please contact Koen Meyers, Technical Adviser for Environmental Sciences at
Email: k.meyers@unesco.org

Strengthening Community-based Preparedness in Indonesia
The field activities for the assessment of the level of preparedness of the towns of Padang and Bengkulu and the village of Pulo Aceh were launched in the third week of April and completed in three weeks with involvement of the majority of the members of the expert team and with additional support from other essential resource persons from the field. The outcomes of these activities have been very useful for the improvement of the assessment tool and the framework as well as to design the follow-up activities carried out in Bengkulu, in collaboration with ITB University and in Padang together with the local NGO Kogami. At the same time two experts from LIPI, a socio-anthropologist and geologist have carried out a three-week assessment in Simeulue Island concerning the existing local warning mechanism. Their multi-sector approach has permitted to gain a deeper understanding about how the memory of previous disasters, mainly the tremendous Tsunami that affected the region in 1907, has been transmitted from one generation to another. Interesting indications were also reported on different meanings of the term Tsunami among the different local languages at the Island. This was clarified as the origins of the word “smong” differed among the different local languages. “Smong” is a kind of legend, from a previous tsunami, used during the tsunami in 2004 to warn the people about the imminent disaster. A National Workshop has been carried out from 20 to 21 June 2006 to disseminate the outcomes of the project as well as further improving the assessment tool and framework. For the same purpose a website (http://www.siagabencana.lipi.go.id) has been created and two blueprints are currently in the phase of editing.

For more information, please contact Koen Meyers, Technical Adviser for Environmental Sciences, Email: k.meyers@unesco.org

Workshop and seminar on the role of the radio in times of emergency
The workshop was organised by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) on 20 June 2006, in Singapore, in conjunction with the Radio Asia Conference. The workshop discussed on issues related to the role that radio can play during the times of emergency, especially during natural disasters. It took place one day before the seminar, as a preliminary event. Number of participants of this workshop was approximately 40 people, representing broadcast organizations, radio activities, university lecturers, international organizations active in humanitarian works in post-disaster situation. The purpose of the seminar was to evaluate radio’s future in the light of its 100 years of journey since the Fessenden’s first voice and music broadcast, on Christmas Eve 1906, picked up by several ships in the Atlantic Ocean. The majority of the sessions dealt with technological developments having an impact on radio broadcasting and on the fact that most interventions on technologies were based on experiences in the developed countries. The seminar was attended by nearly one hundred professionals representing various organisations, largely from Asian broadcasting organisations, along with major broadcasters such as BBC and Deutsche Welle. The three-day seminar consisted of 10 sessions devoted to various aspects of radio broadcasting including new technology, policy and content challenges, Public Service Radio, Community Radio and Commercial Radio.

For more information, please contact Arya Gunawan, Programme Specialist for Communication
Email: a.gunawan@unesco.org

A Workshop on the Human Impact of Tsunami and Disaster Risk Reduction (Bangkok, 16-17 June 2006) was organized by the University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) of Belgium, with the support of the UN/ ISDR to present studies from Sri Lanka and India on the human vulnerability to tsunamis, addressing the existing gaps in risk and vulnerability assessments. Researchers, policy-makers, and disaster management experts shared research findings and experiences from their work in tsunami-affected countries. The workshop also identified national and regional needs and priorities for future research and policy initiatives in order to sustain long-term disaster risk reduction work in the region. The outcome documents and the presented studies will be soon available on PPEW website at: www.unisdr-earlywarning.com

For more information, please contact Debbie Sapir at sapir@esp.ucl.ac.be

The UN/ISDR, through its regional unit for Asia and Pacific based in Bangkok and its Platform for the Promotion of Early Warning (PPEW), in cooperation with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Intergovernmental Coordinating Group (ICG) organized a Regional Workshop on Mitigation, Preparedness and Development for Tsunami Early Warning Systems which was held from 14-16 June 2006, in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop brought together over 130 experts from more than 20 countries bordering the Indian Ocean, regional partners and representatives from UN agencies and disaster centres in the Indian Ocean region. The aim of the conference was to promote the strong engagement from development people into the mitigation and preparedness process of the tsunami early warning systems. Experts from the fields of technical tsunami early warning systems, disaster risk reduction and development, shared experiences in relation to integrating tsunami early warning systems into disaster risk reduction and development processes.
Workshop outcomes helped to define the draft terms of reference for a proposed new Working Group of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group (ICG) on Mitigation Preparedness and Response. The outcomes and the proposed terms of reference will be submitted for consideration and endorsement at the next meeting of the ICG for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS), planned in Bali, Indonesia, next 31 July - 2 August 2006, as requested by the previous meeting ICG-IOTWS-2 in Hyderabad, India. The Workshop outcome document, including the terms of reference for the working group will be published soon on the PPEW website.

For more information, please contact UN/ISDR Asia and Pacific at isdr-bkk@un.org

Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MPBI) joins ADRRN
As an effort of network expansion in the regional and international level, the Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MPBI) has joined membership with the Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN). In this regard, MPBI participated at the “ADRRN Regional Workshop: Enhancing the Capacity and Role of NGO Networks in Disaster”, that took place in in Bangkok, Thailand (13-16 June, 2006 – see above) where MPBI’s representative, Ms. Hening Parlan, presented MPBI and its activities in the field of disaster risk reduction. She highlighted MPBI’s contribution to the advancement of the draft Disaster Management Bill that is now in its final stages before its final adoption by the end of the year and sought ADRRN partners’ cooperation in translating field experiences in risk reduction at the policy level.

For more information, please contact Hening Parlan, Programme Manager at Email: hening_parlan@yahoo.com

UNDP helps Iran build national capacity in natural disaster risk management
UNDP is helping Iran to build the national capacity for natural disaster risk management by introducing a standard global methodology that involves development of a historical database on past natural disaster events that will allow tracking of emerging patterns of disaster risks and then looking at their underlying causes. In partnership with the Management & Planning Organization, UNDP organized a national workshop followed by a hands-on Training-of-Trainers session in Tehran from 14-15 June 2006 to introduce the methodology, called DesInventar (Disaster Inventories System), to national partners and stakeholders, and to build consensus on the programme for achieving its goals. UNDP brought in Mr. Julio Serje, a renowned international consultant and Disaster Information Management Systems specialist, to facilitate the workshop. There has been a growing awareness over the past few decades within the disaster management community in the world of the need for an analytical and systematic inventory of small, medium and large-scale disasters that could help provide indicators for disaster risk management, rather than mere post-disaster relief or better response preparedness”, said UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Yuxue Xue. “It would provide the necessary disaster intelligence to keep a tab on the emerging patterns of disaster risk and then look at the underlying causes. That’s what UNDP is trying to introduce to the Government here today,” he added. The Training-of-Trainers session focused on how to utilize the DesInventar methodology, and how to install and configure its user-friendly software, as well as how to enter data on damage caused by natural disasters and then analyse it. As a follow-up to the training, the participants from key ministries and organizations are now expected to support UNDP/Government in initiating the process of creating historical disaster databases for earthquake-affected regions soon. The workshop followed a high-level consultation meeting held earlier in March on Improving Access to Information in Disaster Risk Management. UNDP supports Iran in strengthening capacities in disaster risk management within the framework of a five-year national programme.

For more information, please visit http://www.undp.org.ir/news-desc.asp?NewsID=67 or contact Tooraj Akbarlou at tooraj.akbarlou@undp.org

Regional Workshop on Enhancing Capacity and Role of NGO Networks in Disaster Risk Reduction, 13-15 June 2006, Bangkok
Over forty members of the Asian Disaster Reduction & Response Network (ADRRN) and representatives from the UN and NGOs in Asia and the Pacific region joined together to address the role of a regional network and how to move forward with coordination in disaster reduction and response. The workshop, held 13-15 June in Bangkok, was co-sponsored by OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and highlighted the great need for Asian and Pacific led NGOs to play an active role in the disaster risk reduction and response field. On 14 June, United Nations ASG, Margareta Wahlstrom, led the conference participants in a discussion regarding current issues facing the humanitarian community. She emphasized the growing need for humanitarian coordination, capacity building and reform. The conference facilitated further partnering and coordination among NGOs and strengthened the ability of participants to work together to build a strong network of stakeholders in disaster risk reduction and response in the Asia and Pacific region.

For more information, please contact Jemilah Mahmood at president@mercy.org.my or Rajan Gengaje, OCHA, at gengaje@un.org

Training of Trainers Session on Earthquake Preparedness for Pramuka in Bengkulu Province
In cooperation with the Indonesian Scout Movement (PRAMUKA) of Bengkulu City and the Centre for Disaster Mitigation at the Institute of Technology of Bandung (PMB – ITB), UNESCO Jakarta Office, organized a training for teachers and PRAMUKA members on the Earthquake Preparedness Programme for Schools from 10 - 13 June 2006. It was undertaken as a follow up activity resulted from the need-based workshop held in Bengkulu in May 2006.

For more information, please contact Koen Meyers, Technical Adviser for Environmental Sciences at
Email: k.meyers@unesco.org or Dr. Harkunti P. Rahayu, Institute of Technology Bandung at Email: harkunti@melsa.net.id

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and UNESCO held a two-day Training Workshop on Avian Influenza and the Role of Broadcasters on 7-8 June, 2006, in Bangkok. UNESCO and Aviavision supported the participation of twenty-four journalists and news engineers from 13 members of the ABU's daily news exchange, Asiavision. Matt Walsh, Managing Director of Media Advisers Asia and a former CNN journalist moderated the whole event which benefited from interventions from several experts from UNICEF, FAO and WHO on the issue of Avian Influenza. The workshop did not come yup with specific recommendations but represented a valuable opportunity to help Asian broadcasters cover avian flu better through an improved exchange of experience and information sharing.

For more information, please contact Alan Williams, Aviavision at alan.w@asiavision.org

Education for Natural Disaster Preparedness in Asia-Pacific in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development
As a response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia on 26 December 2004, in the beginning of 2006 Indonesia developed a “Simulation Board Game“ and a “Folding Pictures Information Kit“ on Natural Disaster Preparedness. The game and kit were developed by a team consisting of a Team Leader, a cartoonist, and a copywriter in close cooperation with UNESCO Jakarta, UNESCO Bangkok, and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) under the project on “Education for Natural Disaster Preparedness in Asia-Pacific in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development”. The project aimed to develop education materials that are locally relevant and culturally appropriate in each six Asia-Pacific countries (namely Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Maldives and Thailand) that will help to prepare for disaster anticipation, recognition and prevention. The Kit - which features earthquakes, floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions - is designed to be instructional and participatory material for 12-17 year-old students. While focusing on the pictures, teachers can encourage students to discuss appropriate actions to take in each type of natural disaster. Similar methods are applied to the Simulation Game, which teaches basic understanding and prevention of hurricanes and tsunamis, in addition to other disasters. The Simulation Game is typical, in that students take turns and collect points if they answer disaster-related questions correctly. These edutainment materials can be used as extra-curricular school activities for the students.

A project workshop was organized on 1 June 2006 in Bangkok to present, promote and disseminate the ideas, lessons and training products, as well as to discuss and stimulate new initiatives to develop educational disaster preparedness materials in the Asia Pacific region. Following the workshop, the game and kit will now be translated and printed in English and Indonesian.

For more information, please contact Alisher Umarov, Education Officer of UNESCO Jakarta at Email: a.umarov@unesco.org. or Derek Elias, ESD Programme Specialist at UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok at Email: d.elias@unescobkk.org

A National Conference on Strengthening Disaster Protection Capacity took place in Mongolia, (30 May-1 June 2006) at the invitation of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the UNDP. The purpose of the discussions was to provide support to the NEMA of Mongolia in finalising their National Framework for Action (NFA) and the ongoing development of the Government Disaster Management Strategy and Action Plan to implement priority disaster risk reduction and risk management activities in the context of the NFA. The National Conference was held at the highest level of government with the Prime Minister, Minister for Emergency Management, Member of Parliament, UN Resident Coordinator and senior government officials making presentations from key ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, Soum Governors and Herders Leaders. The finalization of the National Framework for Action (NFA) and the Disaster Management Strategy and Action Plan as well as the integration of disaster risk reduction priorities into the MDG and core functions of government were seen as the most urgent priorities to pursue, for which ISDR offered support. Study tours and exchange visits with selected countries might be envisaged to strengthen capacity, technical knowledge and introduce innovation and technology to NEMA and the Partnership for DRR.

Field visits to meet Soum Governors and project field teams implementing UNDP project and the World Bank funded initiatives were arranged by UNDP. UNDP has supported the strengthening of disaster management in Mongolia since 2002, which might successfully lead to producing the NFA sand related implementation plan for 2006-2015. One of UNDP’s pilot projects has potential to successfully complete livelihood projects through community participation and multi-enterprise. Good leadership at the high level through the direct and personal involvement of the Governor and the commitment of the herders to work together for their own long-term benefit to reduce disaster risk will be essential. The World Bank is developing and implementing 8 sustainable livelihoods projects that also include disaster contingency planning for the participating soums. There is strong synergy between the UNDP and WB projects and it is recommended that closer information exchange and collaboration will contribute to the country-wide efforts to counter the adverse affects of droughts, floods, zuds, etc.
For more information, please contact Joe Chung, Head UN/ISDR Asia and Pacific at isdr-bkk@un.org

ADPC develops a guide for planning and action to address coastal hazards (June-July 2006)
In collaboration with professionals from US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), University of Rhode Island (URI), Tetra Tech and country coordinators, ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team lead the toolbox development of the "Coastal Community Resilience Guidebook"- a guide for planning and action to address tsunami and other coastal hazards. The development of this guidebook is part of the Coastal Community Resilience (CCR) program of US Government Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS). In support of the IOTWS Program Integrator, ADPC will be engaging the country coordinators and partners in the overall development of the CCR program at regional and national levels.
For more information, please contact A.R. Subbiah at subbiah@adpc.net

Translation of “Living with Risk” publication into Bahasa
In the effort to enrich knowledge on disaster management in Indonesia, MPBI has translated part of “Living with Risk” publication into Bahasa through funding from Oxfam GB and UN/ISDR, and is seeking additional partners to assist with the translation of the remaining parts of the publication. MPBI, in collaboration with the Indonesian Research and Education (IRE) and UNDP translated the “Rehabillitation and Reconstruction” manual from the UNDMTP for after the central Java earthquake rehabillitation and reconstruction process. MPBI is currently printing its second edition of the Indonesian version Hyogo Framework of Action to meet publics demand.

For more information, please contact Hening Parlan, Programme Manager at Email: hening_parlan@yahoo.com