Summary

The need to systematically reduce the increased impact of disasters is gaining recognition and commitment among Governments worldwide, especially after the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. However, disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a cross-cutting and complex development issue. It requires political and legal commitment, public understanding, scientific knowledge, careful development planning, responsible enforcement of policies and legislation, people-centred early warning systems, and effective disaster preparedness and response mechanisms. A multi-stakeholder National Platform for DRR can help provide and mobilize knowledge, skills and resources required for mainstreaming DRR into development policies, planning and programmes.

What is a National Platform for DRR? In short, it can be defined as a multi-stakeholder national mechanism that serves as an advocate of DRR at different levels. It provides coordination, analysis and advice on areas of priority requiring concerted action. But for a National Platform for DRR to succeed, it should be based on a number of major principles, the cardinal one being national ownership and leadership of the DRR process. The present Guidelines for National Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction seek to provide some experience-based general orientation on how to form, run and sustain National Platforms for DRR.

Context

The world is witnessing a rapidly increasing impact of disasters caused by the combination of natural hazards and vulnerability, which constantly threatens people’s lives and livelihoods. These disasters also derail socio-economic progress, and put millions of people into dire poverty or make the poor even poorer. The need to systematically reduce the increased impact is steadily gaining recognition and commitment among public and private decision makers. To address the complexity of DRR, Member States of the UN Economic and Social Council, through its Resolution 1999/63, called on all Governments to maintain and strengthen established national multi-sectoral platforms for disaster reduction in order to achieve sustainable development goals and objectives, with the full utilization of scientific and technical means.

Subsequently, at the 2005 World Conference of Disaster Reduction, 168 Governments adopted the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (HFA). One of the HFA’s strategic goals is “the development and strengthening of institutions, mechanisms and capacities to build resilience to hazards”. It calls on all nations to “support the creation and strengthening of national integrated mechanisms such as multi-sectoral[4] National Platforms” to ensure that DRR is a national and a local priority. The HFA also encourages all States to designate a national mechanism for the coordination of and follow-up to the HFA, to communicate DRR information and progress to the UN/ISDR secretariat.

Between 2000 and 2006, 34 countries informed the UN/ISDR secretariat of their National Platforms for DRR. Some of the National Platforms for DRR were built on former IDNDR National Committees for Disaster Management by broadening the scope of their work and that of the participation of development stakeholders in order to better embrace the DRR concept rather than that of disaster management[5] alone. Others, which started from scratch, were, with few exceptions, established and developed through a nationally led participatory process involving main stakeholders under the guidance of the “Guiding Principles for National Platforms for Disaster Reduction” developed jointly by the UN/ISDR secretariat and the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Programme.

The Need for National Platforms for DRR

Disaster risk reduction is a cross-cutting and complex issue. It requires political and legal commitment, public understanding, scientific knowledge, careful development planning, responsible enforcement of policies and legislation, people-centred early warning systems, and effective disaster preparedness and response mechanisms. A multi-stakeholder National Platform for DRR can provide or mobilize the combined knowledge, skills and resources required for DRR and its mainstreaming into development policies, planning and programmes. It also can provide the following value-added services:

• Engaging higher-level policy makers through advocating for DRR and for mainstreaming DRR into development policies, planning and programmes as well as humanitarian assistance;
• Stimulating development actors and planners’ active participation in mainstreaming DRR into sustainable development agenda, including the Millennium Development Goals, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and the Common Country Assessment/the UN Development Assistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF). This should be built on previous similar experiences such as integrating environment issues into development;
• Providing opportunities for civil society, especially Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and Community Based Organizations, to dialogue and contribute to advancing the DRR process in the context of local development;
• Facilitating dialogue and partnership within the international community, including the UN System, regional and national authorities, especially through established National Platforms for DRR;
• Facilitating information sharing, knowledge exchange and technology transfer among members of National Platforms for DRR and between National Platforms for DRR; and
• Increasing access and linkage of existing DRR actors with other relevant bodies at national, regional and global levels.
  

Main Principles for National Platforms for DRR[6]

Disaster risk reduction is a country-specific long-term process that is not only an essential part of each country’s development process but also an essential condition to ensure the sustainability of socio-economic development. Its effectiveness relies heavily on strongly supported national ownership and leadership of the DRR process.

A single “blueprint” approach for National Platforms for DRR is neither possible nor desirable. However organized they are, what is important is a consistent application of the main guiding principles and ensuring that all relevant economic, social and environment sectors are addressed. National Platforms for DRR must be flexible and proactive. They must be responsive and adaptable to changes as national situations are dynamic, mainly in terms of political, socio-economic and environmental factors.

The main principles for National Platforms for DRR are:

• National Platforms for DRR should view DRR as a national responsibility and a cross-cutting issue within sustainable development processes;
• National Platforms for DRR should utilize a participatory process to facilitate various sectors engagement, with their diverse perspectives and actions, and build on existing systems and mechanisms;
• National Platforms for DRR should influence positive changes through concerted and coordinated efforts particularly in policies, planning, administration and decision-making processes;
• National Platforms for DRR should encourage national and local implementation, adaptation and ownership of the HFA.
  

Composition of National Platforms for DRR

National Platforms for DRR should build on any existing systems relevant to DRR. They should facilitate the participation of key players from line ministries, disaster management authorities, scientific and academic institutions, NGOs, the National Society of the Red Cross or Red Crescent, the private sector, opinion shapers and other sectors closely related to the DRR purpose. Whenever possible, National Platforms for DRR may invite the participation of donor agencies and country-based UN organizations.

The Office or Ministry leading the National Platform for DRR should be a permanent structure that is in a sufficiently high position to coordinate the participation of all relevant partners with a national coordination mandate in disaster risk reduction, disaster management, national planning or environment. The leading Office or Ministry should have capacity for strong leadership and capacity to coordinate other sectors and leverage political commitment and mobilize resources for and knowledge on DRR.

Major Functions of National Platforms for DRR

The major functions of National Platforms for DRR can be summarized as follows:

• National Platforms for DRR are national mechanisms by which countries can address inter-related social, economic and environmental problems. They support the identification of urgent needs in the area of DRR, allocating resources, presenting timetables for actions and monitoring and reviewing the implementation of DRR activities in line with the HFA.
• National Platforms for DRR work towards better resourced, effective and integrated DRR efforts amongst national stakeholders[7] and amongst national, regional and international organizations. They support development goals, by providing a framework for systematic thought and commitment to priority actions across sectors and the territory.
• National Platforms for DRR serve as catalysts for national consultations and consensus building, as well as for DRR priority identification and policy formulation, implementation and monitoring DRR activities. The emphasis should be on managing progress toward DRR objectives rather than producing a “plan” as an end product.
• National Platforms for DRR facilitate the allocation of resources from donors, development banks, and UN agencies that are not represented in their respective countries. This can be advanced by advocating the importance and necessity for UN country offices to support the integration of DRR into UN-backed development programmes.
  

Primary Activities of National Platforms for DRR[8]

The Hyogo Framework for Action provides a reference for assessing and monitoring achievements on DRR, thus facilitating the work of National Platforms for DRR when undertaking activities such as:

• Establishing baseline information for DRR, including disaster and risk profiles, national policies, strategies, capacities, resources and programmes;
• Identifying trends, gaps, concerns and challenges and setting forth accepted priority areas in DRR;
• Advocating the urgent need for developing or adopting policies and legislations for DRR;
• Benchmarking progress made in promoting DRR and its mainstreaming into development policies, planning and programmes;
• Developing result-oriented work plans of National Platforms for DRR to coordinate the DRR activities in line with the HFA;
• Coordinating joint efforts among members of National Platforms for DRR to reduce the vulnerability of people at relatively high risk;
• Monitoring, recording and reporting of disaster risk reduction actions at national and community levels in line with the HFA;
• Documenting lessons learned and good practices, and share the findings (including promoting twinning of National Platforms for DRR) at national, regional and international levels; and
• Working towards better integration of DRR into national planning, policies and programmes in development and humanitarian assistance.

UN Official Recognition of National Platforms for DRR

National Platforms for DRR, officially designated, express the interests of various national and local stakeholders in DRR. Through the legitimacy conferred upon them by their respective Governments, National Platforms for DRR can serve as effective mechanism for promoting DRR at the international level, accessing and exchanging knowledge and resources based on their individual experience and in cooperation with the ISDR System.

The establishment or strengthening of a National Platform for DRR can be formally announced directly to the head office or regional outreach units of the UN/ISDR secretariat in writing, through an official letter from official and diplomatic channels like the Office/Ministry responsible for DRR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva or New York, with a copy to the UN Resident Coordinator.

Such a notification should include the following information: (a) Name of the National Platform for DRR; (b) Contact information; (c) Composition of the National Platform for DRR; (d) The National Platform focal point and her/his contact information; (e) Any relevant documentation explaining the functioning or status of the National Platform for DRR.