The Coordinating Role In Disaster Relief
Sudden overwhelming needs - Aceh
Damaged infrastructure Sri Lanka floods 2003
Casualties and Stress amongst local officials Bam, Iran 2003
Role of National Govt Batagram, Pakistan
Bilateral assistance predominates - Aceh
Acceptability of use of military assets - Aceh
Coordination of assets on site -The OSOCC and international responders camp, Bam, Iran
The Coordination Challenge
OCHA s Mandate To mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international humanitarian actors in order to: Alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies Promote preparedness and prevention Facilitate sustainable solutions Advocate for the rights of people in need
UN Humanitarian Response System UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Inter-Agency Standing Committee UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinators OCHA Coordination & Response Division OCHA Regional & Field Offices & Regional Disaster Response Advisers OCHA Emergency Services Branch
OCHA Disaster Response Tools OCHA Tools UNHRD Emergency Cash Grants ITC IRIN OSOCC CMCoord staff GDACS Environmental Emergency Section LSU Standby partners IHP Support modules RDRA s MCDA UNDAC Team Reliefweb CAP Section Virtual OSOCC INSARAG Central Register Disaster Management Capabilities HIC
Alert Notification Phase
OCHA Tools and Services first hours Global Disaster Alert Coordination System UNDAC Team USAR Teams OCHA Duty Officer +41 22 917 2010 INSARAG Guidelines OCHA regional offices and OCHA IHP ICT Support module regional desks
GDACS Automated Alert System Assessment of impact Country database Secondary risks by SMS/e-mail/on-line www.gdacs.org
Virtual OSOCC For disaster specialists only First exchanges of information Mobilization of USAR teams UNDAC Alert & Mobilization Customized satellite maps Registration for training events/exercises http://ocha.unog.ch/virtualosocc/
Reliefweb OCHA & other Sitreps & updates worldwide, 24/7 Complex, Emergencies, Natural Disasters, By Country; Financial Tracking: Funding requirements and Donor contributions; Map Centre: Reference and Thematic Maps; Humanitarian Vacancies; Directory of Humanitarian Organisations; Library: Humanitarian, Human Rights and Reference Documents www.reliefweb.int
Emergency Response Phase
UNDAC System Disaster Assessment & Coordination Standby capacity of international disaster managers Regional teams: Africa-Europe, Americas, Asia-Pacific Rapid deployment (6-24 hrs following request) Supports UN RC/HC and/or affected country Support coordination, information management and assessment - up to 3 4 weeks General disaster management skills and specialized skills as required: CMCoord, Security, Environmental, Relief Sectoral, Logistical Self-sufficient No cost to affected country
UNDAC Mobilization WHEN Unclear that sufficient resources are available locally When natural disaster causes major international concern/response Catastrophic consequences on environment Sudden-onset complex emergency or change in intensity -> urgent need for new/strengthened coordination structures Earthquakes implicating deployment of international search and rescue teams On request for international assistance and/or request by UN RC or national authorities WHAT FOR Reinforcement of UN RC/HC s Office Support to Country s assessment/coordination efforts HOW Team/alerted by, OCHA Geneva
UNDAC Terms of Reference Establishment of On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) Collapsed structure emergencies: USAR Reception Centre + coordination of USAR teams Establishment of coordination platforms Disaster Assessment Information Processing and Dissemination Mobilizing Resources
On-Site Operations Coordination Centre OSOCC To assist national authorities with the coordination of international assistance on-site To facilitate information exchange between international and national relief actors (meetings, reports, lists, etc.) Provide a coordination platform for joint operations planning for international responders Facilitate logistics support for international responders in cooperation with local authorities Agreement between OCHA and EC for cooperation in the OSOCC
Partnerships - Support Modules IHP Worldwide APHP Asia-Pacific region, developed 2005 Americas Support Module - USA Rapid deployment Communications, accommodation, sanitation, catering, transport Support UNDAC team & UN field operations Modules utilised on most UNDAC missions Standardised equipment & software/matches UNDAC mission kit Specialised training activities and support to UNDAC/INSARAG training events/exercises
International Search & Rescue Advisory Group INSARAG Three Regional Groups, 90+ countries/orgs Asia/Pacific, Africa/Europe, Americas Activities: Methodology for international coordination (INSARAG Guidelines) Minimum standards for international USAR teams Standardised Marking System Coordinated in the OSOCC Use of Virtual-OSOCC
Partnerships Technical NGOs Deploy with UNDAC team Telecoms sans Frontières connectivity and telecommunications services for affected community and international responders MapAction on-site mapping services during disaster TSF Support from home base UNOSAT satellite imagery
Partnerships Private Sector & Bilateral On-site DHL airport logistics EMERCOM of Russia provision of 6 pax. helicopter for exclusive use of UNDAC team at disaster site Swiss Government provision of plane for rapid deployment of UNDAC team from Switzerland to disaster site
Clusters & Leads Technical Areas 1. Nutrition UNICEF 2. Health WHO 3. WASH UNICEF 4. Emergency Shelter: IDPs (from conflict) UNHCR Disasters IFRC (convener)
Clusters & Leads Cross-Cutting Areas 5. Camp Coord/Mgmt IDPs (from conflict)- UNHCR Disasters - IOM 6. Protection IDPs (from conflict) UNHCR Disasters/others UNHCR/OHCHR/ UNICEF 7. Early Recovery - UNDP
Clusters & Leads Common Services 8. Logistics WFP 9. Telecoms OCHA/UNICEF/WFP
Cluster Lead Responsibilities Global level improved preparedness technical & operational response capacity standard setting & policy Country level include all partners inc local/national establish coordination platform assessment division of labour planning/strategy x-cutting issues accountability advocacy resource mobilization capacity building monitoring provider of last resort
Resource Mobilisation Emergency cash grants available immediately through OCHA Flash Appeals - quick, cover urgent life-saving needs, define common humanitarian action plan by sector, for next 6 months max. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) quick injection of emergency funds for life-saving activities Consolidated Appeals (conflict) cover long-term crises, for 12 months
Environmental Disasters OCHA/UNEP Environmental Emergencies Section (EES) Integration of humanitarian/environmental assistance for: Environmental/man-made disasters, such as toxic waste spills, river pollution, dam collapse, explosion of arms depot, mine collapse, etc. Natural disasters with environmental consequences and/or identification/evaluation of secondary impacts such as damage to chemical/nuclear installations, damage arising from floods, etc. Can deploy with or independently of UNDAC teams Roster of international environmental experts Specialists in all areas air/water/ground pollution, chemicals, natural resources, geology, radiation, toxic waste, technical analysis, etc.
Civil-Military Coordination Civil Military Coordination Section (CMCS) Civil-Military coordination in humanitarian crises conflict & natural disasters Training & deployment of CMCoordinators Policy, standards development & liaison with UN Agencies, government and providers on CMCoord issues Development of guidelines for use of civil-military assets during emergencies (Oslo Guidelines) Military & Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) Registry Joint exercises
Logistics Support Unit Logistics Support Unit (LSU) Manages OCHA s stockpile of emergency relief items in UN Humanitarian Response Depot/ Brindisi Delivery of relief items to affected areas Replenishment of relief stock OCHA focal point for logistics/shelter issues Commodity tracking systems/worldwide Stockpiles Register (Central Register) Customs facilitation for relief consignments
Relief to Recovery Phase
Surge Capacity Surge Capacity Section Provision of humanitarian experts for 3-6 months assignments to OCHA Field Offices Agreements with Norwegian Refugee Council Danish Refugee Council DFID (UK) AUSTCARE, RedR (Australia) SIDA (Sweden) + UN Volunteers Cost-sharing basis Treated as gratis personnel in the field
Humanitarian Information Centres Humanitarian Information Centres (HICs) Support co-ordination of humanitarian assistance through provision of information products and services Help create a common framework for information management within the humanitarian community Common service to the humanitarian community established in longerterm emergencies On-site & on-line info (http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/) Examples of HIC products: Orientation material for responders maps, briefing material / Information services WWW Who does What Where directories, contact lists, meeting schedules / Internet Café
Integrated Regional Info Network (IRIN) Independent humanitarian news service www.irinnews.org News & analysis on sub-saharan Africa, the Middle East & Central Asia to help the humanitarian community understand, prepare for, respond to and avert emergencies Core news and analysis service distributed free of charge to subscribers by e-mail Also: PlusNews, specialist news and analysis service on HIV/AIDS IRIN Radio, helping develop programming of radio stations in Africa & Afghanistan IRIN Film & TV, short documentary films on humanitarian issues and news footage for media IRIN Photo public gallery of photos relevant to humanitarian crises
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