It is a special honour for me, as a representative of the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to be with
you today at this plenary Session.
Its theme - "effective early warning, relief and reconstruction"
- could hardly be more appropriate today, as the world comes
to terms with recent disasters including the devastating Indian
Ocean tsunami, the drought and famine in the Sahel region, and
Hurricane Katrina which caused so much destruction in the United
States of America.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are defined by
international law as the auxiliaries to the public authorities
in the humanitarian field. As such, they have a special relationship
with their governments, and they are generally mandated with
important roles and responsibilities in disaster preparedness
and response.
Tasked with providing emergency shelter and support, the American
Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans
residents in nearly 300 shelters throughout nine states since
before Hurricane Katrina made landfall. It is serving 300,000
meals daily, and is working closely with local health authorities
and partners to provide health and emotional support services
to those evacuated.
The earthquake and tsunami disaster which struck off the coast
of Indonesia on 26 December 2004 led to the loss of over a quarter
of a million lives and devastation in no fewer than 12 countries
in South East Asia, South Asia and East Africa.
In the Indian Ocean region, the International Federation through
its member National Societies, has been in the forefront of
work to respond to the recent tsunami. Our first assessments
of damage led to our first preliminary appeal being launched
less than twelve hours after the disaster striking. This was
followed by an unprecedented mobilisation of resources at local,
regional and international level to address the most immediate
needs.
Now, more then eight months after the tsunami, recovery and
reconstruction after the tsunami are under way, as we want to
see people move quickly into their new homes, communities resume
their livelihoods and children back into their rebuilt schools.
However, we must not let our urge to see funds spent quickly
compromise the basic principles for sustainable recovery. Without
proper planning and community consultation, we risk delivering
unsustainable, inappropriate assistance, including building
houses where people do not want to or should not live.
First of all, we have pledged to 'build back better', as reconstruction
must leave communities in a safer state. That requires careful
planning, sometimes using new and innovative methods.
Second, what is appropriate in one place may not necessarily
be so in another - we must tailor our responses to specific
needs. Therefore, local communities and governments must be
in charge.
Families made homeless must take an active part in designing
and building their homes so that they meet their needs and are
culturally appropriate, and it is particularly important for
women to fully take part in these decisions.
And third, whole communities are being rebuilt. This means the
simultaneous building of homes, roads, schools and health clinics,
the provision of safe water and sanitation facilities as well
as the necessary services.
Again, this requires comprehensive, locally based planning.
For us this means providing encouragement, material and financial
help and advice, but also allowing sufficient time and space
for these community-based processes to take their proper course.
In summary, successful disaster management is based on local
skills and resources, and community-led approaches are more
likely to be self-sustaining.
Earlier this year in Kobe, Japan, the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction identified five priorities in its action plan - the
Hyogo Framework for Action:
• To ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national
and local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation;
• To identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance
early warning;
• To use knowledge, innovation and education to build
a culture of safety and resilience at all levels;
• To reduce underlying risk factors;
• To strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response
at all levels.
The International Federation believes that disasters are a humanitarian
and a development concern. Not only is there a growing body
of evidence that countries of 'low human development' are disproportionately
affected by the occurrence and impact of disasters but that
people's vulnerability to hazards has increased through failed
development.
Moreover, disasters threaten to undo development gains and prevent
the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
One of the main lessons from the recent tragedies is that no
state - no matter its level of development - can consider itself
immune from such phenomena, and further investments must be
made in developing effective early warning systems.
This is all the more important as the number of weather-related
disasters continues to increase, and the need for warnings as
well as preparedness becomes all the more acute.
There has been a great deal of publicity about the need for
sophisticated early-warning systems for natural disasters, especially
those created by tsunamis, but much less attention to the need
to link those sophisticated systems to the communities which
bear the brunt of the disasters.
Warning systems by themselves are, however, of little value
unless communities understand how they work, and know how to
act and respond. Warning systems must therefore be "people-centred".
This requires developing an integrated approach that effectively
links high-tech technology and communication systems with low-tech
community awareness and preparedness.
The transmission of warnings is often one of the major roles
of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the late preparedness
stage before disasters strike.
As an example, in the Bay of Bengal region - an area particularly
vulnerable to cyclones and floods - our volunteers are trained
and equipped to bring meteorological warnings to the most remote
communities and help them prepare for nature's onslaught.
Warnings of extreme weather events are transmitted by radio
transmission from the capital through to district level and
then to local communities where our trained volunteers take
the necessary messages and directions to the people themselves.
The last link in this high-tech/low-tech chain - for instance
volunteers using bicycles and "mouth-to-mouth" communication
- is thereby just as indispensable as the weather satellites
that provide the hard data that triggers the system.
Chair, Allow me to reflect briefly on how parliamentarians can
contribute to more effective disaster management by creating
an enabling environment through legislation.
When disasters strike, there are times when the resources of
an affected country are overwhelmed and international assistance
is required. In these situations, it is essential that such
assistance can be provided quickly, effectively, to the highest
possible standards and for the immediate and long term benefit
of affected communities.
Careful examination or revision of national laws and policies,
as well as regional and international treaties, declarations
and agreements, will determine their current and potential impact
on international disaster response operations.
Particularly relevant in this regard are the legal aspects of
issues such as: offers and requests for assistance; the entry
and facilitation of foreign relief organizations, personnel,
relief goods and equipment; the coordination of assistance;
and standards of quality and accountability.
Parliament's role in working with civil society was also discussed
during the 2004 Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. As one
of the conference participants remarked "civil society is an
essential component of our socio-political system and one of
the most effective agents of social action".
Civil society should be directly involved in decision-making
process so that the will of the people is respected. The relation
was seen crucial in particular for promoting good governance
and reducing poverty in the society.
The Human Development Report 2002: Deepening Democracy in a
Fragmented World refers to volunteerism as holding enormous
scope for broadening participation in governance and promoting
more equitable outcomes for people.
In 2004 the Federation together with the Inter-Parliamentary
Union and UN Volunteers developed a Guidance Note concerning
volunteerism and legislation.
Parliamentarians have a vital role to play in ensuring that
all people are able to volunteer their talents to the well-being
of their communities and of the world - whether engaging in
early warning or disaster response, or contributing to the Millennium
Development Goals more generally.
Chair, In a few days, UN Member States will gather together
to review the progress made since their commitment through the
Millennium Declaration.
The Declaration clearly recognises factors such as good governance
and the role of the civil society, and we see the review as
an opportunity to renew our engagement, through our activities
and partnerships, to support governments to the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals.
We have been enjoying the recognition locally and internationally
as a reliable actor at the community level in disaster preparedness,
response and recovery.
We wish to carry on our responsibility towards the most vulnerable
population groups, and to enhance our partnership at all levels
working together for people-centered, inclusive sustainable
development.
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