Plan's Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2009-2013 · PLAN’S DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY...

PLAN’S DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT

STRATEGY2009-2013

ContentsVision of Plan’s disaster risk 3 management in 2013 Disaster risk management 3 in Plan’s mission and programme framework External context 4

Terminology 4

Conceptual frameworksConcept of disasters 5Rights and duties 5

2 l PLAN’S DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2009-2013

Strategic objectives1. Children and youth grow up 6

safely in resilient communities 2. Children and youth realise 7

their rights in emergencies

Approach 8Where Plan will work 9Organisational change 9

Systems for emergency response 10Communication 11Fundraising 12Human resource capacity 13Partnership, collaboration 14 & coordination Knowledge and learning 14Monitoring progress 15

Risk analysis 15

1 Disaster risk management – The systematic process of using administrative directives, organisations and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster.UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009 [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng.htm

Vision of Plan’s disaster risk management1 in 2013 Plan will have effective programmes that promote the rights of children and young people and protect them from threats of conflicts, and natural and human-made disasters.

• Plan’s programmes help to build communities that are resilient to natural hazards, environmental degradation and conflict. Work is characterised by its involvement of youth and children, by engagement with local government and civil society, and by coherence between disaster and development work.

• Plan makes effective use of its local and international capacity and knowledge for disaster risk management.

• Plan is acknowledged to be among the leading agencies on child protection in disasters, education in emergencies, and child-centred disaster risk reduction, and influences policies and good practice on these issues.

• Plan is successful in promoting children’s right to participate and supporting children and youth organisations to access key decision makers in relation to conflict, environment and disasters.

• Work on disaster risk management is recognised as part of Plan’s brand.

Disaster risk management in Plan’s mission and programme framework Working on disasters is not new to Plan; we have been doing so regularly since the organisation was founded. From 2001 to 2006 Plan responded to 151 emergencies, with 26 ongoing programmes. Plan’s mission implicitly includes work on disasters. “Enabling deprived children, their families and their communities to meet their basic needs and to increase their ability to participate in, and benefit from, their societies”, and “Promoting the rights and interests of the world’s children”, are especially important in the face of risks from conflict, environmental degradation and natural or human-made disasters. The media coverage and humanitarian solidarity during disasters creates particular opportunities for “Building relationships to increase understanding and unity among peoples of different cultures and countries”.

This strategy is to inform all Plan’s work towards the priority area that “Children and youth will realise their right to protection and assistance in emergency situations”, which is one of the eight priorities in the 2009 programme framework.

Plan’s governance bodies and management have agreed the need to increase our work on disasters and disaster risk. Given Plan’s development credentials, the work needs to be far wider than simple relief, including disaster risk reduction into our development work. The increase will entail Plan working extensively outside existing programme units, but the characteristic focus on the rights of children and youth will remain.

PLAN’S DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2009-2013 l 3

Plan’s governance bodies and management have agreed the need to increase our work on disasters and disaster risk.

Photo: Plan / Mary Matheson Children on a bridge damaged by floods in Ifakara, Tanzania.


External context

The number of people affected by disasters2 is rising.

Climate change is now having a significant impact on the frequency and severity of weather-related disasters. Even more unpredictable and severe weather patterns will occur during this strategic period. There are twin needs: to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and to adapt to the changing conditions.

Environmental degradation from human exploitation, urbanisation and development is increasing local vulnerability3 and hazards.4

Conflicts and tension affect many areas, with civilians making up the majority of causalities. Children and youth suffer directly from violence, abuse and violation of their rights. Government services are constrained, if they exist at all, and governments direct their budgets to security instead of development. The stress creates further abuse or neglect within homes.

Most developing country governments are now increasing their capacity to respond as part of their commitment to disaster risk reduction. The international community continues to be the ‘provider of last resort’ for humanitarian assistance, but has an increasing role in supporting local efforts. Coordination in disaster response is normally conducted in specific sectors. Increasingly, donors are aligning their funding to these ‘clusters’.

Disasters do not simply appear out of nowhere or disappear without trace. Many children grow up facing prolonged disasters caused by conflict, or recurring cycles of disaster. While such problems continue, development is almost impossible in such places.

The UN has called for more capacity for disaster risk management. There are several other organisations with strong reputations for work with children in disasters, but there are still many unmet needs. Plan is particularly recognised for the depth of engagement with communities and for involving children in the work. Plan needs to build a distinct identity so that others know what to expect of us, and to be willing to work with other agencies towards our common goals.

TerminologyThroughout this strategy we use the term ‘disaster risk management’ to include disaster response, disaster risk reduction, conflict risk management and environmental risk management.

This document uses the UN definitions of disaster-related terms found at: www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng.htm

2 Disaster – A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009 [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng.htm3 Vulnerability – The charactaristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009.4 Hazard – a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage. UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009.

Conceptual frameworks

Two frameworks underpin this strategy:

Concept of disasters Plan is concerned with the impact of disasters on disadvantaged children and youth. Disasters may be caused by natural phenomena (like a tsunami), by people (like violent conflict) or by a combination (like a drought).

The impact of a disaster depends both on the severity of the phenomenon (the hazard) and the vulnerability of those affected. The impacts may last for many years after an event, and will affect the physical and mental wellbeing of people, their livelihoods and the services that they depend on. Children and youth may be affected directly, or because of impacts on their families and communities.

Sudden-onset hazards, such as earthquakes, take place over a relatively short time, while other hazards, such as drought or violent conflict, may be slow to develop but last continuously or cyclically for a long time. Environmental protection, especially a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, will reduce the severity of many natural hazards.

Even a severe event, such as a storm, may not affect people if they are not vulnerable. People’s vulnerability is what makes them susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. Vulnerability involves a combination of factors including health and physical strength, the state of houses, livelihoods, environment or assets, and the quality of the government and duty bearers providing protection and services.

Plan wants children and youth to grow up in communities that are able to withstand shocks, maintain services during a disaster and bounce back afterwards. These are resilient5 communities. Plan believes that such communities will minimise the vulnerability of children and youth.

Rights and duties Children and youth have rights acknowledged by societies and enshrined in international human rights instruments and national laws. States have recognised additional duties specifically to respect and protect the rights of children. Disasters present an increased threat to the rights of children, so duty bearers, particularly governments, need to take additional measures to manage this risk.

Civil society organisations can deliver services themselves and help to hold duty bearers to account for their responsibilities. Citizens, as community and family members, and children themselves also have responsibilities to safeguard these rights.

In implementing a rights-based approach, Plan will consider the responsibilities and capacity of duty bearers, and the power relations between rights holders and duty bearers. By UN definition, a disaster happens when there are “Insufficient capacity or measures to reduce, or cope with, the potential negative consequences” of a hazard, so Plan may need to support service delivery in such circumstances. However, Plan’s work should be carried out in ways that contribute to realisation of rights in the long term. Plan will seek to influence duty bearers’ policies and performance directly, and by supporting civil society.


The impact of a disaster depends both on the severity of the phenomenon (the hazard) and the vulnerability of those affected.

5 Resilience – The ablity of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions. UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009.

Photo: PlanGirl sitting in a canoe in the Ayeyarwady delta region, Myanmar.


Strategic objectives

The analysis and concepts presented above lead to two strategic goals. Plan’s programmes will aim to contribute to global efforts to achieve these.

6 The Hyogo Framework for Action is an agreement signed by 168 states in 2005 committing to specific policies and actions to reduce disaster risk [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.unisdr.org/eng/hfa/hfa.htm

1: Children and youth grow up safely in resilient communities

Priority actions for Plan include: • Involving children and youth in building awareness of disaster risk and building resilience

• Supporting efforts to mitigate risks in the environment in or around communities and internationally

• Influencing governments to uphold responsibilities for reducing disaster risk (implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action6)

• Supporting children and youth to influence duty bearers and public opinion on disaster risk

• Supporting local governments to prepare for disasters and reduce risks

Outcomes for Plan• Outcome 1: Increased

portfolio of disaster risk reduction projects using sponsorship and grants funding.

• Outcome 2: Inform our work with analyses of conflict, the natural environment and disaster risk, so that all our work is conflict sensitive, environmentally sustainable and contributes to reducing disaster risk and adapting to climate change.

• Outcome 3: Consider resilience of communities as a factor when monitoring success of programme units long-term plans.

Key indicatorsOutcome 1:

• Number of countries with project outlines for disaster risk reduction.

• Number and size of grants for disaster risk reduction.

Outcome 2:

• Percentage of country strategic plans (CSPs) and programme unit long-term plans including analysis of disaster, environment and conflict.

• Number and value of projects that relate explicitly to adaptation or mitigation of climate change.

Outcome 3:

• Number of programme units reporting outcomes for improved resilience for rights holders, civil society or duty bearers.

Milestones• FY 10: All new CSPs

include analyses of disaster risk, conflict, environment and the implications of climate change.

• FY 11: PUs in five countries pilot monitoring the characteristics of a resilient community.

• FY 11: Final evaluation of Department for International Development (DFID) project accompanied by overall review of disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Plan.


2: Children and youth realise all their rights in emergencies

Priority actions for Plan include: • Protecting children from violence, physical or emotional harm, abuse or exploitation;

supporting international efforts to improve child protection in emergencies

• Preparing for disasters within communities and within Plan offices

• Providing immediate and prolonged disaster assistance based on local analysis of needs and capacities, in addition to specialist work on child protection and education

• Supporting efforts to minimise disruption to education during disasters, maintain education for children affected by chronic disasters or conflict, and re-establish education after disasters and conflict

• Supporting communities to recover services, assets and livelihoods

• Supporting local efforts to hold government to account for protection of all children’s rights in emergencies

Outcomes for Plan• Outcome 4: Respond to

all significant disasters in Plan countries, unless our assessment shows that no help is needed.

• Outcome 5: Increase the scale of emergency responses.

• Outcome 6: Become a global player in child protection and education in disasters.

Key indicatorsOutcome 4:

• Proportion of disasters (declared in alert system) that Plan responds to.

• Number of country programmes achieving the highest level of organisational preparedness for disasters.7

Outcome 5:

• Amount of money spent on disaster response programmes.

Outcome 6:

• Amount of media coverage and publications mentioning Plan and child protection or education in relation to disasters.

• Range of key partnerships and memberships on child protection or education in relation to disasters.

• Number of countries including disasters in monitoring reports to Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• Proportion of Plan disaster responses that involve child protection or education.

Milestones• FY 10: Plan involved

in international humanitarian cluster working groups on child protection and education.

• FY 11: Alert system being used and Plan staff carrying out assessments in all declared emergencies in Plan countries.

• FY 12: Plan becomes NGO cluster lead for child protection in at least one country.

7 The proposed indicators of four levels of disaster preparedness can be found at planet by going to Team Resources / Disaster Risk Management / Document Library / Disaster risk management strategy appendices


8 Sphere Standards for Disaster Response are quality standards agreed by NGOs [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.sphereproject.org/9 IFRC [online] Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/conduct and from planet: Team Resources / Disaster Risk Management / Document Library / Disaster risk management strategy appendices10 The Humanitarian Charter is included with the Sphere Standards [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.sphereproject.org11 Notes on working on disasters through each of the other programme areas are available from planet: Team Resources / Disaster Risk Management / Document Library / Disaster risk management strategy appendices12 Hyogo Framework for Action, signed by 168 governments in 2005 [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009. Available from www.unisdr.org/eng/hfa/hfa.htm

ApproachAll Plan’s work towards these goals will be informed by an understanding of needs and perspectives of children and youth, and analysis of the political, environmental and social context. Children and youth will be involved in this analysis and in the work. Plan will take part in joint assessments and share assessment information with others, completing initial assessments very quickly during a disaster. Plan’s programmes will have a long-term perspective, even if they are meeting short-term needs. In conflict areas, the work will be sensitive to the risks and opportunities of the situation. Plan’s work will be innovative, high quality and will comply as far as possible with local and international standards.8 Recovery work after a disaster or a conflict will be an integral part of Plan’s longer-term programming, with child-centred community development approaches reinforcing the durability of the recovery, and the recovery programmes reinforcing sustained realisation of rights for children and youth.

Plan will preserve an independent position in humanitarian response, especially in areas of conflict and political tension. While we will be politically neutral, we will consistently side with children in their struggle for rights, and we will seek to expand the humanitarian space to protect children’s rights. Plan will always strive to observe the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief9 and uphold the principles of the Humanitarian Charter10 as presented in the Sphere Project.

Plan will implement disaster risk management programmes across the other themes in the programme framework.11 This generalist approach will allow staff and partners to make the most of local knowledge and capacity in the countries where Plan is present.

Plan will invest in specialist expertise and distinction to build an identity around three issues that are especially important for children and resonate with the strengths of the organisation.

• Disaster risk reduction (DRR) – a systematic approach to identifying, assessing and reducing the risks of disaster. Disaster risk reduction reduces vulnerabilities to disaster, as well as dealing with the environmental and other hazards that trigger them. Our efforts will contribute to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.12

• Education in disasters and recovery – maintaining education during disasters, minimising disruption to education systems, and restoring education services after conflict or disaster.

• Child protection in disasters – ‘child protection’ is a specific component within the overall protection of children’s rights across all sectors. It deals with protection of children from violence, abuse and exploitation. We treat psychosocial support as a component of child protection.

Plan will establish knowledge and replicable projects on particular issues where we develop extensive experience or campaigns with other themes, for example, girls’ experience in disasters or youth economic empowerment after disasters or conflicts.

Organisational change This strategy demands change in the organisation. As with any change management, the changes will come as much through changes of attitude and understanding as through more tangible changes in systems or capacity. Plan already copes well with disaster risk reduction and development work, so these changes are more relevant for disaster response.

...our work to support and influence local government will be a particular strength.


Plan will be prepared to provide food aid when children are at risk of starvation or suffering chronic malnutrition as a result of prolonged disasters in Plan programme units. Such programmes will be carried out in conjunction with other measures to improve food security. Plan will always consider cash-based programming (cash or voucher distributions or cash-for-work programmes) when it is more appropriate than distribution of goods or food.

Plan will work in various forms of partnership, cooperation and collaboration with community organisations, NGOs, networks, government bodies and international institutions. Given Plan’s long-term presence in particular areas, our work to support and influence local government will be a particular strength.

Where Plan will workIn countries where Plan has a presence, we will always assess the impact of any nationally significant disaster, and respond whenever we can add value. In programme units, we will take a leading role, meaning that we will work closely with local government and local coordination to resolve problems in the overall response. In addition to our initial programmes, we will be prepared to step in and act if others fail to protect children’s rights. Outside programme units, our programmes will make a significant contribution to the overall aid effort and we will be active and influential in coordination mechanisms.

Plan will not normally respond to disasters in countries where there is no Plan office. However, Plan will consider working in disasters with global significance where there are high levels of unmet needs for children and youth, if we are convinced that we can effectively add value by doing so. We would only seek to do so in partnership with other organisations that have an existing presence in the area. Plan will use funds specifically raised for such programmes.

Influencing policy and practice will be an integral part of our programmes, to extend our impact and build our profile. We will give particular attention to promoting responsive and effective local governance. We will focus on a limited range of policy issues for proactive research and advocacy. The issues we work on will relate to education, child protection and disaster risk reduction, or to one of Plan’s priority campaigns or initiatives. We will use our knowledge of events on the ground to establish positions on what needs to change, and then react with advocacy for those changes. We will work with external networks to extend a stronger voice, and coordinate advocacy between different parts of Plan.

Photo: Jocelyn Lance / ECHO Girl collecting water in a relief camp in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where Plan helped victims of heavy flooding.


Outcomes for Plan• Outcome 7:

Plan systems enable and encourage rapid emergency response.

Key indicators• Countries report their alert level

in quarterly reports to regional directors.

• Countries include preparedness grade in annual plans.

• Post-disaster reviews do not show delays because of Plan systems.

• Disaster risk management fund used when needed.

Milestones• FY 10: Alert system

and responsibilities agreed and backed by board-approved policy.

• FY 11: Emergency section for Field Operations Book agreed by Global Leadership Team.

• FY 12: All audit reports for compliance on preparedness and response are positive.

Systems for emergency response

Plan’s culture and business systems need to enable the rapid decision-making that is essential for a fast emergency response. Often full and accurate information is not available when decisions have to be made. Our systems and culture need to recognise and accommodate this risk.

We will identify any bottlenecks that result in slower decision-making or give an incentive to avoiding risk. When making changes, we will consider the systems themselves, but also the culture and habits of the people involved.

We will use an alert system to show what responsibilities lie at each level in various stages of alert.13 The framework will encourage preparedness, early action and reliable programming, and allow managers to monitor performance.

Country programmes and programme units will use a set of indicators14 to rank their state of preparedness and to plan for improvements. These indicators will also enable simple internal audit.

An additional section will be included in the Field Operations Book to clarify how normal accountabilities can be changed during an emergency. The additional guidance will be disseminated with a strong message encouraging changed culture and behaviour.

Most disasters are predictable, so all country plans and budgets will include appropriate provision for preparedness and disaster response, based on their analysis of disaster risk.

The Disaster Risk Management Fund, held in International Headquarters, will be used with minimum bureaucracy to support fast response where in-country funds are insufficient. Extra funds raised for the disaster will replenish the reserve fund when possible.

13 For more information go to planet: Team Resources / Disaster Risk Management / Document Library / Disaster risk management strategy appendices14 Ibid


Communication

Fast and clear communication will enable us to improve our performance in disasters. Our strength must be in knowing what is happening on the ground. We need to communicate whatever we know as quickly as possible, even if the information is incomplete. Our field programmes will generate information about the impact of a disaster, and the implications for children and youth. The information needs to be regularly updated, and illustrated with details, examples and stories.

Once information is available within Plan, we will use it externally to generate media attention, influence, and money from appeals or grants. We will also use it internally to improve coordination and send appropriate support in good time.

In our external communication, through the media and our websites, we will show that Plan is present in the area, that we know what is happening to children and youth, and that we understand the wider causes and longer-term issues. Our specialist issues of child protection, education and disaster risk reduction should feature in a good proportion of external communication. We will find spokespeople from country programmes to speak to the international media. Good external communication will reinforce disaster risk management work as part of Plan’s brand.

Given the different pressures on information, we will need communication protocols for different information types and uses. Sensitive information or analysis needs to be available for management and programme design. Other information needs to be available for fundraising, media and supporters. We will use information technology to make information and pictures easily available.


Good communication enhances our performance and builds our profile.

Key indicators• Information and positions

on disasters reaching management and fundraisers in acceptable time.

• Number of front-page web stories or media references on disaster risk management.

Milestones• FY 10: Basic positioning

agreed on key issues.

• FY 11: Global TV interview on children in a disaster.



Funds raised for disaster risk management increase.

Key indicators• Number of NOs involved in

raising funds for disasters and number of bilateral donors supporting disaster risk management.

• Number of grants for our specialist areas.

• Amounts raised as grants, appeals and semi-restricted for disaster reserves.

• Speed of requests for funds, submission of grants and launch of appeals.

• Effective coordination among NOs for fundraising.

Milestones• FY 10: Real-time

fundraising coordination system working through planet.

• FY 11: Agreed systems for multilateral donors working effectively.

Fundraising

We want to increase the size of our programmes on disaster risk management. To do so, we need to raise more money and goods in kind. While goods in kind can be useful and sometimes represent huge financial value, our preference will be to raise money, especially money for our three specialist areas of child protection, education and disaster risk reduction.

During a disaster response there are often multiple fundraising opportunities, both from grants and from public or supporter appeals. Improved information flow will improve our chances to take these opportunities, but national organisations (NOs) will also coordinate among themselves so that it is easier for them to fill funding gaps and to invest enough time to prepare successful proposals. We will further increase donor funding with good preparation, including the use of template proposals and established relations with donors by country offices. Our own funds earmarked for emergency response will allow the fast response that will leverage more support from donors.

Increasing amounts of funding are coming through multilateral donors and our coordination will avert confusion in applying for these. We will organise ourselves to apply for money from climate adaptation funds to support disaster risk reduction.

NOs will organise themselves to make better use of specialisation, with particular NOs investing time to become expert in particular fields, collaborating on proposals to make best use of capacity.

We will develop signature projects where we have recognised competence in a particular context. Country offices (COs) need to build understanding and capacity for very fast submission of requests to donors and high-quality programme design and proposal development.

NOs will improve their capacity to launch emergency appeals and to raise semi-restricted money for disaster risk management. We will develop our profile and capacity to help NOs to get partnership agreements with donors for disaster response.


Human resource capacity

To be successful in disaster response and specialist areas, we need to use our full capacity to get the right people to the right places at the right time. Our strategy is to build on existing capacity and make it available more widely. To integrate disaster risk reduction into all our work, we need programme staff in all areas to understand and analyse disaster risk.

Every office will have a person identified with clear responsibilities for disaster risk management, including initial disaster response. In all countries facing regular risks, a full-time position should be able to increase the funding that the programme receives.

In every significant disaster, the region and the Disaster Risk Management Directorate will immediately send at least one experienced person to support the country director. As the scale of the programme increases, more people may be deployed.

Any large-scale emergency programme needs to be led by someone with relevant experience and training.

To provide this support, each region will have a cadre of experienced staff who can go quickly to a disaster. This cadre will include full-time regional staff and country office staff with a proportion of their time committed for international work. The same regional cadre will support countries to get disaster risk management into their plans.

National organisations (NOs) will also be able to send people to add to our capacity on the ground. The expertise from NOs may be in programming or in other support functions such as communications.

As a programme develops, in whatever aspect of disaster risk management, we will be able to send other people to support implementation if needed. When we have no suitable staff available, we will employ consultants or contract staff.

We will invest to increase the knowledge and capacity of a range of specialised staff to fill and supplement the regional cadres. Our priorities will be for our specialisations. To do so, we will take advantage of externally-run specialist training programmes. We will develop modules to run our own training courses where others are not appropriate. To learn from our experience, we will involve individuals with good potential in peer reviews and evaluations. We will focus efforts on training those who have already proved their interest and ability in emergency response, giving post-emergency training to help them make the most of their experience. Additional training will be offered to staff in high-risk areas and those who are prepared to be deployed to support in disasters.

All senior managers in country programmes and programme units need to understand disaster risk management and how to manage during a disaster. Each country and region will need to organise appropriate training for their managers.

Each region, and some countries, will develop stronger capacity on a particular aspect of our work. By supporting investment in these places, we will establish ‘centres of excellence’ to provide specialist support to other parts of the organisation. We will have dedicated staff for our influencing work on the specialist areas, using the networks between all parts of Plan to make efficient use of available capacity.


Plan has the right people in the right place at the right time.

Key indicators• Number and speed of deployments.

• Number of staff suitably trained and available for deployment.

• Proportion of field managers with basic training in disaster risk management.

• Number of full-time disaster risk management positions across Plan.

Milestones• FY 10: Regional emergency

leadership cadres established.

• FY 11: Successful deployment of several staff from different parts of Plan for an emergency.

• FY 12: All programme units have a disaster risk management lead with basic training.



Plan extends impact and builds profile by working collaboratively or in partnership with others.

Key indicators• Number of disaster risk

management initiatives carried out with other organisations.

• Extent of involvement in relevant networks, cluster working groups and associations.

• Number of countries in which Plan is involved in national disaster coordination groups.

Milestones• FY 10: Agree standby

memorandum of understanding with another international NGO for exchange of technical capacity.

• FY 11: Plan active in international clusters in all three specialist areas.

Partnership, collaboration and coordinationEven though our own capacity will improve, we can make even more difference if we work in partnership with others. We will use partnerships in programming to share expertise of working in a particular geographic area and to allow us to use different specialist skills and capacity. These partnerships will allow us to use our specialist skills in new areas, and to be involved with a broader range of programmes in the areas we know well.

We will collaborate with specific organisations, in networks, clusters and membership organisations to increase our influence and profile, our effectiveness and access to funds, and to build our knowledge.

We will always coordinate our work with other humanitarian actors in any disaster context.

In high-risk areas, we will establish partnerships as part of our preparation for disasters. In partnerships with local organisations, we may add value by supporting improved capacity for coordination and programme delivery.

Knowledge and learningWe need to learn from the work we do and develop knowledge that will contribute to the sector as a whole.

We will document good examples of our work and share both internally and externally. Where appropriate, we will engage staff from other programmes to help to draw out the relevant lessons from our work. We will commission external evaluations of large or significant programmes.

We will support programmers in their work by developing guidance on programming and analysis. The intention is not to standardise our work, but to be able to have some common ideas reflected in Plan’s work in different places.

As we establish in-depth understanding on particular issues, we will write policy briefs that help our staff and the sector generally to understand the implications of external policy on an issue.

There are standards, such as Sphere or Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines, that guide work in this programme area. We will establish widespread knowledge about these among staff and always aspire to keep our work to these standards.


Plan will learn from the successes and challenges of our work.

Key indicators• Number of evaluations and

reviews shared and cited in new programme designs.

• Number of documents to guide programming available on planet.

• Position papers on key areas.

Milestones• FY 10: Tsunami and food

aid reviews.

• FY 11: DRR DFID final evaluation and review.

Final version approved by IMT 28 September 2009.

Monitoring progress We need to monitor our progress on the implementation of this strategy.

In every programme, we will be using the Programme Accountability and Learning System processes to monitor the outcomes of our programmes at different levels. We will bring this information together in the global effectiveness framework to evaluate Plan’s contributions to the two strategic objectives.

Many of the changes identified in this strategy relate to our organisational performance. We will produce a baseline of key indicators and track changes in reports from different parts of the organisation, using self-assessments and external reviews where no objective measures are easily available.

It will be difficult to use the finance system to track spending on disaster risk management, as much of our expenditure is crosscutting or can be categorised into several different programme areas. We will try to use the system for project outlines to identify how much work relates directly to disaster risk management.

Risk analysisThe key risks to the successful implementation of this strategy are:

• Programme staff do not make a sharp analysis of disaster risk or an emerging crisis

• Risk aversion – programme decision makers do not act on their analysis of disaster risk

• Investment is insufficient to build our capacity and profile

• Capacity for communications in Plan remains as internally focused as it is now, so our public profile fails to change

• The capacity in our programme units does not change to enable rights-based programming and analysis

• That national organisations fail to coordinate and be coordinated

In every programme, we will be using the Programme Accountability and Learning System processes to monitor the outcomes of our programmes at different levels.


Photo: Plan Children look through the window in a school reconstructed by Plan in partnership with Bridge Asia Japan (BAJ), Myanmar.

PLAN’SDISASTER RISKMANAGEMENTSTRATEGY2009-2013

PlanInternational HeadquartersChobham House, Christchurch WayWoking, Surrey GU21 6JGUnited KingdomTel +44 (0) 1483 755155Fax +44 (0) 1483 [email protected] 2009© Text and Photos Plan 2009

Photo: Plan / Warisara SornpetGirl sheltering from rain in a makeshift tent by the roadside after flooding left her family homeless, India.

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