Plan's Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2009 - 2013

8/3/2019 Plan's Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2009 - 2013

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PLANSDISASTERRISK

MANAGEMENTSTRATEGY

2009-2013


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ContentsVision of Plans disaster risk 3management in 2013

Disaster risk management 3in Plans mission and

programme frameworkExternal context 4

Terminology 4

Conceptual frameworks

Concept of disasters 5

Rights and duties 5

2 l PLANS DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2009-2013

Strategic objectives

1. Children and youth grow up 6safely in resilient communities

2. Children and youth realise 7their rights in emergencies

Approach 8Where Plan will work 9

Organisational change 9

Systems for emergency response 10

Communication 11

Fundraising 12

Human resource capacity 13

Partnership, collaboration 14& coordination

Knowledge and learning 14

Monitoring progress 15

Risk analysis 15


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1Disaster 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 o f 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 Plans disasterrisk 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.

Plans 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 childrens 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 Plans brand.

Disaster risk managementin Plans mission andprogramme 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. Plans 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 worlds 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 increaseunderstanding and unity among peoples of different cultures and countries.

This strategy is to inform all Plans 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.

Plans governance bodies and management have agreed the need to increase our

work on disasters and disaster risk. Given Plans 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.

PLANS DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2009-2013 l 3

Plansgovernancebodies and

managementhave agreed theneed to increaseour work ondisasters anddisaster risk.

Photo: Plan / Mary Matheson

Children on a bridge damagedby floods in Ifakara, Tanzania.


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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.

Terminology

Throughout 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

2Disaster 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.htm3Vulnerability The charactaristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to the damagingeffects of a hazard. UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction 2009.

4Hazard 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.


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Conceptual frameworks

Two frameworks underpin this strategy:

Concept of disastersPlan 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.

Peoples 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 towithstand 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 dutiesChildren 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, Plans 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

dependsboth on theseverity of thephenomenon

(the hazard)and thevulnerabilityof thoseaffected.

5Resilience 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: Plan

Girl sitting in a canoe inthe Ayeyarwady deltaregion, Myanmar.


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Strategic objectives

The analysis and concepts presented above lead to twostrategic goals. Plans programmes will aim to contributeto 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 safelyin 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 riskreduction 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 reducingdisaster 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 indicators

Outcome 1:

Number of countrieswith 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 ofprojects 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 ofdisaster 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

InternationalDevelopment (DFID)

project accompanied

by overall review of

disaster risk reduction

(DRR) in Plan.


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2: Children and youth realise all theirrights 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

childrens rights in emergencies

Outcomesfor Plan

Outcome 4: Respond to

all significant disasters

in Plan countries, unless

our assessment shows

that no help is needed.

Outcome 5: Increasethe scale of emergency

responses.

Outcome 6: Become

a global player in

child protection and

education in disasters.

Key indicators

Outcome 4:

Proportion of disasters

(declared in alert system)

that Plan responds to.

Number of country

programmes achieving the

highest level of organisationalpreparedness 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 partnershipsand 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 systembeing 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


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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 appendices

10 The Humanitarian Charter is included with the Sphere Standards [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009.Available from www.sphereproject.org

11 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 appendices

12 Hyogo Framework for Action, signed by 168 governments in 2005 [online]. Accessed 2 November 2009.

Available from www.unisdr.org/eng/hfa/hfa.htm

Approach

All Plans 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 socialcontext. 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. Plans 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. Plans 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 Plans 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 ofconflict 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 childrens 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 childrens 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.


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Organisational changeThis 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 workto support andinfluence local

government willbe a particularstrength.


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 Plans 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 childrens 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 Plans 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 / ECHOGirl collecting water in a reliefcamp in Santa Cruz, Bolivia,where Plan helped victimsof heavy flooding.


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10l PLANS DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2009-2013

Outcomesfor 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

Plans 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 simpleinternal 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 appendices

14 Ibid


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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 Plans 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.

Outcomesfor Plan

Outcome 8:

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.

MilestonesFY 10: Basic positioning

agreed on key issues.

FY 11: Global TV

interview on children in

a disaster.


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Outcomesfor Plan

Outcome 9:

Funds raised for

disaster risk

management

increase.

Key indicatorsNumber of NOs involved in

raising funds for disasters and

number of bilateral donors

supporting disaster

risk management.

Number of grants for ourspecialist 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 systemsfor 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.


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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 existingcapacity 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 takeadvantage 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 providespecialist 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.

Outcomesfor Plan

Outcome 10:

Plan has the

right people in

the right place

at the right time.

Key indicatorsNumber 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 havea disaster risk management lead

with basic training.


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Outcomesfor Plan

Outcome 11:

Plan extends

impact and builds

profile by working

collaboratively

or in partnership

with others.

Key indicatorsNumber 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, collaborationand coordination

Even 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 learning

We 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 Plans 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.

Outcomesfor PlanOutcome 12:

Plan will learn from

the successes and

challenges of

our work.

Key indicatorsNumber 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.

MilestonesFY 10: Tsunami and food

aid reviews.

FY 11: DRR DFID finalevaluation and review.


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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

Plans 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 outlinesto identify how much work relates directly to disaster risk management.

Risk analysis

The 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 everyprogramme,we will be using

the ProgrammeAccountabilityand LearningSystemprocesses tomonitor theoutcomes of ourprogrammes at

different levels.


Photo: Plan

Children look throughthe window in a schoolreconstructed by Plan inpartnership with BridgeAsia Japan (BAJ), Myanmar.


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PLANSDISASTERRISK

MANAGEMENT

STRATEGY

2009-2013

PlanInternational HeadquartersChobham House, Christchurch Way

Woking, Surrey GU21 6JGUnited Kingdom

Tel +44 (0) 1483 755155Fax +44 (0) 1483 756505

[email protected]

Published 2009 Text and Photos Plan 2009

Photo: Plan / Warisara SornpetGirl sheltering from rain in amakeshift tent by the roadsideafter flooding left her family

homeless, India.

Plan's Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2009 - 2013

Documents

Transcript of Plan's Disaster Risk Management Strategy 2009 - 2013