Mr Vikrant Mahajan, CEO Sphere India, said that this was a milestone moment for Sphere India especially on the occasion of IDDRR day when globally stakeholders and collaborators come together and review their commitments for reducing disasters and disaster risks and leaving no one behind. “The launch of these handbooks in India is a big step towards translating global goals at the national as well as local levels.”
Mr Sarabjit Singh Sahota, Emergency Specialist, DRR Section, UNICEF India, said that “the Handbooks will fill a critical gap area and show the relevance of the social sector in Emergency Response. The handbooks give clarity on the difference between development programming and emergency programming and the role that the social sector plays in this”.
Prof. Santosh Kumar, NIDM stressed on community engagement at the inception of any program, especially in DRR to ensure that the needs of the community are met and its risks and vulnerabilities are mitigated. He said that SphereIndia and NIDM have followed this mandate in the formulation of these handbooks.
Several leading humanitarian agencies including Mr Justin Jebakumar, Director of Government Relations, Habitat for Humanity India; Prof Anil K Gupta, Head ECDRM, NIDM; Ms Lee Macqueen, Sr Program Manager, NCDHR, and Dr Rajat Jain, president, Doctors for You also spoke on this occassion. Dr Henna Hejazi, Sr Program Manager, Sphere India and Dr Sweta Baidya, Consultant, NIDM coordinated the event.
Prof Anil Kr. Gupta, Head ECDRM, NIDM, mentioned that the efforts for developing these handbooks started before the pandemic and are a culmination of almost two years of efforts by Sphere India and NIDM with over 20 consultative meetings and COVID-19 Academy webinars while developing them. “The handbooks have linkages with the PMs 10 point agenda on DRR, especially point 8 as this initiative is geared towards developing local capacities”.
Lee Macqueen, Sr.Program Manager, NCDHR and Vice Chair Sphere India and Lead Protection Committee briefly explained all aspects of the Handbook with practical guidance and advice on how different stakeholders and sector actors like NGOs, CSOs, Government at all levels, UN agencies, and Media can come together and strategise a collective response and preparedness during emergencies, prior to emergencies and post emergencies which are based on key humanitarian principles on needs, without discrimination. “It provides uniform guidance, advice, what could be the approach to strengthen our preparedness and guidelines for contingency planning at National, State and local level,” Lee said.
Shruti Misra Co-Lead, DRR, HCL Foundation said CSR utilisation should be in effective way in rehabilitation band resettlement.
There should be Comprehensive Risk Management Technology for predicting the vulnerability loss bad risk assessment. She said that we need to educate CSR and it's Impact among masses and corporate houses.
Justin Jebakunar, Director of Government Relations, Habitat for Humanity India, Lead Shelter Committee talked about the shelter sector which stays for too long in disaster cycle. He said we need to engaged community in the process. Building codes to be followed in construction work. How the land should be selected, what kind of technology whether it’s a load bearing structure or a frame structure.
Photo and inputs by Nitish Kumar