facing the challenge of rebuilding
TRANSCRIPT
Facing the Challenge of Rebuilding
Buddika Hapuarachchi
Practical Action – South Asia Programme
Sri Lanka
Sri LankaExtent : 65000 Square km
Population : 19.6 Mn
Ethnicities: Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim
Practical Action–about usPractical Action is a development organisation
interested in identifying and offering appropriate
technology options to combat situations of poverty
and marginalisation.
The brainchild of an economist of the 1960s, Dr. E F
Schumacher, the organisation has grown to reach
communities in several countries, the work being
co-ordinated from 7 offices from around the world
located in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Zimbabwe and Peru
Agro-Processing & Food Production Programme
• Access to markets • Technology
development• Micro enterprise
development
Infrastructure Programme
ITDG - South AsiaITDG - South Asia
• Labour based road technology for rural roads
• Intermediate mode of transport• Cost effective housing• Bricks &
compressed
soil blocks
Energy Programme
• Micro-hydro
• Bio-gas
• Small wind power generation systems
• Energy from biomass
• Energy Forum
• Wind-solar hybrid
Disaster Mitigation Programme • Livelihoods options for
disaster reduction in South Asia
• Livelihoods security• Regional network –
Duryog Nivaran• Lanka Rain Water
Harvesting Forum
Disasters are not isolated happenings, they are a combination of hazards & vulnerability
• In Sri Lanka, the tsunami that struck on the morning of December 26, 2004 left behind widespread destruction– killed over 41,000 people– destroyed over 85,000 homes,– Displaced 443,000 people– Affected more than 1 million– 250000 livelihoods– 24,000 boats (75% of the fishing fleet)– damaged natural ecosystems– Damage to infrastructure US$ 1.7 billion
Rebuilding effort
• Civil society played a significant role in relief
• International community pledged US $ 3.2 bn
• Private sector came forward to support the government
• New structures are formed to coordinate the effort (TAFREN, RADA)
• Approx. 3000 INGOs/NGOs started work in Sri Lanka
The problem of the rebuilding Process
• overlook special needs of particularly vulnerable groups
• affected Community participation minimal• agencies overlook locally available human and
physical resources• no long term and sustainable development
thinking• poor standards and practices• top down planning• resource intense approach
Goal/Aim:
To influence the plans and practical implementation of reconstruction activities in Sri Lanka (and South Asia more generally) following the December ’04 Tsunami, so that integrated, sustainable and participatory approaches to reconstruction are practiced and promoted.
Advocacy Programme
Core Advocacy Messages of Practical Action
Recovery process should be:
1. Participatory / Consultative
2. Include disaster risk preparedness
3. Community Specific (appropriate)
4. Environmentally sensitive
5. Conflict sensitive
6. Gender sensitive
7. Disability sensitive
Reconstruction and
Development Agency
Tsunami Affected Communities
•Human Rights Commission
•Practical Action
•Universities
•Like Minded Organizations
Practical Action
Activities Carried out
• Participating to coordination meeting• One to one discussions with policy makers and
implementers• Presentations and formal letters targeting key
officials• Alliance building• Workshops –Building Back Better – Are we on
track?• Providing recommendations and guidelines
Achievements
• Policies are changed but the practice?• Building the capacity of stakeholders
Challenges ahead
• Revised rebuilding policy included the people participation, disaster risk sensitivity, special attention to vulnerable groups, transparency and environmental sensitivity
Towards a regional road map for disaster risk reduction
• South Asia Policy Dialogue
• South Asia Disaster Report
• Duryog Nivaran – Regional network for disaster management
• Policy influencing and monitoring
Thank you!
www.practicalaction.org www.janathakshan.org