Jordan Times
Friday, October 29, 2004

Community intervention effective strategy for coping with disasters — report

The report, published annually by the IFRCS since 1993, argues that a more developmental approach to creating disaster resilience is needed, by allowing communities to take charge in defining their needs and crafting the right solutions
By Dalya Dajani

AMMAN — While international relief missions remain a crucial arm of assistance in crisis spots, local community intervention has proven to be an increasingly effective method of coping with disasters, a leading regional Red Cross official said on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch of the “World Disasters Report” yesterday, Ahmad Gizo, head of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), said local community resilience has been downplayed by relief entities.

“Relief and humanitarian organisations have always been at the forefront of intervention and assistance in crisis zones, evaluating needs and sources of dangers,” said Gizo.

The report, published annually by the IFRCS since 1993, argues that a more developmental approach to creating disaster resilience is needed, by allowing communities to take charge in defining their needs and crafting the right solutions.

Launched by Minister of Social Development Riyad Abu Karaki who deputised for Her Majesty Queen Rania, the report examines the latest trends, facts and analyses of natural or man-made crises around the world.

Global figures reveal that the number of natural disasters has nearly tripled over the past 30 years. However, the number of deaths reported were 70 per cent lower than previous years due to improved disaster management schemes.

In the report, relief organisations are urged to keep up with new approaches that boost people's resilience to the physical, social and economic challenges they face and rebuild their lives when struck by natural disasters.

Gizo yesterday drew the example of the earthquake in Bam last year and the process of relief assistance extended there.

The quake, which flattened some 85 per cent of the Iranian city and killed between 30,000 to 40,000 people, drew global relief operations to the country. According to the report, the Iranian Red Crescent teams pulled some 157 people alive from the rubble, compared to the efforts of some 34 international teams who saved 22 lives in search and rescue efforts. Moreover, the Iranian Red Crescent managed to use far fewer “sniffer” dogs in the effort.

The capacities of local communities have also led relief entities to reassess resource allocation so as to achieve better results in the long-run. Such options have included, for example, the choice between spending $50,000 on a six-day foreign mission, or spending the money on a two-year training programme for locals.

Her Majesty Queen Rania received firsthand experience of the devastation during a visit to the ancient Iranian city in January where a Jordanian field hospital was dispatched under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah.

The field hospital was filled with relief, aid, tents, food supplies, heaters and medical equipment from the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation.

Chairman of the Standing Commission for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Mohammad Hadid yesterday said that the two relief entities have worked closely together to ensure that crisis intervention is carried out smoothly.

Such coordination helps prevent duplication in efforts in relation to crisis intervention and is based on the Code of Conduct under the Lisbon Agreement of 1997, said Hadid.

The provisions entail guaranteeing the safety of victims and affected people and facilitating aid from donor countries, allowing planes to deliver aid through the use of airports and providing the necessary documents to ease access to country.