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Three guidelines were followed in the project:
• Participation of government agencies and private
sector (companies and social) in designing a local
map of risk
• Building of local networks and mechanisms for
prevention, preparation and response, with coordination
between them being a priority for the project
• Strengthening of networks at national level,
including coordination and support for institutions
working in networks.
recommendations arising from these meetings have allowed us
to address the links between disasters and climate change, while
supporting the concept that risk reduction should be a part of the
social development agenda.
For this reason a substantial effort is devoted to the discussion of
legislation for emergency prevention, and response, to the integra-
tion of special groups that provide primary information useful for
alerting, to territorial development projects to public investment
that include a risk reduction perspective.
We also encourage the involvement of academic institutions, and
several universities (public and private) already offer degrees in risk
management and risk reduction. Others include the subjects in their
regular courses on urban planning.
Argentina pays special attention to the struggle against hunger
and poverty, which we are convinced are major components of
vulnerability and should be eradicated in order for resilience to
become a reality. With this in mind, we emphasize the key role that
capable and organized volunteers can play and we also support
the active involvement of each community in the design of local
risk maps.
We believe that communities should be actors in searching for
proactive solutions, not bystanders. In this way, their voices can be
heard and their capabilities acknowledged. With adequate legislation,
effective coordination among the public and private sectors and the
help of civil and academic society, risk reduction may have a chance.
Coordination between Government and non-governmental
organizations
The work of our platform has been strengthened with the active and
coordinated, participation of its members, from the Government
as well as from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and
multilateral agencies. There has been a successful project by the
Argentinean Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies and the European Union, reinforced
by the White Helmets Commission, the office for Civil Protection,
the Ministry for Health and the Secretary for the Environment,
and also by the Universities of Buenos Aires and Litoral, Caritas,
Scouts of Argentina, Save the Children, ‘
Acción Sur
’ and ‘
Acción
contra el Hambre
’ (Action against Hunger). The Pan American
Health Organization (PAHO), the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the Organization of American States (OAS),
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the
Spanish Agency for International Cooperation also contributed to
the project.
In order to advance the project, we established a strategy giving
priority to local and community participation. The local production
of risk maps was encouraged, along with the involvement of public
and private representatives from local networks for risk manage-
ment. Activities took into consideration the presence in the scene
of those involved, especially the Red Cross, Caritas and the Scouts.
The design of a ‘map of risk’ with local participation at community
level was the main goal, which was achieved by the organization
of a workshop and several meetings aimed at strengthening local
networks. A special work module for children and teenagers was
developed as part of the project framework, taking advantage of
institutions working at local level.
A publication will be edited as a tool for the project members and
as a possible model for other organizations involved in disaster risk
management.
REHU-MERCOSUR
Argentina is making similar efforts within the
Mercado
Común del Sur
(MERCOSUR) by coordinating with
Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. These efforts have led
to the creation of the Specialized Meeting for Disaster
Risk Reduction, Civil Defense, Civil Protection and
Humanitarian Assistance (REHU). Venezuela and Chile
will soon join this initiative.
We also consider that it will be necessary that the most
developed countries and the organisms of the United
Nations system strongly support developing countries.
In order to improve the coordination among our
countries to fulfil the objectives, it is essential to support
the work of the focal points and the platform. Likewise,
listening to their requests, understanding their issues
and focusing on their proposals will be also extremely
useful to strengthen the work. An equal distribution of
the resources among the regions and sub-regions will
contribute to this purpose.
We believe that the institutional strengthening of the
national and sub-regional platforms might be one of
the key points to highlight and provide continuity to the
international strategy in America. We are willing to work
towards the reduction of risk, taking into account that
those who are more vulnerable are the most affected.
We should all cooperate to reduce disaster risk, which is
so counterproductive to the development of our nations.
Project beneficiaries
“We have lived in the forest and the forest was our supply.
Unfortunately the forest was destroyed and nowadays
our home is affected by floods. In this meeting we can tell
you about our reality.”
Barrio Nala de Roque Sáenz Peña, Chaco
“This teenager meeting allowed us to share with you how
we can organize to face the floods in our neighborhoods.
It is very important to have coordination with other
organizations at local level for successful prevention.”
Rosario de la Frontera, Salta
“Thanks to the project we are working locally to improve
existing emergency prevention to reduce danger and
vulnerability, working together with NGOs, institutions
and the community and with a new element – children’s
and teenagers’ opinions.”
Henry Chiroque, Save the Children Argentina.