UN Initiatives for Disaster Management Improvement

UN Initiatives for Disaster Management Improvement

Natural and manmade disasters can be unpredictable. When the disasters strike in developing countries, significant losses can occur. This is because of the lack of proper preparation tackle the disasters of catastrophic magnitudes such as tsunamis and hurricanes. However, there have been recent UN policies aimed at offering assistance to the developing countries. This paper offers a detailed analysis and a discussion of the major UN initiatives focused on improving the disaster resilience globally.

The United Nations International Initiative Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)

UNISDR was enacted in the year 1999 by the UN member states. The establishment of the initiative was a follow-up of the Sendai Framework that is a non-binding 15-year agreement mapping out a wider approach to the disaster risk elimination. The Sendai Framework was a succession of the Hyogo framework adopted in the year 2005.

There are four global priorities for the UNISDR initiative. Firstly, the UN seeks to understand the risks posed by the disasters that occur in other countries apart from the United States. Secondly, the UN looks for ways to strengthen the governance of the disaster for successful management of its risks. Thirdly, there is a heavy investment in the disaster risk reduction efforts to ensure resilience. The reason for the investment is the need for all-time preparation due to unpredictable nature of the disasters.  Lastly, UNISDR enhances the disaster preparedness in the developing states for effective response. The UN (through its environmental conservation arm) aids in the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. This ensures full restoration of the regions hit by the disasters such as earthquake and hurricanes. The UN’s role was evident in the recent Nepal earthquake disaster that left tens of thousands homeless.

The role of UNISDR is to coordinate efforts of the international organization to reduce the risks of disasters. Also, the UN initiative monitors, guides and produce a regular report on the Sendai Framework implementation progress. For years, the initiative has supported the establishment of national, thematic and regional platforms for disaster reduction.

 A classic example of the UN’s support is seen in India, where the United Nations partners with the local civil society organizations, the Indian government and other stakeholders to address the numerous climate change challenges. In fact, the UN initiative assisted in the establishment of the Indian version of Disaster and Climate Risk Reduction (DCR). Since its inception, the Indian DCR has enhanced the resilience of the community through humanitarian action, capacity building, knowledge management, and advocacy. 

Making Global Cities Resilient

The ‘Making Cities Resilient’ campaign was launched in the year 2010 to reduce the urban risks in case of disasters. The focus on the city was mainly due to the habitation by millions of people. In Africa, the cities located near the fault lines have been included in the UN’s list of cities that require adequate resiliency to disasters. At the local level, major cities inhabited by millions of residents around the globe have been served with UN’s 10 point list that guide on disaster preparation and resiliency.  The essentials in the list include the setup of an organization to foresee the coordination of the disaster risk management efforts. As such civil societies have been invited to participate in building local alliances to combat the rising cases of disasters.

On the other hand, budgets have been assigned to be utilized in case of disasters in urban areas. The budgets have factored in the need for provision of incentives to low-income families and businesses to ensure full restoration and resettlement at the aftermath of disasters. The UN has also participated in the maintenance of updated data regarding the city risks, vulnerabilities and the development of proper city plans. An investment on infrastructure that is critical in disaster risk reduction has been one of the top priorities for the UN in other countries. This involves the maintenance of drainage systems.

The Help to the United States

Before the initiatives were enacted by the UN, The United States (as a world leader) bore a heavy burden of assisting the developing countries in Asia, Middle East, and Africa to recover from devastating disasters. This overburdened the US taxpayers. The United Nations has taken over the mantle now though there is still wide consultation with the US policy makers to offer disaster management training assistance to other countries.

Though the United States is a wealthy and developed country, the assistance from the UN in case of catastrophic disasters cannot be ruled out. The recent devastations in Nepal and Japan serve as constant reminders that no country is immune to the risks presented by disasters. In fact, it is barely a decade since the United States was hit by powerful hurricanes (Hurricane Katrina), causing tons of fatalities and massive evacuation. In light of all these development, the US keeps a close watch on UN’s initiatives requesting assistance whenever needed.

Obstacles

The primary obstacles to disaster initiatives include the mismanagement of funds assigned to the disaster control. In developing countries, there have been cases where government diverts the funding for disaster preparation to other activities. Eventually, when disasters strike, the risks reach unprecedented levels. Additionally, the UN has received little support from the interested parties internationally to boost the implementations of the initiatives. Little attention is given to the preparation measures as compared to the ongoing developments in many countries.