Under the theme "Early warning systems for all and emergency response mechanisms", this 10th World Water Forum session T3E3 organized by GWC Member Solidarités International, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) of Indonesia, will focus on the preparedness and response pillar, emphasising the importance of emergency preparedness and response plans (EPRPs) and anticipatory actions that take into account the specific needs of women, young people and socially excluded groups, and prepare them to play a leading role in disaster risk management.
Join it on 23 May 2024, 07:30 - 09:00 AM UTC+8.
This conversation will aim to identify the challenges and obstacles to the proper development and implementation of EPRPs in various contexts. It will look at the roles and responsibilities of the different actors involved in the emergency response to water-related disasters - local civil society, civil protection and Red Cross/Red Crescent organisations, NGOs, authorities, etc. - in the context of disaster risk management.
In particular, the session will attempt to detail the importance of:
- A robust emergency preparedness and response plan, developed on the basis of a comprehensive risk analysis, regularly updated, inclusive, disseminated to all stakeholders, explained and tested wherever possible.
- Coordinated responses with clear leadership and clear roles and responsibilities. This also includes the application of standard operating procedures and response monitoring capabilities. This is particularly true when different sectors are involved (water, health, etc.), for example during water-related epidemics such as cholera.
- Active participation, meaningful representation and decisive leadership from local and national stakeholders, including civil society organizations and institutions and ministries.
- Adequate funding, not only to develop EPRPs, but also to implement them, including at local level. Although emergency responses tend to focus more on rapid onset events, the session will also address slow onset interventions, such as droughts, given the increased impact of these types of water-related disasters.
The session will identify the main challenges and bottlenecks and make recommendations to address them. In particular, it will examine how to improve the effectiveness of emergency responses through the lenses of different stakeholders and taking into account the contribution of the other two sessions which will focus on improving early warning systems.
Session agenda and speakers:
- Introduction: Setting the scene
- Baptiste Lecuyot - Senior WASH Adviser, Solidarités International Europe
- Case study presentation South Sudan & Yemen
- Antonio Torres, International Organization for Migration
- The Children's Climate Risk Index: Informing better preparedness and response
- Silvia Gaya - Regional Adviser for WASH, Climate, and Environment for East Asia and Pacific, UNICEF
- Panel Discussion and Q&A (including take away questions or messages)
- Dwikorita Karnawati - BKMG Indonesia
- Ewinur C. Machdar - Asia Pacific Regional WASH Coordinator, IFRC
- Damien Blanc - Thematic Expert Water, Sanitation, Shelter and Settlement, DG-ECHO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific
- Annegien Tijssen, - NGO/CSO representative, Deltares
- Conclusion
- Baptiste Lecuyot - Senior WASH Adviser, Solidarités International Europe
Session T3E3 - Improving emergency response in water-related disasters - access here