Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction

Acciones tomadas:

Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the National Disaster Risk Reduction

The National Society actively contributes to the implementation of the Sendai Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goals as part of the national Disaster Risk Reduction plan. Following Georgia Red Cross Society’s and Subordinated State Entity – Emergency Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia’s activities contributes to the implementation of the aforementioned frameworks:

 Educational sessions with key decision makers at community and central level on Sendai Framework and its implementation.

1. The National Society conducted education sessions for decision makers (Regional and Local Authorities) in the Regions of Georgia on Sendai Framework and its implementation process.
2. The Georgia Red Cross Society introduced Family Emergency Plans to the Ministry of Education. With the support of the local Resource Centers (under the Ministry of education) National Society covered more than 15 000 school children (60 000 local community members) with non-formal education.
3. At Municipal level collective mitigation (DRR) actions (construction of river bank protections, drainage systems and etc.) have been designed and implemented for strengthening the Disaster Risk Reduction at local level.
4. Georgia Red Cross Society conducted and later updated Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments (VCA) in 12 communities with a participatory approach together with local community members, local authorities, local Non-State Actors and Georgia Red Cross Society staff and volunteers. VCAs serve a strong advocacy tool for the local authorities for inclusion of the risk management and other related solutions into the regional resilience plans.
5. Subordinated State Entity – Emergency Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (EMS) within the close cooperation with non-governmental organizations organized study course on disaster risk management and implementation of Sendai Framework for the central and local level EMS representatives.
6. EMS conducted two educational seminars on disaster risk reduction for the DRR focal points of the relevant ministries/agencies involved in disaster risk management.

Strategy and its Action Plan in order to build community resilience;

1. Community Action Plans have been elaborated and updated together with the local community members and other key stakeholders. Plans have been introduced to the main decision makers in the communities.
2. Simulation exercises based on the evacuation plans have been conducted in more than 40 schools Georgia wide; National Society Informational and Educational materials have been also distributed in the more than 200 schools countrywide.

EMS on regular basis ensures support in elaboration of local level Strategies and Action Plans for building resilience communities.     Integration and promotion of the gender and disability-base considerations in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan;

1. Advocacy meetings and trainings on gender and disability-base considerations have been conducted by the National Society for the decision makers in the Municipalities of Georgia.
2. Simulation exercises with gender and disability-base considerations have been conducted in 21 Municipalities of Georgia.
3. Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments which includes Gender and disability-base considerations have been elaborated in 12 Municipalities of Georgia.
4. Georgia Red Cross Society Participated in the various working groups on gender in Georgia.
5. EMS within the support of non-governmental organizations study – “Gender in Disaster Risk Reduction” on specific needs of women and girls involved in disaster risk management system has been conducted for building community resilience.
6. EMS with close cooperation with the non-governmental organizations a road-map on promotion inclusive approaches within disaster risk management system has been elaborated.

Mainstream and integrate disaster risk reduction within and across all sectors and promote the coherent and further development on national and local levels;

1. The Georgia Red Cross Society executes its coordinating function assigned to it under the Georgian Government Resolution #508 by 2015, with the aim to strengthen the coordination of Non-State Actors involved in the disaster management sector in Georgia. The Georgia Red Cross Society organizes meetings with governmental and non-governmental organizations that contribute to sharing information, experience and lessons learned between the key stakeholders in the Disaster Management sector.
2. EMS with close cooperation with the non-governmental organizations established Resilience Platform, which is a forum for governmental, non-governmental, private/business, scientific and media sector representatives that provides opportunities to share information between stakeholders and ensures opportunity for the GoG to strengthen and mainstream disaster risk reduction in various sectors.
3. EMS conducted Resilience Platform events for the following sectors: non-governmental organizations, media, scientific and academic communities; private and business sector.
4. EMS conducted three study courses for the media representatives and PRs of the relevant state agencies to ensure mainstreaming and implementation of disaster risk reduction within media sector.
5. EMS with close cooperation with non-governmental and private sector organized the public awareness raising event on disaster risk reduction.Awareness raising of public and local authorities on disaster risk reduction;

EMS ensures awarenss raising of Georgian population and local authorities on disaster risk reduction through:

1. Organization of Resilience Platform events;
2. Development of mobile application – EMS Georgia in Georgian and English languages;
3. Establishment of disaster risk reduction web-portal (drrlibrary.ge)
4. On regular basis organization of the celebration event of International Disaster Risk Reduction Day by involving all sectors

Georgia Red cross society is raising awareness of public and local authorities through:

1. Organization of Non-State Actors meetings
2. meetings with the local authorities
3. Educational sessions and street campaigns focused on Disaster Risk Reduction

Development and strengthening of institutions, mechanisms and capacities for building resilience;

Georgia Red Cross Society made proactive steps for development and strengthening institutions, mechanisms and capacities for building resilience through

1. Disaster Risk Reduction projects
2. Trainings for decision makers and local community members
3. Simulations exercises together with the key stakeholders and national and local levels
4. Elaboration and implementation of the Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments
5. Design and implementation of the mitigation projects at local level
6. Implementation of the school based activities

Strengthen the cooperation with and support disaster risk reduction programs/projects conducted by international and non-governmental organizations.

Cooperation is strengthened through:

1. Non-State Actors meetings
2. active participation of the national Society in all the conferences dedicated to Disaster Risk Reduction
3. Disaster Risk Reduction partners coordination meetings
4. stakeholder advisory group meetings

Case studies

Women empowerment through Disaster Risk Reduction

Aftermath of training with the Red Cross
No matter the reason that brought the volunteers to the activities, what is undeniable is the profound changes upon these women. Though these volunteers do their best when they wear their uniforms and have their equipment at hand, each of them is still a mother, a sister, a daughter or even a helping neighbor in time of need at any other time of the day. Family everyday problems can arise without warning and disasters can happen anytime. After all, the duty of a volunteer does not have office hours.

Besides establishing in the women a sense of confidence and independence, it has also empowered them to acquire more responsibilities. After being trained on Psychosocial Support for the last 4 years, Teona has not only achieved a position in the local volunteer branch but is already giving back some of that knowledge and designing activities for the betterment of her community:

What do the men think of so many women taking part in activities that a few decades ago would be characterized as masculine? Bakar may have an answer for that. Not only he doesn’t think that the presence of women is detrimental to their cause, but in reality it augments it:
“It’s very important to have people from all over the community because it’s going to make better work, if all the perspectives are taken into account. We can’t think like women and women can’t think like men. So we don’t know each other’s problems. And the same holds true for disabled people too. Diversity makes us stronger.”
Bakar Bakuradze, 26, volunteer from Ambrolauri, Georgia

Disaster Risk Reduction for disabled people

Disasters can be devastating events in and of themselves, but they are even more threatening to people with disabilities. Therefore, a crucial goal of Disaster Risk Reduction is to mitigate damage to vulnerable social groups. Through close cooperation of groups of people with disabilities with the Red Cross (RC) their particular issues are closely heard, their needs identified and unique strategies that correspond to exposed individuals are developed. At the same time, they are informed and educated on their situation, as it is quite often that these people do not know their rights or the procedures to ask for assistance. In addition, small scale mitigation plans are developed together, such as wheelchair accessible ramps in buildings, and disabled people are taught how to apply for actions like these themselves. Furthermore, activities are planned that aim to incorporate them into the local population, thus increasing social integration and acceptance, reducing the stigma and exclusion that follows a disability and promoting a more active and healthier lifestyle. People with disabilities while benefiting for this work are also actively giving back to the society by becoming volunteers

People with disabilities are included First Aid courses for volunteers, since each disability requires a different approach, actively participate in simulation exercises organized by the Red Cross. For example, during a simulation exercise in Sahkhere in Georgia, local volunteers were evacuating children, older people and people with disabilities from a building after an earthquake. A close supervision was ensured by the local fire department and government representatives.  In a lot of cases for disabled people, the first Psychosocial Support (PSS) after their accident is provided by RC volunteers, who also facilitate the procedures between the Health Department and various ministries on their behalf and also their wheelchairs are delivered through them.
“Participating in the RC as a volunteer is very important for me as a person with disability. It means that I don’t sit alone at home all the time. I have learned how to protect myself and not to rely on others. And now after 4 years I can not only support others properly, but I can also pass that knowledge as a Team  Leader in PSS in emergencies.”
Teona Nemstsveridze, 26, volunteer from Ambrolauri, Georgia

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