Developing the National Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Background
Disaster preparedness and management strategies seek to ensure that appropriate administrative, legislative and technical resources and mechanisms are in place to ensure timely and effective prevention, mitigation and response before, during and after the occurrence of disasters.
Disasters are complex occurrences whose relationship with development can not be ignored in pursuit of sustainable development. The corresponding displacements, morbidity & mortality are enormous. Uganda is prone to both natural and man-made disasters, yet there is no policy as well as legal and institutional framework under which to respond or mitigate the disasters.
In the last decade, Uganda’s vulnerability has been high with mortality of 55%, 43% and 3% for floods, droughts and earthquakes respectively. In August 2007, devastating floods affected the northern regions of the country washing away towns and villages. The Governement of Uganda subsequently declared a state of emergency.
These challenges brought into sharp focus the need for a comprehensive and coordinated disaster management policy and legislation which will take into account an integrated and coordinated multi-sectoral approach and strategies to disaster risk reduction and management in the country.
The current draft policy that has been in the process for the last six years is a good starting point in re-activating the process of finalizing the policy.
Development objectives
The objective of this project is to develop the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy to assist in reducing the risks from potential hazards, ensuring that the country and communities are better prepared to deal with disasters that may occur and ensuring that when they occur, they can be dealt with efficiently and effectively in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
Activities & expected results
The project includes review and analysis of the existing draft policy taking into account the changed times and developments for further nation wide stakeholder consultations to update the draft. It is the draft that is to be tabled to cabinet for discussion for eventual approval. This intervention is led by the Office of the Prime Minister in the Department of Disaster Preparedness since they have the technical competence and mandate.
Implementation phase
The draft Policy document has been reviewed by a team of experts and through nation-wide consultations to obtain input form a cross section of Ugandan society and key stakeholders. The technical team has already incorporated the recommendations of those consultations before presentation to cabinet for approval.
