Frontline in Nepal: National Advocacy Workshop held, Community level Advocacy Plans worked on

National Advocacy Workshop for DRR at Local Level has been held in Nepal. The National Workshop is a component of Frontline program, an initiative of Global Network of Civil Society Organization for Disaster Risk Reduction (GNDR), being implemented by NSET in Nepal collaborating with various DRR partners. Total 30 participants from community based organizations and various stakeholders shared and discussed on lessons and experiences of DRR actions at community level and also worked on Draft Advocacy Initiative Plan for 6 communities based on findings of surveys conducted in those areas under Frontline program. The National Advocacy Workshop held with specific objectives to share the findings of Frontline survey, share lessons/experience of implementation DRR action in one of the community, identify feasible, doable actions for DRR at the communities; and develop Advocacy Initiative Plan (Action plan) and explore possibilities of collaboration. Addressing the National Workshop, Mr. Amardip Sunuwar from Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) stressed on the need for DRR efforts to focus more at local level to yield the better results. "While measuring progress of DRR efforts, responses from communities are found score least. Communities should be on top of the graph", Mr. Sunuwar remarked. On the occasion, Dr. Amod Mani Dixit from NSET spoke on how DRR agendas have been transformed globally even after 1990 since IDNDR & Yokohama Declaration to Hyogo to Sendai Framework. "All these global strategies and their transformations are spearheading towards building community resilience as to fit in broader frame of DRR" Dr. Dixit stated. He recalled the moment when GNDR had first started as a global CSO forum at GPDRR 2007; and expressed his happiness for NSET being part of GNDR global efforts since then. Mr. Shyam Jnavaly from ADRA Nepal representing AINTGDM stressed that DRR Community should consider new political structure of Nepal and find ways to cooperate with the local government, social stakeholders and representative to make DRR efforts effective in the local level. Mr. Jnavaly also talked on GNDR efforts launched in Nepal starting from VFL2009 to date where local government and communities have remained at focus. Mr. Gehendra Gurung from Practical Action appreciated this process where community feedback is fed to give feedback for global forum. Mr. Gurung stated; "Our emphasis should be also on Governance, Climate change and Social inclusion".

Mr. Rouf Mohammad Abdur, GNDR Regional Development Coordinator for Asia & Pacific also addressed the Workshop. Mr. Abdur explained briefly on GNDR current efforts and also on roles and contributions local and national organizations are to take and make in strengthening global CSOs initiatives.

Mr. Surya Narayan Shrestha from NSET had initially briefed on GNDR efforts in Nepal starting from 2009; namely Views from the Frontline (VFL) in 2009, 2011, 2013; Action at the Frontline (AFL) 2014 and Frontline (FL) 2015-2017. Ms. Nisha Shrestha from NSET had shared on Frontline activities and findings from 6 communities in Nepal.

The ‘Views from the Frontline’ (VFL) project, initiated in 2009, has been highly effective at the international level. VFL 2009 and 2011 highlighted the role of local action and learning as being at the heart of community resilience. As a result VFL 2013 focused on Action and Learning. It was the cycle of reflection, learning and action which enabled communities to become active participants in building community resilience. Action at the Frontline (AFL, 2014) was designed to strengthen local capacities for learning and action in the face of everyday disasters; building community resilience. And in 2015, Frontline was launched as the successor to Views from the Frontline.

NSET served as the Regional Coordinating Organization (RCO) for South/South East Asia for the implementation of VFL program during 2009 -2013; and as the National Coordinating Organization (NCO) for Nepal to implement the VFL 2009-2013, AFL 2014 and now the Frontline (2015). The Frontline program builds on the findings from VFL and analyses in more detail the threats, consequences, actions and barriers of disasters and in particular everyday disasters and resilience. Local impact is a critical measure of progress in the frameworks being established in 2015 and beyond. A vital component of assessing this is Local knowledge of the many threats that affect communities.

The Second part of Workshop focused on sharing from Frontline communities and work out for the Advocacy Plan for the respective communities.

6 different risk zones were identified in Nepal for the implementation of Frontline activities based on the different types of risks according to existing sources, such as risk maps and country risk profile.

Selected Risk Zones, their Location, Associated Risk and the assigned POs

Location	Geography	Major Hazard and Risk	Participating Organization
Dhangadhi Municipality, Kailali,	Kailali district is a part of Seti Zone situated in Far Western Development Region of Nepal	Flood, Fire, Epidemic	Forum for Awareness and Youth Activity (FAYA)
Kalikot	Kalikot district is located in Karnali Zone the Mid-Western Development Region of Nepal.	Rock fall, Landslide, Flood, Earthquake, Epidemic, Avalanche	Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre (KIRDARC)
Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu	Chandragiri municipality is located within Kathmandu valley in the Bagmati Zone in Central Development Region of Nepal.	Fire, Earthquake, Landslide, Epidemic, Flood	CWF- Women’s Network on DRR
Dolakha	Dolkha is the mountainous district of Janakpur Zone in the Central Development Region of Nepal	Flood, Landslides, Epidemic Fire, Lightning, and Thunderstorm	Human Rights Awareness and Development Center (HURADEC)
Triyuga Municpality, Udayapur	Triyuga municipality is located in Udayapur district of Sagarmāthā Zone in South Eastern Development Region of Nepal.	Flood, Landslide, Fire, Earthquake, Storm	Nava Prabhat Nepal
Saptari	Saptari district is a part of Sagarmatha Zone in the Eastern Development Region of Nepal.	Flood, Fire, Epidemic, Earthquake	Koshi Victim’s Society (KVS)

Representatives from the Partner Organizations presented briefly their experiences and issues in the localities.

1. Ms. Raksya Singh Malla, FAYA Nepal:

Activities: we had conducted a survey in January, 2015 at Dhanghadi Municipality in coordination with NSET. We had confined within three wards of Municipality. The respondents are Civil Society, Local Government Officials, People with Disability, and Ethnic group.

Challenge and Learning: We had mobilized the volunteers from local community to conduct survey and the grassroot problems have been identified. Respondent selection was also effective to conduct survey. People have huge expectation with the interviewer to collect data. They wanted cash or kind support from the survey conducting organization. People from Dhangadhi demand the bridge, dam to control flood and awareness programs.

2. Ms. Geeta Pandey, KIRDARC:

Activities: Alliance for disaster network was used for the survey and vulnerability mapping of Kalikot. We had identified the risks of flood, landslide, soil erosion, hailstorm, fire and rock-fall etc. After the survey we had prepared the action plan and mitigation strategy. We had conducted all the activities based on Advocacy Plan to mitigate the DRR in local level. Challenge and Learning: Resource management for the local efforts have been big challenge in the region.

3. Mr. Bidhya Raj Shivakoti, HURADEC, Dolakha:

Activities: We had conducted Frontline survey in four VDCs of Dolakha. We had covered various ethnic groups and landscapes of Dolakha. People have identified the major risk as Earthquake. The sample size was 160 from different age group and professional. Challenge and Learning: People are being dependent; they are seeking cash or kind assistance from the development workers. It has been creating challenge and difficulty to conduct survey in the Village. Many of them are seeking skilled human resource and safe building. People are living yet in temporary shelter.

4. Mr. Durga Nanda Chaudhary, Nawa Prabhat Nepal,Udayapur:

Activities: We had conducted the frontline survey in 4 wards of Triyuga Municipality, Udayapur. Social mobilizers of LGCDP were used to conduct this survey which helps to further planning and implement the program. We had conducted the various activities based on orientation, reviews and awareness to conduct survey.

Challenge and Learning: We had found snakebite, flood, Irrigation problem, drinking water and Drugs as a big problem in this region. DRR activities should be conducted with the involvement of various social stakeholders. DRR program could be successful if we interlink with livelihood and sustainable land use plan. Youth mobilization could be the effective methods for DRR.

5. Mr. Bhimsen Chaudhary, Koshi Victim Society, Saptari:

Activities: We had conducted this survey to identify the risk in the local level. To find out the objective of this research we conducted FGD, baseline survey, observation and orientation to the interviewer about the questioners.

Challenge and Learning: DRR efforts should be placed at local level and advocacy campaign should be there for the successful implementation. Efforts like Early Warning System can help lot.

Sharing on community initiative by Ms. Bindu Shrestha, Women's Group, Thankot (Mahila Jagaran Rin Tatha Bachat Sahakari Limited): We have mobilized women volunteers for Non Structural Mitigation for promoting earthquake safety. We received a basic training from NSET where our women frontliners had acquired basic skills including hands on experience of the job. We initiated the task quite hesitantly as they thought that playing with hardware tools and equipment outside their homes/community was not a woman's job. However the appreciation received after fixing Non Structural components in a couple of school buildings our women activists have developed confidence and earning in themselves. However, we have realized that coordination and cooperation is essential to mitigation risk as well as addition skill to capacity enhance.

The Third part of Workshop focused on Group Works for preparing Draft Advocacy Initiative Plan for the communities. Ms. Bhuwaneshwori Parajuli from NSET briefed on GNDR Advocacy Toolkit where there are 9 tasks and 20 tools for preparing effective DRR Advocacy Plan. Mr. Khadga Sen Oli from NSET facilitated the Group Works.

The participants divided in 3 groups and given the task of preparing Advocacy Plan referring steps and processes suggested in GNDR Advocacy Toolkit.

• Group Work-I: Impacts in Livelihoods due to Drought (Kalikot)
• Group Work-II: Destruction of houses from Earthquake (Thankot+Dolakha)
• Group Work-III: Crop damage and loss of land due to Flooding (Saptari+Dhangadhi+Triyuga)
The major issues and contents for Draft Advocacy Plans have been identified and streamlined. Those are the important bases for developing complete Advocacy Plans. The plans will be shared once finalized.
At the end, Mr. Surya Narayan Shrestha from NSET thanked and appreciated the day-long rigorous efforts to bring Advocacy plan and Action Plan in very well form. Mr. Shrestha remarked; "these are draft versions; we need to fine tune further to develop in presentable forms. What we have generated is not new invention but it helps us to organize our working."

Mr. Rouf Mohammad Abdur from GNDR thanked all the participants for all their efforts.

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