Background
Nepal is prone to multiple disaster events due its diverse physiography and climatic condition. The 2015 Constitution of Nepal established a federal system in Nepal with three levels of government - federal, provincial and local. Nepal's disaster governance architecture is principally guided by Nepal’s Constitution 2015. The constitution has given the responsibility of disaster risk reduction and management to local level, which is also included in the concurrent power of Federal, Province and Local Level. The spirit of the constitution suggests that local governments shall do as much as they can on their own, and where they cannot, provincial and federal governments shall provide back-up or assume primary responsibilities.
Local government is the closest government of the local people for their day-to-day life in Nepal. It's emphasis revolves around the agenda of infrastructure development and the agenda of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management is being overshadowed. One of the reasons for this is lack of adequate knowledge of elected leaders regarding DRR. Therefore, strengthening the capacity and supporting the provincial and local governments including the disaster management committees is vitally important.
To assess the situation of implementation of disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) policies and plans in local level, International Organization for Migration (IOM) under the leadership of Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) conducted a need and capacity assessment study of 20 selected municipalities across all 7 Provinces and prepared Disaster Risk Management Localization Manual with view to enhance the capacity of local governments on disaster risk management. To implement the training on localization of Disaster Risk Management Localization Manual, a project: ‘Promoting Action for Disaster Risk Governance and Working to Achieve Preparedness for Risk Reduction through Technical Assistance in Nepal’ (Pariwartan) was conceptualized under the leadership of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) as a part of IOM Nepal’s technical assistance and USAID Nepal’s support to Government of Nepal and implemented by a Consortium of Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and Practical Action Consulting (PAC) and National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET) as Consortium Lead.
The project aims to assist Government of Nepal to enhance the DRM governance at federal, provincial, and local levels. In order to achieve this, the project will support in strengthening the legal framework of both the provincial and local levels taking into account the roles and responsibilities of the federal, provincial as well as local governments for effective and efficient disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery activities.
Objectives
The principal objective of the project is to contribute to improved federal, provincial and municipal DRRM legislative regulatory framework that facilitates timely and comprehensive Disaster Management with strengthened capacity to develop resilient community.
The specific objectives are to:
• Foster understanding of local governments on the underlying causes of existing disaster risks, hazards and needs of mainstreaming DRR &M into planning process.
• Capacity building training for all elected representatives and officials of all 753 local levels of Nepal on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
• Enhance local authorities’ capacity on DRRM that will greatly assist in the development, drafting or revision of local DRRM Acts and/or strategic action plans in the local context.
Target Groups
The elected representatives and government officials at the Federal, Provincial, Municipal levels, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC), District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), and Local Disaster Management Committee.
Beneficiaries
The main beneficiaries of the project are mayors, deputy mayors, ward chairs, women representatives of 702 local government executive committees and Chief Administration Officer, section heads and officers of law, administration and DRRM related divisions/sections of 77 districts.
The direct beneficiaries are 14040 local elected representatives and government officials from 702 Local Governments (LGs).
Indirect Beneficiaries are divided into two categories. Catogory-1 include 33500 local elected representatives such as ward representatives, Community disaster management committee members (CDMC) and local government officials while the catogory-2 include total population of 702 local level.
Approach and Methodology
The project aims to build comprehensive DRRM capacities of 702 local levels in Nepal through capacity building training based on module developed by MOFAGA and IOM. In order to execute the project efficiently, a Project Steering Committee to be formed. the project activities will be conducted in collaboration with MOFAGA, IOM, project delivery organizations; NSET, PAC & LWF and Project Advisory Committee. The project will conduct 2-day long non-residential 702 trainings for elected leaders and government officials at local level. DRRM professionals having knowledge and expertise on delivering trainings will be used as trainers. These trainers will be paired on with IOM P-ToT graduates to deliver the training at 702 local levels.
Coverage Area: All Nepal (753 local level)