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JAPAN’S APPROACH TO HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Kae Yanagisawa
Japan International Cooperation Agency
October 21, 2015, Beijing
Topics to be covered
1. An overview of JICA’s approach to disaster risk reduction
2. Japan’s international humanitarian assistance
3. Actors involved in humanitarian assistance
4. Strengths and Weaknesses of the current system
5. What we learned from past experiences
1. An Overview of JICA’s approach to disaster risk reduction
JICA and disaster risk reduction• JICA is an implementing agency of international development and
humanitarian assistance of the Government of Japan
< Our belief>• All phases of disaster management cycle should be covered• Investing in prevention and preparedness measures is less costly
than spending in relief and recovery• When hit by disasters, recovery should be made in a “Build Back
Better” way so that the future risk of similar disasters is reduced• Disaster risk reduction should be pursued at all level of the society,
and government should play a critical role
①Prevention / Preparedness
Disaster
②Emergency Response/Relief
③Recovery
Strengthen the role of government
Assised National Disaster Management Agency of Pakistan in creating National Disaster Management Plan and Provincial Human Resources Development Plan
JICA
Engineering works
Drainage well for landslide prevention, Honduras
Flood prevention in urban Phnom Penh,Cambodia
JICA
Cooperation with China
JICA
Upgrading Response Capacity
Community-based capacity development for better preparedness
< Thailand > Evacuation drill< Nepal >
Hazard MapJICA
Build Back Better
After Wenchuan Earthquake
Recovery of vegetation of forestryPsychological support and education for disaster risk reduction JICA
2. Japan’s International Humanitarian Assistance
Channels of Japan’s international humanitarian assistance
GOJ
Own resources
UN organizations,IFRC, etc.
NGOs
Affected country
Donations from companies and
individuals
Implementing organizations for different causes
Natural disasters
Complex (man-made) emergencies
Disaster relief teams
Relief goods
PKOElection support, etc.
Financial support
Relief goods
Cabinet Office
MOFA
JICA
Distinct features of Japan’s international humanitarian
assistanceUnlike other governments in Europe and US, the Government of Japan
1) Uses its own (human and material) resources
NGOs are not implementing government-led
humanitarian assistance
2) Assistance to natural disasters and complex emergencies are placed under the responsibilities of different organizations
Origin of Japan’s humanitarian assistance
• In 1979, more than a million Cambodian refugees fled to Thailand• Japan was the second largest economy in the world.• Japanese Government provided financial assistance of $60million.• European NGOs were operating in large scale, but there was
almost no international NGO in Japan at that moment.
Criticism: Japan only provides money, but no human contribution.
1979 Japan Medical team was created by the GOJ.1982 Japan Medical Team for Disaster Relief was created. Purpose: to maintain a pool of medical professionals who register voluntarily and agree to work under the leadership of the government.
1987 The Law concerning the Dispatch of Japan Disaster Relief Team passed the parliament Search and Rescue Team and Expert Team were added as JDR Team. Purpose: to reach the same level of capabilities with other countries
Origin of separating natural disasters and complex emergencies
JDR teams had been deployed to both natural disasters and complex emergencies until 1991.
Turning point: the Gulf War in 1990-1991
GOJ contributed $13.5 billion and deployed Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force for mine-sweeping operations.
But reaction from the international community was again, “just money, no human contribution”!
1992 Act on Cooperation for United Nations Peace Keeping
Operations and Other Operations passed the parliament
The Law concerning the Dispatch of JDR was amended to
enable the deployment of JSDF for natural disaster relief.
MOFA explained to the parliament that JDR teams would not
be deployed for complex emergencies
Political and diplomatic motive
vs. perception of the public toward international conflicts
3. Actors involved in international humanitarian assistance
A. Own resources of the government
Japan disaster relief team
Relief goods
Implementing Agency
MOFAMOFA
Goods
Personnel
Emergency Grant Finance
Search and Rescue
Disaster experts
JSDF
Medical
Responsible body
GOJ
Functions of the Japan Disaster Relief Team
Search and Rescue Team
Search and rescue of the collapsed buildings
Medical Team Clinical care and surgery
Expert TeamAdvice on epidemic control,
building diagnosis, monitoring of volcanic activities, etc.
JSDF TeamMedical assistance
Transportation
19 times
57 times
45 times
16 times
B. Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)< History>
Most international NGOs were created at the onset of
major international disasters, starting from the
Cambodian refugee case in 1979
< Categories>
a) Japan Red Cross Society (since 1877)
b) Affiliated to international NGOs originated in other
countries
Save the Children, World Vision, etc.
c) Home grown NGOs
Characteristics of Japanese NGOs
• Certain portion of NGOs are focused on international cooperation, while the rest address both international and domestic affairs
• Many NGOs are engaged in long-term development projects (education, health, water, community development, etc.) in addition to humanitarian assistance
• They do not differentiate humanitarian crises on the base of origins (natural disasters vs. complex emergencies)
• Small-scale NGOs are working in a limited number of countries on limited number of issues
Challenges NGOs are facing• Relatively small financial base
Comparison of annual revenue
World Vision Japan: USD 37 million
World Vision USA: USD 982 million
Save the Children Japan: USD 25 million
Save the Children USA: USD 694 million
• Difficulty in mobilizing funding to respond to emergency cases
Collective efforts for effective humanitarian assistance
Japan Platform
Individuals
Companies
Organi-zations
Consultative group
Private sector
Govern-ment
47 memberNGOs
Money
Goods
Goods
Money
Member NGO
Member NGO
Member NGO
4. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Current System
Analysis of Japan’s international humanitarian assistance
Strengths Weaknesses
Government Quick decision based on-Legal framework-Financial resources-Readily available teams and goodsPreparation-Regular training of teams-Stockpiling of goods
Skewed to emergency phase
Lack of flexibility
Distinction between natural and manmade disasters
NGOs FlexibleLong-term engagementNo distinction between natural and manmade disasters
FragmentedWeak financial base
Overall
Division of labor of different actors is clear
But,
Comprehensive assessment and coherent planning and implementation are missing
Disaster
Emergency phase
Recovery periodNormal
life
Life-saving activities
Water and sanitation,Health,
Nutrition,Care for the elderly and
disabled,Education etc.
JDR teamsRelief supplies
NGOsUN organizations
Affected population
Media coverage, Public attention
Reconstruction
JICA’s development assistance
4. What we learned from past experiences in humanitarian assistance
Working environment we are facing
• Politicians, media and general public tend to emphasize speed, but not necessarily effectiveness of assistance
• They are compassionate with disasters that are familiar in Japan (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.) but less attentive to unfamiliar disasters (drought, complex emergencies, etc.)
• They are interested in the visibility of Japan’s contribution
What we need to respect as basic principles
Fundamental objectives of humanitarian assistance
Save lives
Alleviate suffering of affected population
Maintain and protect human dignity
And
Reduce burden of the affected country
What we should do
1. Be part of international coordination mechanism
UNDAC, Cluster system, etc.
2. Adhere to principles
UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182
Code of Conduct
(27 NGOs are signatories and others on waiting list)
Core Humanitarian Standards
International Disaster Response Law (IDRL)
3. Flexible and responsive to the needs on the ground
4. Bridging between humanitarian assistance and development assistance
In the floods in Thailand, 2011
JICA
In Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, 2015
New South Wales, Fire and Rescue News, June 2015
In the earthquake of Nepal, 2015
Yosuke Okita, OCHA
謝謝
Thank you for your attention