SEARCH Webinar Series #1 "Lessons Learned from Non-Governmental Actors on the Implementation of Inclusive and Adaptive Disaster Response in Southeast Asia"

Our first South East Asia Resilience HUB (SEARCH) Webinar series with the theme of: "Lessons Learned from Non-Governmental Actors on the Implementation of Inclusive and Adaptive Disaster Response in Southeast Asia" was held on August 26^th 2020. This webinar discussed the aspect of Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) and inclusiveness in community resilience drawing lessons and findings from communities from the Southeast Asian Region with the hope to ultimately strengthen disaster resilience through knowledge exchange.

The event was moderated by Suryani Amin, RDI Senior Research Fellow. As for the speakers, Dr. Mercy Rampengan, our Senior Research Fellow from State University of Manado gave perspective towards CBDRM and Inclusiveness in Indonesia. Loreine Dela Cruz, an Executive Director of Center for Disaster Preparedness, on the other hand, shared her experience towards CBDRM context from the Philippines. Our last speaker was Chrysant Lily Kusumowardoyo from Arbeiter - Samariter - Bund Indonesia and the Philippines. She described barriers and values from the preliminary research findings in identifying inclusive WASH in Central Sulawesi.

Dr. Mercy Rampengan pointed out the importance of community. The implementation of CBDRM relies on community capacity and strength that support solutions to problems in dealing with hazards. Based on Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) Implementation finding from a case study in Bandung City, Dr. Mercy also noted that further approaches and assessments are required prior to responding to locals with different preferences.

Loreine Dela Cruz described the CDP context of hazard in the Philippines and its law to amplify the voices of marginalised sections. She further explained the importance of bridging the leading role of women in communities and Mental Health-Psychosocial Support Services (MH-PSS) to create disaster risk management more localised, specifically on affected populations. It is noteworthy that skills within the integrated thinking and action for CBDRM, encompassing coherence, convergence, linking, unifying, consolidation, integration are crucial for resilience empowerment and development.

For Chrysant Lily Kusumowardoyo herself, WASH actor's perspective towards older people and persons with disabilities together with their limited involvement in OPDS/OPAS is considered high barriers to achieve humanitarian services for older people and persons with disabilities. However, she also mentioned possible opportunities to achieve inclusive WASH which lie on WASH actors adopting good practices and willingness participation from people with disabilities and older people.

During Discussion

In the Q&A discussion sessions, Dr. Mercy highlighted the role of social capital in many communities in Indonesia to rebuild the economy as well as to face the coronavirus pandemic. Communities in the Philippines in this case have prior local knowledge about disaster and disaster management to preparedness. However the dual hazard management still remains a challenge for community and government. Another question addressed to Loreine in regard to lessons learned from the Philippines stressed on the participatory process that is applicable for both Indonesia and Philippines. Moreover, in response to the question of the barrier, Chrysant Lily further explained the need to focus on the behavioral issues to achieve inclusive WASH program. At the end of the session, she also provided recommendations to stakeholders in Indonesia to strengthen their focus in terms of coordination and supporting organisation in order to improve inclusiveness.

Our speakers concluded how community engagement together with the participation of vulnerable groups plays an important role to reduce risk. Understanding their roles, risk, and capacity with a positive perspective is a key to preparedness amidst multiple hazards.

Watch the full version of the webinar by clicking through this link and subscribe RDI Indonesia YouTube channel to stay updated with our upcoming SEARCH Webinar Series!