Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Safer Schools“Their role within DRR”

Why Start with Schools?

Children are the very future of our communities, of our world. Influence them and you influence tomorrows Politician, Industrialist, Teacher and Parent.

What is the benefit?

Working together we can potentially change the DR culture of the vulnerable from helpless and reliant to hopeful, capable and responsible; thus creating for them a resilient and more sustainable future.

By achieving that, we might one dayrevert most 'Disasters' back to purely a 'Natural Events‘

The Relevance to the Europe?We have earthquakes; we have fires; we have floods; we have winds; we have environmental change

including climate change! Who knows what tomorrow brings?Europe’s future is in the hands of today’s children. We need to prepare them and above all we need to protect

them whilst we prepare them to inherit today’s world

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

However Recognizing that school age children spend majority of their waking hours at school, there is always a

high possibility that a disaster strikes while they are at school.‘In 2005 17,500 children perished during the 3minutes of the Pakistan Earthquake’

[97 children per second!]

Therefore, school buildings need to be protected from disasters as they save the lives of the children and they can also help to opperate as shelter in post disaster scenario. Moreover, resilient schools are effective medium for disseminating disaster risk reduction awareness in the communities, can act as centre of learning, can be instrumental in transfer of technology to the communities and have significant role to build disaster resilient communities.

The activities like retrofitting of schools and new construction with safety measures can help spread the message to the community of the importance of resilient buildings in reducing disaster impact

Realizing the importance of schools in disaster risk reduction, the UNISDR campaigned for two years from 2006 to 2007 with the main theme as "Disaster Risk Reduction Begins at Schools."

The campaign has been instrumental in mainstreaming school safety in disaster risk reduction initiatives in many countries and has resulted in many global initiatives such as Thematic Platform on Knowledge and Education by ISDR and Coalition for Global School Safety (COGSS) Initiatives.

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Courtesy of the UNCRD

Important Components within a Safer School Infrastructure strategy:

• Understanding the perception of risk

• Ensuring Awareness

• Implementing an risk assessment cycle

• Developing Capacity build within the workforce

• Creating the Safe Environment

• Resilient and coded construction of new schools

• Retrofitting of existing schools

• Incorporating DRR into Education

• Implementing DRR Education into the curriculum

• Maintaining the Safe Environment

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Hyogo Framework for Action Priority 3

Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety andresilience at all levels.

‘Building the resilience of nations andcommunities to disasters’

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

The MDGs represent a global partnership that has grown from the commitments and targets established at the world summits of the 1990s. Responding to the world's main development challenges and to the calls of civil society, the MDGs promote poverty reduction, education, maternal health, gender equality, and aim at combating child mortality, AIDS and other diseases

It envisages education for all by 2015. In order to achieve this target, there is a large pressureto build thousands of class rooms in many of the developing countries and non-complianceto the safety standards means vulnerable schools are increasing. As witnessed in the past,the school buildings which are supposed to provide education to children are also thecause of death in many disasters.

UNDP is working with a wide range of partners to help create coalitions for change to support the goals at global, regional and national levels, to benchmark progress towards them, and to help countries to build the institutional capacity, policies and programmes needed to achieve the MDGs.

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Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)The UNCRD contribution

The Hyogo Framework for Action also prioritizes use of knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels. Furthermore, HFA also emphasizes onstructural strengthening of critical facilities including schools. The UNCRD Japan is implementing the project SESI on “Reducing Vulnerability of School Children to Earthquakes” in Asia-Pacific region under project execution by UN Department ofEconomic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) and funded by UN Trust Fund for HumanSecurity (UNTFHS) of UN OCHA since April 2005.

SESI (School Earthquake Safety Initiative) is aimed at promoting self-help and education for disaster mitigation by building resilient and sustainable communities. The participatory approach to community development and capacity building among the local people is the key focus area of the initiative.This is one of the key Globally Regional programmes, covering the Asia Pacific Region with Pilot projects in Uzbekistan, India, Indonesia and Fiji. All to be expanded within country and within their geographical regions and potentially to be offered as a Global Model for DRR within Schools infrastructure

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global School DRR Infrastructure and Education Regional activity example:

School Earthquake Safety Initiative UNCRD SESISchools have been found to be the key element for community involvement in Japan andother countries world-wide. Schools not only provide education, they can provideemergency shelters immediately after earthquakes. Through this school-strengtheningprogram, a community program has been formulated to spread the technologies rooted inculture and heritage. HFA also prioritizes use of knowledge, innovation and education tobuild a culture of safety and resilience at all levels. Furthermore, HFA also emphasizes onstructural strengthening of critical facilities including schools. SESI is aimed at promotingself-help and education for disaster mitigation by building resilient and sustainablecommunities. The participatory approach to community development and capacitybuilding among the local people is the key focus area of the initiative.

The UNCRD have now commenced the next stage of DRR within the community with the HESI programme. A continuation of SESI but expanding to include Housing Safety within communities.

DRR activity Case study Example:

“Children Taking Action towards disaster prevention” -- Philippines

Santa Paz school, where children held a referendum torelocate their school to a safer location (ie: not at risk from

landslides). ‘Plan Philippines' case study, "Students lead a school relocation, Philippines", has been highlighted on page 67 of this UNISDR

report “Words into Action” - a guide for implementing the Hyogo Framework http://www.plan-uk.org/pdfs/wordsintoaction.pdf#page=67

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

DR Education Case study:

Children in a Changing Climate coalition

A ‘Plan International ‘ UK initiative

The CCCC isan action-research, advocacy and learning programme, bringing together

research and development organisations with a commitment to shareknowledge, coordinate activities and work with children as protagonists

with a voice needing to be heard. The coalition realizes thatchildren's unique experiences of climate change impacts and their

specific insights and priorities need to be recognised in both climatechange adaptation and mitigation policy and practice. Plan International and other

organizations formed this coalition during 2008-09www.childreninachangingclimate.org

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Key players operating or represented from within Europe and some relevant initiatives:

UNISDR with the TPKE ‘Thematic Platform for Knowledge and Education’. Chaired by UNESCO Hosted by UNICEF and Administered by UNISDR. A vital tool for the dissemination of practical policy development from civil society and community projects through the UNISDR administrative web to Governments around the world, aiding them in the creation of National DR Strategies and Policy.

UNESCORecently in conjunction with the UNCRD Japan UNESCO has established the Global Task Force for Building Codes. This will peer review existing, develop where necessary and address the challenges of implementation and compliance.

UNICEF is developing a proactive approach soon to be incorporating DR within its strategy and is taking a lead in collating DRR Education projects information in the Asia Pacific Region and elsewhere

Shelter CentreMany of its activities are funded through a programme with the UKs DFID, 2006–2011Shelter are presently reviewing policy for School shelter and the transitional period post disaster to ensure safe and immediate practical Education continuity. Holding national and international meetings to develop collaborations

INEE Inter-Agency Network for Education in EmergenciesRecently collated and published the “Guidance Notes for safer School Construction” in conjunction with the World Bank and international peer reviewed expertise

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

DR activities From within the UK

ELRHA programme

‘The Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance’ (ELRHA) project has secured funding to develop an efficient and active mechanism for collaboration between humanitarian agencies and Higher Education Institutes in the UK working with Agencies throughout the world. An ambitious new project in the field of disaster response and mitigation that will be hosted by ‘Save the Children’ based in the UKThe two year ELRHA Project Objective is:To build by 2010 an effective and active interface between UK HE teaching and research activities and humanitarian agencies, and to produce a clear plan for professionalization, shared expertise and research.

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

DR Activities From within the UKUCL EPICentre

The EPICENTRE consists of a dynamic multi-disciplinary research group that embraces an holistic approach to earthquake engineering to help answer the question “What is the most effective way to direct engineering investment to minimise adverse earthquake hazard effects on local economies and populations?”.Currently, four main projects are underway that look at: (1) Tsunami impact on structures and communities, (2) A framework for the prediction of earthquake damage to populations of structures (3) The psychological drivers behind people’s behaviour in earthquakes, and the influence of this behaviour on their earthquake vulnerability within their urban environment and (4) the use of satellite imagery to gauge earthquake resilience.

UCL recently held a DRR conference titled: ‘Disaster Risk Reduction for Natural Hazards: Putting Research into Practice’

UCL also incorporates the Benfield Hazard Research Centre headed by Bill McGuire and John Twigg. Reviewing natural hazard prediction and developing early warning concepts. From which the ‘inTERRAgate’ data base has evolved, reviewing all know natural hazards for every country, collating historical date and amassing predictive data and providing current aggregated natural event information. A vital resource to all working within DRR. http://www.interragate.info/home

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Strategic DR school activities within the UK

Developing Community Resilience through Schools

A collaboration between the Local Government Authorities and Emergency Planning Units

The ‘Developing Community Resilience Through Schools’ project aims to increase the resilience of schools and communities to emergencies, through the production of national guidance documents and resources available for schools and local authorities to use. authorities to use.Over the past few months it has been concentrating on producing drafts of the following documents and resources ready for consultation: •Guidance for schools on emergency planning•Guidance for schools on training and exercising their emergency plans (with supporting resources)•Guidance for Children’s Services departments on emergency planning, business continuity, supporting schools in emergencies etc.This project is a collaboration between the Local Government Authorities and Emergency Planning Units who were awarded 'Beacon' status in 2007-2008 for emergency planning, the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Strategic education activities within the UK

Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

A UK Government Initiative

BSF is the UK Government’s £45 billion initiative to refurbish and re-build the nation’s secondary schools to provide a high-quality 21st century learning environment for children and young people. The programme will involve building new schools as well as remodelling and improving existing schools, underpinned by appropriate information and communication technology (ICT). For many schools this will replace the existing capital grants given to them to spend on their buildings. BSF is about providing the physical infrastructure and technological support to education, however any plan to secure that funding has to demonstrate an ambitious vision for learning, grounded within the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda, the ‘Children & Young People's Plan’, ‘14-19 provision’ and the ‘Extended Schools initiative’.

Providing the education facilities and Protecting the student, means real Investment in our Future

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global Schools Information collation:

PreventionWeb serves the information needs of the disaster risk reduction community, including the development of information exchange tools to facilitate collaboration. Information regarding the design and development of the project together with background documentation can be accessed on their website along with some services that have been put in place. www.preventionweb.net

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global Schools Information collation:

COGSS DPE has initiated a Google mapping for all Safe School construction projects and retrofitting programmes globally to ensure maximum collaborationshttp://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112823935635760846118.0004772abcf77cfbd3d22

“COGSS The Coalition for Global School Safety Disaster Prevention Education envision available knowledge and education applied to disaster prevention everywhere, and every school a safe school.”

www.cogssdpe.ning.com

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global Education immediate post disaster activities:

Map Action provide up to minute data of post disaster field activities including education response by NGO’s education activity map sumatra 10-09.pdf

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global News example

Date:2 Nov 2009 source ‘The Nation’ publication

The Federal Government of Pakistan has requested all four provincial governments to draft comprehensive plans to evaluate the structure of all schools and hospitals and to formulate concrete action plans regarding disaster risk reduction by 2015.

Approximately 1,800 children were trapped under the debris of hundreds of collapsed schools structures in Pakistan's 2005 earthquake and the health response mechanism became incapacitated due to collapsed hospitals. The National Disaster Management Authority NDMA stated that in order to avoid a repetition of such tragic episodes, comprehensive planning is a must.

According to the NDMA, being a signatory state to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA),

Pakistan recognises that it is under international obligation to take practical measures to ensure the achievement of goals and targets regarding disaster risk reduction.

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Global News example

Source China Daily 13th July 09In China the National Government announced in July that 300,000 schools were to be immediately assessed for resilience and construction standards. That the responsibility for the schools would fall squarely with the district authorities, meaning if their schools fail, they will be held accountable. An interesting approach to ensure accountability, minimum corruption and a truly national 'cluster' approach to quickly addressing a national challenge.

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

DR Education project publications example in 2009

“Child Friendly Schools Infrastructure Standards and Guidelines” Primary and Tronc Commun schools

Rwanda Ministry of Education An Approved document August 2009

Lead Coordination; Eudes Kayumba / Diogene Mulindahabi MINEDUC Director of Schools ConstructionLead Partner; Luca Ginoulhiac UNICEF Construction specialistLead Author; Seki Hirano Schools Infrastructure consultant assistant Annika Grafweg

A comprehensive document reviewing, assessing and recommendations for all aspects of developing a safe child friendly school environment. Pioneered within Rwanda, a beacon for Africa and as a potential model for global educational environments.Rwanda_Child_Friendly_Schools_infrastructure_standards_and_guidelines[1].pdf

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

DR Infrastructure Publications example in 2009

During 2009 COGSS DPE extended the SPHERE INEE companionship by collaborating with the INEE on the development and production of the publication the

“Guidance Notes for Safer School Construction “

launched at the Global Platform earlier in 2009 with the support of the World Bank. http://www.ineesite.org/assets/Guidance_Notes_Safer_School_Constructionfinal.pdf

The Guidance Notes on Safer School Construction present a framework of guiding principlesand general steps to develop a context-specific plan to address this critical gap toreaching Education For All and the Millennium Development Goals through the disaster resilient construction and retrofitting of school buildings.

The guidance notes consist of four components:

1. General information and advocacy points (Sections 2-4) briefly address theneed and rationale for safer school buildings as well as the scope and intendeduse of the Guidance Notes. They also feature several success stories and list anumber of essential guiding principles and strategies for overcoming common

challenges.2. A series of suggested steps (Section 5) that highlight key points that should be

considered when planning a safer school construction and/or retrofitting initiative.Each step describes the processes, notes important decision points, highlights

key issues or potential challenges, and suggests good practices, tools to facilitatethe actions, and references resources to guide the reader to more detailed and

context-specific information.3. A compilation of basic design principles (Section 6) to identify some basic

requirements a school building must meet to provide a greater level of protection.These principles are intended to facilitate a very basic understanding of the measures

that can be taken to make a school building more resilient to hazard forces.

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Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”

Thank youGarry de la Pomerai

cogssinfo@aol.com

COGSS DPE Coalition for Global School SafetyUNISDR thematic Platform for Knowledge and Education

UK Advisory Group for Natural Disaster ReductionConsultant to the UNCRD Japan

Meeting Of European National Platforms and HFA Focal PointsLondon 11–13 November, 2009

Safer Schools “Their role within DRR”