Joint Programme - Disaster Risk Reduction And Emergency Preparedness

The overall goal of the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction Joint Programme is to create the conditions that will lead to the strengthening of national capacities in Mozambique to prepare for, respond to and mitigate the humanitarian impact of emergencies on populations at risk in the country, within a general vulnerability reduction context. The Joint Programme aims at empowering the Government and civil society to address disaster risk reduction issues at central, provincial and district levels. For this purpose the programme will focus on the delivery of capacity building activities and implementation of participatory projects involving vulnerable communities and local authorities. In addition the programme will support the Government in mainstreaming disaster management issues in national development frameworks and mechanisms, in recognition of the significant links between development, humanitarian preparedness response and post-disaster recovery. Further, it will promote inter-sectoral dialogue by facilitating the creation of a National Information System that will strengthen data availability and facilitate information sharing and knowledge management for all actors on emergency preparedness and ORR. These will then constitute the basis for identifying and carrying out long-term mitigation strategies, and for establishing appropriate mechanisms that will ensure a smooth transition from emergency to reconstruction and development following the occurrence of natural disasters. The anticipated outcomes and outputs of the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction Joint Programme were selected as a means to assist the INGC and the CTGC to meet their commitments to strengthen preparedness, mitigation and response capacity in Mozambique, as well as to support the commitments of Government in meeting the objectives of the Hyogo Framework. The wider objective of the joint programme is to facilitate the development and implementation of tools and guidance by national, provincial and district government partners and disaster prone communities. This will ensure that they have full ownership of and accountability for their emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction solutions, so that they are enabled to gradually establish long-lasting vulnerability reduction mechanisms at the country level. An important theme seen across the joint programme is the need to ensure that gender and HIV issues are firmly integrated into all emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction efforts. During emergencies and in situations of chronic vulnerability the needs of the most vulnerable can be overlooked by the blanket response approaches taken, in particular women, girls, and families affected by HIV. Strengthening the gender and HIV elements of preparedness and disaster risk reduction plans lessens the likelihood that these oversights will take place. In light of the above, this Joint Programme will benefit: Central Government institutions: INGC and line ministries included in the CTGC, including MAE, Ministry of Health (MISAU), Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MOPH), Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MMAS), Ministry for Coordination of Environmental Affairs (MICOA), Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG, in particular SETSAN), Ministry of Education and Culture (MEG) and Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD); National AIDS Council (CNCS); Regional. Provincial, District and Municipal Government institutions: Regional CENOEs, Provincial CTGCs and COEs, Provincial and District authorities, municipalities. National Civil Society Organisations, in particular the Mozambique Red Cross (CVM); Vulnerable Communities, in particular women, children, the elderly and the poorest households that are living in flood prone areas (river floodplains and critical coastal zones), drought prone areas (mainly southern and central regions), cyclone prone areas (mainly along the coastline) and earthquake areas (mainly central-western and northern-western parts of the country)