GENERAL CALL FOR PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

Click here for the “Views from the Frontline” abridged handbook

The Center for Disaster Preparedness has been selected as the National Coordinating Organization for the “Views from the Frontline” Hyogo Framework for Action  (HFA) monitoring and review project. The project involves joint research, information sharing and learning from local initiatives in disaster risk reduction and the progress of  implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action.  The Views from the Frontline is complementary to the Philippine Government’s report to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) with added value of the Civil Society/Non-government Organizations’ perspective and focus on local and on-the-ground activities.  The global report is to be presented to the Global Review in Geneva in June 2009.

The Views from the Frontline Project is being undertaken by the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction with National Coordinating Organizations and Regional Coordinating Organizations.  At the Asia  regional level, the Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN) is the Regional Coordinating Organization.

Your contributions to be part of this undertaking to have the actual survey work at the local level would be highly appreciated.  We want to enlist as many NGOs/civil society organisations as we can to join us in the actual survey work at the local level. Those involved in the data gathering at the local level are “Participatory Organisations” (POs).

The main role of the PO will be threefold:

1. To administer the relevant survey questionnaire with the two main respondent groups:
a. Local Government Officials
b. Civil Society Organisations

2. Hold community consultations to discuss the survey findings, draw out key recommendations and possible joint actions between the various stakeholders.

3. Bring back to the national level the surveys for consolidation and analysis.

The PO will need to implement the surveys and consultations in close coordination with the Center for Disaster Preparedness as the NCO. Each of the questionnaires will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and will be undertaken by the POs with the different respondent groups on a voluntary basis.

Partnership and ownership at the local level is crucial to achieving the project objectives and outcomes. Bringing the concerns and interests of vulnerable communities into the heart of DRR policy and practice requires us close the gap between local, national and global work, and between policy advocates and practitioners at the grassroots level. The production of solid evidence, based on local realities, is critical for developing policy positions from which we can engage in the national, regional and international policy discourse.

The more NGOs and civil society organisations we have in this data gathering process the more effective will be our work. There is probably no more compelling form of exerting influence over policy formulation and implementation than the collective force of large numbers of different civil society organisations and NGOs from different regions of the world, who share common concerns and are united in a collective action to build disaster resilient communities.

Kindly pass on this invitation to other NGOs / CSO with presence at the local level.  Academic and research institutions, national and local NGOs, faith-based organizations, community-level groups and associations, people’s organizations are all welcome to join this initiative.

CDP attended a training workshop with ADRRN on how to carry forward the Views from the Frontline Project in the Philippines in Kuala Lumpur on 5-6 December 2008. Subsequently, a training workshop will be held on December 8, 2008 for Participating Organizations in Manila.

This project and initiative is being coordinated by the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) in partnership with  the Regional Coordinating Organization – Asian Disaster Reduction and Relief Network (ADRRN) and the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction.

For more information please contact Ms Lorna Victoria (Vice President, CDP) at oyvictoria@yahoo.com or cdp@info.com.ph

Reference Documents:

VIEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE
(pdf version, click to view or download)

Views from the Frontline – Abridged Handbook for Participating Organizations

Annex 1: Letter 1 – Presentation
Annex 2: Letter 2 – Reminder
Annex 3: Guiding Checklist of CSO Categories
Annex 4: Questionnaire for Local Government (Senior Officials)
Annex 5: Questionnaire for Local Government (Planning Officials)
Annex 6: Questionnaire for Local Government (Education)
Annex 7: Questionnaire for Civil Society
Annex 8: Questionnaire for Community Representatives
Annex 9: Management Sheets
Annex 10: Evaluation Template Local Community Consultations
Annex 11: Local Community Consultation Feedback Questionnaire

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