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Thematic Areas of Focus
THEMATIC AREAS OF FOCUS
Vulnerability Reduction and Disaster Mitigation
Reducing the vulnerability of populations to disaster is a crucial aspect of
disaster management. Poverty and lack of resources increase vulnerability, weakens
coping strategies and delays the recovery process. Poor people everywhere, especially
in urban areas, are most at risk. Local authorities in developing countries
are usually ill-equipped to provide sufficient infrastructure and services in
urban areas. As a result, most of the world’s poor live in densely populated
squatter settlements, on the periphery of cities, which lack the basics of life,
leaving many inhabitants caught in a spiral of increasing vulnerability. Demand
for commercial and residential land in cities has led to the use of unsuitable
terrain prone to natural hazards. Many informal settlements are therefore located
in dangerous or unsuitable areas, such as floodplains, unstable slopes or reclaimed
land. Moreover, these cities are often unable to manage rapid population growth;
poorly planned urbanization with increasing numbers of inadequately constructed
and badly maintained buildings, thus further increasing the level of vulnerabilities
in cities. Ironically, most of today’s largest cities are in areas where
earthquakes, floods, landslides and other disasters are likely to happen.
DMP has a broad range of experiences addressing vulnerability reduction and
disaster mitigation including regional consultations in Central America and
the Caribbean, the development of vulnerability reduction tools, support for
national/regional initiatives on flood mitigation in Asia, and through DMP’s
ongoing partnership with UNISDR.
 Assessing
Vulnerability in Disaster and Post Conflict Situations
Displaced Populations in Post-Disaster Reconstruction and Rehabilitation
The right to adequate shelter is central to the mandate of UN-HABITAT and expressed
through the campaigns on “Urban Governance” and “Shelter for
All” and is even more important when addressing the needs of communities
affected by disasters. Shelter is often the primary need in the post-disaster
phase, but the delivery of immediate shelter needs must be undertaken within
a long-term shelter strategy. The very same applies to the overall reconstruction
and rehabilitation of other infrastructure and services. In parallel, the displacement
of populations as a result of natural or human-made disasters is one of the
key issues informing UN-HABITAT’s disaster management strategy. Re-establishing
livelihoods, planning and management of settlements and basic services for these
vulnerable groups is a key priority of UN-HABITAT’s settlements crisis
management programming. Being aware of the complexity of the problem, UN-HABITAT
has elaborated a set of integrated strategies taking into account the specific
needs of refugees and IDPs: Creation of strategic partnerships for resettlements
rehabilitation and housing for IDPs/refugees in emergency, local integration
and reintegration phases; security of land and property tenure; and development
of productive economic activities.
Subsequent to designing and operationalizing the Iraq Settlements Rehabilitation
Programme in 1997, DMP/UN-HABITAT continues to provide substantive backstopping
in the areas of post-conflict reconstruction strategies, capacity building of
local governments, urban planning and gender analysis. In Kosovo, for example,
DMP/UN-HABITAT continues to support UNMIK attending to four key areas; the rehabilitation
of the municipality administration; development of new spatial planning legislation;
the regularization of housing and property rights; and the restoration of property
and land registries. In Sudan, on the other hand, DMP/UN-HABITAT supports road
rehabilitation projects focusing on improving transportation infrastructure
to increase the access for communities in the country and enhance local self-reliance
through improved transportation and exchange of goods and services.
Displaced Populations
and Human Settlements
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Relief to Development
The increased occurrence of natural and human-caused disasters is causing extensive
loss of life, damage to property, and harm to the environment. When a full-blown
crisis erupts, the need for assistance frequently exceeds the ability of local
governments to provide it. The response to natural and man-made disasters has
been typically ad-hoc and not linked to overall development objectives of disaster-hit
countries. Therefore, gaps between relief and development must be addressed.
Piecemeal efforts which are not linked with the long-term development strategy
can aggravate the precarious social conditions creating not only dependency
on aid, but a critical waste of financial and human resources invested in short-sighted
emergency relief plans. UN-HABITAT’s long experience in pre-, mid- and
post-disaster planning and implementation proves that in many post-disaster
scenarios it is most effective when interventions are designed to begin simultaneously;
consideration of long-term impacts of the short-term interventions can add value
to the latter, depth to the former.
Being involved from the earliest stages of the crisis as a supporting partner
in the resettlement, shelter, infrastructure and governance sectors, places
UN-HABITAT in a critical position as an institutional partner assisting relevant
humanitarian agencies, and planning early support for long term objectives.
DMP’s unique ability to provide both immediate and long term support in
situations of crisis will help promote greater understanding of and commitment
to a Relief-Development approach in disaster and post conflict settings.
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Strategic Partnerships
The multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary nature of disaster reduction and response
requires continuous interaction, cooperation and partnerships among related
institutions to achieve global objectives of disaster mitigation and sustainable
post-disaster rehabilitation. UN-HABITAT continues to facilitate partnerships
on disaster management and supports the establishments of dialogue between UN
agencies, the donor community, NGOs and the private sector. Memoranda of Understanding
have been signed with UN-HABITAT and the International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (ISDR) in May 2003 and with the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in November 2003. These partnerships will
enhance DMP’s ability to promote sustainable human settlements development
within situations of crisis.
These efforts to promote global coordinated efforts to address human settlements
issues in disaster and post conflict environments will continue to be a priority
for DMP, in reflection of Millennium Development Goal 8, creating a global partnership
for development. The establishment and strengthening of these linkages on disaster
and post conflict will have a major impact on improving the scope and effectiveness
of such a global partnership.
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Land and Property Management
Security of tenure and access to land is a central issue in disaster and post
conflict environments. It is also crucial when developing programmes to minimize
vulnerability of populations to future crises. DMP’s focus on land issues
incorporates a rights based approach and seeks mechanisms to ensure land and
property rights are protected, for both women and men equally. This includes
undertaking immediate measures protecting the land and property rights of displaced
persons, and developing longer term solutions for land and property dispute
resolution. These issues will have a profound effect on the ability of societies
to recover from crises and develop systems that will reduce their vulnerability
to conflict and disaster in the future.
From mid-1999 until mid-2002 UN-HABITAT was responsible for the management
of the Housing Property Directorate (HPD) and the Housing Property Claims Commission
(HPCC) in Kosovo. However, to continue the provision of such support regionally,
UN-HABITAT remains, currently, responsible for the HPD in Serbia and Montenegro.
In December 2003 DMP/UN-HABITAT completed a comprehensive evaluation exercise
of its Kosovo Cadastre Support Programme. The output of the evaluation was an
immediate measures land management evaluation tool for emergency through reconstruction
in post-conflict situations.
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Gender Issues in Disaster and Post Conflict Situations
Gender issues affect all areas of disaster management, from vulnerability reduction
to relief, and rehabilitation to development. Disasters and conflicts impact
men and women differently; they will have different needs, vulnerabilities,
priorities and capacities. A gendered perspective in disaster management will
help to ensure that these differences are recognized and equally addressed throughout.
Only when all members of society are engaged and considered can disaster management
be effective to reduce vulnerability and promote development.
Understanding the different situations facing men and women in conflict and
disaster will contribute to more effective post disaster and post conflict programming.
Improving inclusive governance that promotes gender equality will reduce vulnerability
of populations to disaster. Recognizing the different needs and priorities of
men and women in shelter and provision of basic services in post conflict/post
disaster situations will help governments and aid/development agencies design
programmes that respond to the needs of all, while promoting gender equality
and human development for both men and women.
DMP/UN-HABITAT has extensive experience in developing gender analyses and mainstreaming
strategies in post-disaster scenarios. Recent DMP activities include finalizing
a gender situation analysis of northern Iraq, Toolkit for mainstreaming gender
in UN-HABITAT field programmes based on the Kosovo experience, and training
of trainers to train local leaders in the role of gender in effective municipal
governance in Somalia. An ongoing Gender Review of Disaster Management in Africa
is being undertaken jointly between DMP/UN-HABITAT and ISDR to examine the extent
to which gender issues have been integrated into disaster management policies
and practices in Africa. Finally, all of the work of the DMP/UN-HABITAT reflects
the commitment of the agency to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal
3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Gender, Disaster
and Conflict:A Human Settlements Perspective
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Safety and Security
Crime is a serious problem in cities all over the world. Crime and violence
do not happen spontaneously, but grow out of inequalities and exclusion in societies
and upon break-downs of institutional and social control. In this context, eruption
of anarchy is frequent in post-disaster and post conflict situations. Within
the human settlement context, this has wide reaching effects for the ability
of women and men to recover from crises, and to access the basic needs, including
adequate shelter, services and overall human development.
DMP will facilitate deployment of a team of experts in community led safety
and security, to assist local partners in addressing urban safety issues and
reducing delinquency, violence and insecurity. This will further strengthen
the reduction of vulnerability of populations to future disasters and conflicts.
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Local Governance
Managing disaster in human settlements is an issue that must be addressed in
all aspects of urban governance. Creating inclusive institutions that allow
for greater participation of the population as highlighted through UN-HABITAT’s
“Urban Governance” Campaign is closely linked with reducing vulnerability
to disasters. This is particularly important in post-disaster scenarios vis-à-vis
nascent or custodial local governments. In post conflict situations, establishment
of inclusive forms of governance is a necessity for the maintenance of sustainable
peace and security.
Through its internal and external rosters, DMP will provide local government
expert teams to assist in attending the immediate phase to address governance
related issues in post-disaster and post conflict contexts.
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Millennium Development Goals
As it is the mandate of all UN agencies to work towards the achievement of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the activities and priorities of DMP/UN-HABITAT
reflect these as important guides for all areas of post disaster and post conflict
programming. The MDGs are particularly important in crisis management programming,
in light of the need to promote stronger links between relief and development.
The themes of the MDGs - poverty, health, gender equality, education, environmental
sustainability and overall human development are all closely linked to the ability
of a population to cope with and respond to disasters and crises. These issues
are all closely bound to the development of human settlements that will enable
populations to move out of cycles of conflict and vulnerability.
Ensuring Environmental Sustainability is the commitment made in MDG7. The target
most closely related to UN-HABITAT's mission is Goal 7 Target 11 to have achieved
a significant improvement in the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by the year
2020. DMP is promoting the implementation of MDGs, in particular Goal 7 Target
11, through all its activities.
In addition, DMP’s activities focusing on gender issues in disaster and
conflict, specifically further the achievement of MDG3. The process of mainstreaming
gender throughout all work of the programme also serves to promote MDG3.
 Read More about UN-HABITAT
and the Millennium Development Goals
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USEFUL INFORMATION
- Forest Fires
For more information on Forest fires please visit:
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