1. REGIONAL ANALYSIS ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION EDUCATION IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION IN THE CONTEXT OF HFA PRIORITY 3 IMPLEMENTATION Bangkok, March 2009 Prepared for UNISDR Asia Pacific by Hoa P Tran (Ph.D.)

2. Context of the Analysis Hyogo Framework for Action requires periodic reviews of progress. – Countries submit reports on progress in achieving the HFA 5 priorities Bangkok Action Agenda recommended 5 areas for action to guide the region in implementing HFA priority 3 – Education Task Force members conduct mapping out exercise to outline achievements to date in implementing Bangkok Action Agenda

3. Purpose of the Analysis Assess key achievements and trends in national and regional progress in promoting DRR education Identify major challenges and gaps Propose recommendations for future priorities to ensure impact of education activities with regard to shift in behaviour Contribute to the global thematic report on using information, knowledge and education to build a culture of safety and resilience Contribute to the education discussion at the 2 nd Global Platform on DRR.

4. Source of information Report from the ETF mapping exercise 18 National progress reports on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (Education sections) UNISDR publications on good practices Official documents from the 2 nd and 3 rd Asian Ministerial Conferences on DRR Additional available documents published by ETF members.

5. Scope of Analysis  The Analysis is an attempt to capture achievements and key trends in the region’s progress in DRR education promotion.  It is based only on available information, and is not a comprehensive account of all educational and research activities on DRR in different localities and countries  Achievement, trends, challenges and gaps identified are indicative, not exhaustive  Recommendations do not attempt to address all gaps identified, but focus on the ultimate objective of bring about a shift in behaviour (ref. TOR)

6. Key findings – Achievement and Trends Areas with most progress Regional and national advocacy for policy change towards DRR education Development of tools and guidelines Documentation of good practices Strengthening of regional networks

7. Achievement and Trends- some specifics (1) Integrating DRR into school education Assessment of existing programmes, materials, activities and stakeholders for integrating DRR in the curriculum (16 countries) Development of new, innovative and interactive learning approaches, materials for teacher training Development of Process Guidelines on mainstreaming DRR in the education sector Intensified consultation between regional, national and civil society organisations Accelerated advocacy for DRR integration in the education sector

8. Achievement and Trends- some specifics (2) Strengthening DRR education for community resilience Extension of school-based DRR activities to involve parents (esp. in school retrofitting and construction) Community-based disaster management enhanced accompanied by awareness raising on the importance of DRR education and community involvement Increased regional support in developing methodologies for ensuring gender balance in community-based DRR activities Acceleration of documentation of good practices and attention to value of indigenous knowledge Emerging shift from focus on disaster management to DRR Improvement of information sharing between region and countries Progress in tools development to assess socio-economic impact of disaster (disaster impact calculator, further development of vulnerability assessment)

9. Achievement and Trends- some specifics (3) Making schools safer High level recognition of the necessity to make school hazard-resistant Progress in initial stages – setting minimum standards, developing guidelines and tools for retrofitting and new construction, capacity building on school design and construction techniques, assessment of multiple hazard impact on schools, etc. Evidence-based advocacy for national programmes for school safety

10. Achievement and Trends- some specifics (4) Empowering children for disaster risk reduction High-level advocacy for recognition of children’s role in DRR education Increased efforts in teacher training on multiple topics – disaster safety in school, disaster preparedness, coping with disaster, psychosocial first-aid

11. Achievement and Trends- some specifics (5) National and Regional approaches High level of recognition of and commitment to DRR education in the region Building and strengthening networks and information sharing mechanisms High-level advocacy for inclusion of DRR in the curriculum and for school safety Expansion of influence and support of ETF to countries

12. Key challenges and gaps encountered (1) In integrating DRR into school education  Lack of national strategic plans for DRR education, resulting in sporadic nature of initiatives  Generally weak institutional and technical capacity  Lingering resistance  Lack indicators for monitoring the progress and effectiveness of integrating DRR into curriculum  Needs and reality of out-of-school children and children with disabilities not yet taken into account

13. Key challenges and gaps encountered (2) In strengthening DRR education for community resilience  Participatory mechanisms are rare in community-based programmes  Role and participation of women limited  Lack of a bottom-up approach, predominance of top-down approach  Community-focused projects are few and with limited geographical coverage  Behaviour Change Communication strategies are absent  Information, research results, innovation not yet reaching local authorities and community  Weak vertical and horizontal coordination

14. Key challenges and gaps encountered (3) In making schools safer  Challenge in translating political commitment into reality  Small number of current construction and retrofitting projects  Needs of children and staff with disabilities not yet taken into account  Little evidence of public-private partnership

15. Key challenges and gaps encountered (4) In empowering children for disaster risk reduction  Few child-led programmes for DRR education  Genuine involvement of children still rare  Little investment in expanding children’s knowledge and skills on DRR and recovery

16. Key challenges and gaps encountered (5) In using national and regional approaches  Insufficient attention to seeking public-private partnership for DRR education

17. Recommendations for future education activities (to ensure concrete impact of future education activities in vulnerable communities and visible shift in behaviour) 1.Support for development of national strategic plans for DRR education 2.Deploy complementary options to mainstream DRR education 3.Promote participatory approaches in disaster risk reduction education programmes 4.Building public private partnerships for DRR education promotion

18. Thank you