New Delhi, April 6, 2010—The World Bank announced today the release of Safer homes, Stronger Communities: A Handbook for Reconstructing after Natural Disasters (World Bank Publications, January 2010), a knowledge tool developed by the Bank in partnership with the Earthquake and Megacities Initiative, Habitat for Humanity International, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Shelter Centre, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and the World Housing Encyclopedia, and funded by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). The Handbook provides guidance to relevant policy-makers, project managers and World Bank staff in making decisions on how to reconstruct disaster-affected housing and communities, particularly on issues related to housing and community development, infrastructure, environmental management, disaster risk reduction, and public finance.
Since post-disaster reconstruction begins with a series of decisions that must be made almost immediately but are meant to have long-term impacts on the lives of those affected by the disaster, the Handbook takes into account the challenges faced by government officials to balance the need for a quick and proper recovery plan and due community involvement. Across 23 chapters, the Handbook provides tools for a systematic and integral approach to the reconstruction process, managing communications with stakeholders, and implementing a monitoring and feedback system as a critical element in all policy areas of recovery.
“Housing can account for up to 80 percent of damages in major disasters, and the recent devastation of Port-au-Prince in Haiti is a painful reminder of this fact,” said Saroj K. Jha, Manager and Head of Secretariat, GFDRR. “Large-scale reconstruction of communities and damaged or destroyed housing is a complex, multi-sectoral effort spanning multiple ministries, agencies and levels of government, and the Handbook provides the tools for a reconstruction process that is participatory, sustainable and effectively incorporates risk reduction at the heart of the recovery measures.”
The World Bank has accumulated valuable experience in large-scale housing reconstruction programs in Indonesia (Aceh, Jogjakarta), Pakistan, Iran (Bam), and India (Gujarat), among others. The Handbook brings this research and knowledge together in one publication, including more than 100 case studies written by experts with hands-on experience in post-disaster housing and community reconstruction, as well as links to extensive technical information on the topics covered by the handbook. This information is complemented by a Web site for practitioners in the field, which provides instruments for continuous exchange of knowledge and best practices, at http://www.housingreconstruction.org.
“The World Bank has a lot of institutional experience on reconstruction of houses after natural disasters across continents over more than two and half decades. These experiences have been compiled, collated, supplemented and refined through a consultative process in a user-friendly handbook for the guidance of policy makers, professionals, project managers and practitioners”, said P.G. Dhar Chakrabarti, Executive Director of the National Institute of Disaster Management. “This handbook will be a valuable reference manual for guiding future reconstruction policies and programmes,” he further added.
The report was launched at a special event co-organized by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and WB/GFDRR at the NIDM offices in New Delhi today, with the participation of several representatives from NGOs and international organizations.
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About GFDRR The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) is a partnership of 21 countries, the ACP Secretariat, the European Commission, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, and the World Bank, committed to helping disaster-prone developing countries and regions reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and adapt to climate change. GFDRR promotes technical and financial assistance to high-risk low- and middle-income countries based on a business model of ex-ante support to mainstream disaster risk reduction in national development strategies and investments, and ex post disaster assistance for sustainable recovery. As part of its mandate, GFDRR promotes global knowledge and good practices, supports initiatives for enhanced global and regional cooperation, and promotes greater South-South cooperation in disaster risk reduction. For more information, visit www.gfdrr.org
