Institutional & Legislative System

The strengthening or establishment of ILS involves preparation and formalization of policy frameworks, the creation of national structures for DRM, the preparation of national plans and other planning instruments, the review and revision of existing legal and regulatory frameworks or the development of new legislation and the creation of national capacity building, resources and management support programmes and partnerships (international and national levels).

Major intervention under ILS are as follows:

• Strengthening National & Local Government & Institutions for DRR
• Support DRR Legislation and Policy
• Orienting Financial Mechanisms towards risk reduction & disaster management
• Training & capacity building with establishment of a National Training Institute

Updates:
CDRMP partners with Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) for the Institutional and Legislative System in Nepal

Strategic Linkages with the other Sectors (Mainstreaming)

Nepal is a country with high disaster risk and low disaster risk management capacities. Recurrent disasters, particularly at the local level, are compromising the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While there is clearly a need to strengthen capacities of focal institutions dealing with the consequences of disasters, in order to achieve sustainable reduction in disaster risk, it is equally important to integrate disaster risk reduction concerns in the workings of key development sectors that are exposed to natural disasters. The NSDRM fully recognizes this and has accordingly made provisions for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in nine (9) different sectors. This programme area will aim to advance this aspect of the NSDRM.

• Support the National Planning Commission and & Ministry of Finance in Policy review and planning
• Support Key Sectors (Physical Planning and Works, Water, Environment, Forestry and Soil Conservation, Education)
• Support the System of DRM Focal Points

UPDATES

• Workshop on Mainstreaming DRR into Development Plan (29 September 2011)
• Consultation workshop on District Disaster Risk Management Planning Guidelines (30 September 2011)

Nepal National Building Code and Risk Sensitive Land Use Planning

Although the National Building Code (NBC) came into existence in 1994, it was approved by the government Nepal only in 2003 through a decisionof the Cabinet. The Bureau of Standards and Metrology has initiated a process for defining the draft Building Code as a Nepal Standard. Several of the 22 documents prepared for the National Building Code, which focuses on seismic safety, were accepted as Nepal Standards.

The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, is the lead agency for the implementation of the building code.
Major interventions under building codes are:

• Revision of building codes
• Inclusion of building codes in the building permit system
• Establishment of peer review and certification of construction practices
• Implementation of Land use Planning Measures

Updates:

• Eight Questions for Naresh Giri - Project Officer NBC and RSLUP (interview feature at NRRC)
• Draft Report on Development of Building Code Implementation Guidelines and Regulatory Mechanism for Five Municipalities in Kathmandu Valley

Climate Risk Management

Nepal has recently finalized its National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), which has identified urgent and immediate adaptation needs and priority actions in 6 sectors: Agriculture and Food Security; Forests and Biodiversity; Water and Energy; Urban Settlements and Infrastructure; Public Health; and Climate-induced Disasters. This programme area will contribute to addressing the risk of climate related disasters.

• Undertake an Integrated Climate Risk Assessment
• Support CRM with a special focus on women
• Strengthen local level Early Warning Systems (EWS)
• Capacity building for GLOF risk reduction

Updates:
Public Private Partnership in Early Warning System: CDRMP is working with Nepal Telecom and NCELL for Early Warning System in Vulnerable Communities

Community Based Disaster Risk Management

UNDP would like to play a more strategic role in supporting CBDRM projects. Instead of implementing the projects at the community level, the programme will build the capacity of NGOs and CSOs for implementing the CBDRM. It will develop benchmarks against which the effectiveness of CBDRM will be evaluated. The programme will organize training programs for NGOs and CSOs, hold workshops for sharing of experiences, and bring local government and implementing partners together for greater synergy.

• Develop a Community-based DRM strategy
• Preparing Local level Community Volunteers

UPDATES
Partnership with Chhetrapati Free Clinic for Community Based Disaster Risk Management

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Emergency preparedness and response is a flagship area of the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Consortium led by Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the priority outcomes include strengthening disaster information and response management, capacity building of first responders, building a network of emergency warehouses and mobilization centres across Nepal, and strengthening legal mechanisms for the facilitation and regulation of international assistance.

Working closely with OCHA, UNDP will support the flagship area through a number of activities. It has already supported setting up of the National Emergency Operations Center, and participated in a number of workshops for contingency planning at the district level. Building on its earlier interventions, UNDP will implement the programme in partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs, district administration, municipalities, and NGOs.

• Develop National & district Disaster management plans
• Strengthen and provide emergency facilities
• Setup and strengthen search and rescue teams
• Prepare an earthquake response plan for Kathmandu valley
• Improve awareness of international and regional response mechanisms

Updates:

Sensitisation workshop and Earthquake Drill for the Constituent Assembly members (29-30 September, 2011)

Fire Capacity Assessment Report

Early Recovery

UNDP has been designated as the cluster lead for early recovery at the global level. In Nepal too, UNDP has played the role of a lead agency in advocating and supporting early recovery, particularly after the Koshi floods.  UNDP provided support to the government by coordinating early recovery with other UN agencies and NGOs which are the members of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).

UNDP Nepal with the assistance of BCPR has planned and supported several post-conflict interventions which are in nature of early recovery. These interventions are in the areas of livelihoods, peace-building, reintegration, etc. Further, Koshi floods have provided several lessons for improving the practice of early recovery. One of the important lessons is to develop greater awareness of the concept of early recovery and its tools and interventions. The programme will bring new concepts, skills, and resources to support early recovery. The following activities will be pursued under the programme:

• Establish systems and enhance capacities within DRR unit for ER
• Establish systems and enhance capacities for  ER programming in Gov of Nepal
• Introduce tools and mechanisms into the humanitarian  &  development agenda /space in Nepal