The objective of mainstreaming DRR into rehabilitation and reconstruction is to protect development from future events like earthquakes, floods, landslides, avalanches etc.
 

ERRA is essentially a development agency, implementing numerous spatially relevant activities in the earthquake-affected areas. The activities are not only focusing on pure recovery but to “build back better”, i.e. to set new standards in the development of the affected areas and to include disaster risk reduction where appropriate. In this regard, the introduction of DRR into development and planning has to focus on the mainstreaming of the subject at district level development planning process. This should help to ensure a sustainability of the project by investment at right location in right time.

Overall goal
Ensure sustainable development interventions with due consideration of disaster risk reduction factors at district level in order to minimize the erosion of development gains. As such DRR mainstreaming at district level authorities has to;

1. Contribute to the reduction existing risks (by increasing the resilience of local communities to the negative impact of natural hazards

2. Prevent the further build-up of risks (through the due consideration of disaster risks in the planning processes of local authorities

3. Adapt to changing risk environment (by consideration of, inter alia, climate variability and climate change, environmental degradation or changing vulnerability factors)

Objectives
ERRA’s DRM Programme contributes to the mainstreaming of DRR at district level with the following objectives:

• Increase awareness of government officials, in particular decision makers, in the field of disaster risks and disaster risk reduction

• Contribute to the development of PC-1 document with the inclusion of DRR aspects at district level

• Develop guidelines and tools to integrate DRR into development processes at district level

• Increase the capacity of government officials in reading, understanding and implementing DRR tools and guidelines in planning processes for spatial relevant development projects

The main elements of the progress achieved against the targets, so far are given as under;

a. A series of workshops/conferences and meetings on mainstreaming DRR has been organized for partner organizations,

    stakeholders and district officials in the project areas
b. Draft guidelines/ tools developed for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in the local development planning processes

    at district level.
c. Training material on mainstreaming DRR (power point presentation are available) has been developed
d. Consultation process has been initiated with DC Muzaffarabad and Mansehra for Mainstreaming DRR into

    development processes
e. Work is under process on preparing proforma to be included in PC-1 to integrated DRR considerations in the

    development processes