Risk assessment & formulation of disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies for the flood affected areas of Punjab and Sindh provinces

Background

Alliance2015 is a partnership of seven like-minded European non-government organizations working in the field of development cooperation. The Alliance members are Cesvi from Italy, Concern Worldwide from Ireland, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) from Germany, Hivos from the Netherlands, IBIS from Denmark, People in Need (PIN) from the Czech Republic and ACTED from France. In the wake of July 2010 floods in Pakistan, five of the Alliance2015 partners (including CESVI, ACTED, Concern, WHH & PIN) are implementing relief and recovery projects across flood affected districts with the financial support from ECHO. As part of the 3rd joint Alliance2015 project (Provision of multi sector humanitarian assistance to the flood and conflict affected population in Pakistan), Concern Worldwide has committed to undertake the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Study.

Context

Pakistan is exposed to natural hazards (geological, hydro meteorological, and biological), as well as to technological and to complex hazards. While the October 2005 earthquake highlighted the risk, exposure and vulnerability of Pakistan to earthquakes, the floods of 2010 and 2011 further emphasised the extent to which Pakistan is also exposed to the hydro-metrological hazards, especially flooding.

Over the course of July and August 2010 Pakistan experienced the worst floods in living memory. Heavy rainfall, flash floods and riverine floods devastated large parts of Pakistan following the arrival of seasonal monsoon rains on 22 July. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) 20.36 million people have been affected by the floods with over 75% of those affected living in Sindh and Punjab Provinces. Death tolls from the floods stand at 1,781, with 2,055 people injured and 1.9 million houses damaged or destroyed. Extremely high waters flowed into Northern Sindh in late August; it took almost 4 weeks for most of the flood waters to reach the Arabian Sea. Multiple levee failures and breaches caused the inundation of huge areas to the west of the main Indus River; western Sindh became a flowing inland sea.

In August 2011, heavy monsoons rains led once again to large scale flooding, particularly in Sindh province, as well as in South Punjab and North-eastern Balochistan. The Government of Pakistan Economics Affairs Division appealed on September 6th to the humanitarian community for emergency response and assistance to meet the needs of an estimated 5.2 million people affected by the widespread flooding. Of these, an estimated 1.8 million have been displaced in Sindh alone, and the flooding has been reported to have led to the destruction of up to 900,000 houses, and to the loss of 70% of staple food crops in affected areas, leaving an estimated 43% of affected population food insecure.

Problem Statement

There is an absence of DRR strategy and operational guidance in the country in the current response to the floods. There is also a lack of timely risk assessments (highlighting hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities) and risk analysis compromising “Build Back Better”. The mind-set of DRR being perceived as a specialist job and a time-consuming post disaster activity – is also leading to missed opportunities for risk reduction measures. The proposed study is intended to fill the knowledge gaps with regards to DRR strategies and operational guidance in the response to current floods.

On behalf of the Alliance 2015, Concern Worldwide will hire consultants/firm to undertake a study in the selected flood affected districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces to assist stakeholders in integrating appropriate DRR measures (preparedness, mitigation and prevention) and strategies in on-going and future programmes.

The study will come up with a DRR framework for operational guidance and identify priorities for action (operational scope) that will be shared more broadly with other stakeholders (including government agencies – NDMA, PDMAs & other departments, UN/NGOs & donors). The findings of the study will serve as an advocacy tool and the study report will be widely publicised and disseminated.

The study is expected to support national and provincial decision makers in taking appropriate decisions for better preparedness and risk reduction. The findings of the study will assist flood affected populations to cope with and increase their resilience to withstand future disasters through adapting prevention, mitigation and preparedness measures which address present and future risks, with a special focus on the poorest communities.

Qualifications & Experience

This study is expected to be carried out by a team of consultants having strong multi-sector expertise/experience at senior level - who are able to respond to the exceptionally broad spectrum of institutional cooperation and technical requirements of the study. The study team should include specialists with solid expertise/experience in the areas of DRR, Risk Analysis, Institutional Development, Food Security/Livelihoods and Infrastructure (including WASH).

- The team members should have advanced university degrees in the above mentioned areas along with at least 10 years’ relevant research and project implementation/management work experience at senior level.

- Team members should have the ability to deal sensitively in a multicultural environment and function effectively in diverse and multi-disciplinary teams.

- Team members should have the ability to integrate different experiences, methodologies, and approaches and to develop partnerships with a range of stakeholders in the field of disaster risk management and multi hazard risk and vulnerability assessment including the government, other UN agencies, NGOs and civil society. Excellent analytical and report writing skills are also a pre-requisite