Contacts: In Dhaka: Mehrin A. Mahbub (880-2) 8159001, mmahbub@worldbank.org July 06, Dhaka: When a natural disaster hits the country, in most cases local governments are the first one to respond. To develop a better understanding of how local governments and communities can play effective roles in managing and reducing disaster risks, the World Bank organized a Workshop on ‘Strengthening the Role of Local Governments in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)’ under umbrella of the SDC-assisted Non-lending Technical Assistance Program for Local Governance today. The key stakeholders stressed to develop capacities of local governments in disaster risk reduction and mitigation efforts. “While the Government, in association with the development partners, has done an admirable job of creating effective national level systems to address various aspects of disaster mitigation and management, the local government tier still remains a weak link in the system. They undertake disaster rehabilitation and management work with very limited means and capacities available to them.” said Mohamed Alhousseyni Toure, Operations Advisor, World Bank Bangladesh “It is very important to ensure harmonization among Government departments and development partners in their support for strengthening local governments’ role in DRR related initiatives.” The workshop participants, including local government leaders, suggested ways to strengthen the Union Parishads for undertaking DRR initiatives as well as integrate those initiatives within the World Bank-funded ongoing Local Governance Support Project (LGSP) framework. The workshop discussed the draft Handbook on integrating disaster risk reduction into local government’s development initiatives that was recently developed by the Local Government Division, Disaster Management Bureau and the Comprehensive Disaster Management Program (funded by UNDP, DfID and EC) in consultation with a wide group of stakeholders, including local level representatives. The suggestions from the workshop would be included the final version of the Handbook on Local Governments and Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh, which would then be disseminated to all UPs that are part of LGSP, and beyond. The Participants praised the positive role of local governments in disaster risk mitigation and management at the community level. The deliberations stressed the need to recognize the existing community level DRR activities that can be replicated and mainstreamed locally through partnerships with local government and NGOs. Further, participants also added that, there needs to be adequate institutional arrangements to ensure the recommendations of this workshop are followed up. For more information on the Local Governance Support Project, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=295793&Projectid=P098273 For more information on the World Bank in Bangladesh, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/bd ### |
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