The Need
‘Views from the Frontline’ was part of a global effort led by the Global Network for Disaster Reduction (GNDR). It was a reality check to support the effective implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). It aims to measure the progress at the local level across developing regions.
How we helped
VFL 2009
Ten members of the Alliance for Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction (AADRR) – of which SEEDS was the Secretariat – carried out extensive surveys across 13 districts at the grassroots level. We interacted with local government officials, community leaders and civil society organisations. The result strongly endorsed the common view that DRR has yet to percolate to the grassroots and become part of our daily lives. This national report contributed to a 40-nation study that was released in Geneva in June 2009.
VFL 2011
The survey for VFL 2011 focused on the key aspects of local governance and the translation of national policies into practice. It pushed for greater government transparency and accountability. 25 participatory organisations helped cover 17 states and a total of 125 districts.
VFL 2013
In 2013, 16 – carried out 540 surveys across 40 districts. In addition, discussion and consultation were undertaken in the form of 4 sub-national workshops. The most significant finding was the need to recognise and address everyday disasters. The number of people killed, injured and impoverished by these small and medium disasters is larger than that of the huge ones. Yet, these underlying risk factors are generally not given much attention, putting a massive constraint on their ability to act effectively.