INTRODUCTION
Gender equality matters for both the legitimacy and the effectiveness of the Open Government Partnership (OGP). All citizens have a right to participate in the public life of their society, but different groups of citizens face different barriers to doing so. Women, non-binary individuals, and LGBTQIA+ actors historically faced systematic exclusion from public decision-making processes and continue to be widely under-represented across the world. Further, women, non-binary individuals, and LGBTQIA+ actors often have different needs and experiences of government and public services, and therefore may prioritize different things from their governments and service providers. Intersectionalities across gender, sexual identity, age, race, ethnicity, ability, location, and access can further discrimination and limit voice and access to vital services.
However, the important priorities and needs of these communities are often poorly understood and under-supported. Diverse, substantive participation in governance processes like OGP and its action plan co-creation processes strengthens both the legitimacy and effectiveness of these mechanisms, truly broadening the base of participation.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) that work across gender equality and equity issues are an important democratic mechanism for aggregating, representing, and applying pressure to secure the interests of women, non-binary individuals, and LGBTQIA+ actors. OGP coordination bodies need to actively facilitate a range of these CSOs and social movement actors to participate in the co-creation of OGP action plans, if it is to harness the ideas and expertise of diverse citizens, and be relevant to their needs and priorities.
The Feminist Open Government (FOGO) Initiative was created to generate research, data, and practical tools to support OGP members in better using OGP as a mechanism to advance gender equality. This Gender Toolkit was produced based on several pieces of research that started under the FOGO Initiative and has continued within OGP’s broader gender and inclusion efforts.
The use of the tools can be facilitated by an OGP government or civil society stakeholder, a third-party facilitator, or a resource person with gender expertise. A third-party facilitator may be best able to explain concepts to participants, ask probing questions to prompt deeper thinking, moderate the discussion to surface different points of view, and facilitate consensus around actions to be taken after the tools are used.
Note that this toolkit will reference women, girls, non-binary individuals, and LGBTQIA+ actors as specific stakeholders to engage and consult throughout co-creation and implementation. This will also appear as “gender equality actors” for shorthand. These categories are not comprehensive, and there are overlapping identities and intersectionalities within and across these groups that greatly impact voice, agency, and access. None of these groups are a monolith, and diverse consultation is needed across identities and experience to better ensure open government approaches serve a diversity of citizens.
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As the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) draws to an end and disaster-related loss and damage continues to increase, an important opportunity arises to shape and agree upon a successor framework that will enable management of the risks that threaten to reverse vital development gains. These risks are driven by a variety of factors (UNISDR 2013) including climate variability and change, economic and financial crises, environmental mismanagement, demographic change, rapid and unplanned urbanization, and failed governance; they disproportionately impact vulnerable and exposed low-income households around the world.
As the HFA Priority area 4 refers to disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies integrated with climate change adaptation and lists among the “critical tasks for states” to promote the integration of DRR with climate variability and climate change into DRR strategies and adaptation to climate change, considerable effort has been made by agencies to work towards convergence of the DRR and the climate change adaptation agendas. However, despite the obvious overlap, these two agendas have evolved independently and in parallel (Mitchell & van Aalst 2008, Mitchell et al. 2010, Mercer 2010) and have faced different challenges (e.g. Schipper & Pelling 2006). In terms of practical programming, there has perhaps been some risk of “relabelling” classical DRR efforts addressing weather-related risks without consciously incorporating concerns for the change in risk patterns, extreme events and vulnerability partly induced by climate change. In addition, there has been a tendency to initiate stand-alone climate change adaptation (CCA) projects disregarding existing vulnerabilities, in effect “overstating” the adaptation aspects of the project rather than integrating adaptation measures into existing approaches, as recommended in the HFA.
Since the HFA in 2005 more compelling evidence about how climate change has – and continues to – influence disaster risk has emerged (including IPCC AR4 and AR5 and SREX). At the same time, many implementing agencies, in particular civil society organizations, have developed and tested various approaches and tools to integrate climate aspects in (participatory) assessments and planning (IIRR Cordaid 2013, CARE 2009, Wiggins 2012) and considerable effort has been made to bounce ideas and share knowledge across agencies about tools and methods for integrating changing climate risks into DRR through for example, the Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change Conferences, and Development & Climate Days held in the context of the annual UNFCCC Conference of Parties (Bachofen et al 2014, Suarez et al 2013). Through these iterations, some common denominators for climate-smart community programming have started to emerge.
Pilot projects across the world have shown that addressing changing climate and disaster risks at the local level is highly effective for building resilience. Strong capacities and robust institutions at the community level can maximize the impacts of climate-smart disaster risk reduction. Yet for this to happen, it is essential that communities and the organizations supporting them all know how to integrate changing risks into their activities.
While empowering communities and the local organizations that support them to become better at managing their risk, the disaster risk reduction community faces increasing pressure to deliver on a greater scale, and help local actors steer their development trajectories upwards. At the same time, policymakers seek clarity and guidance from practitioners on the standards to set for local climate change adaptation efforts – a crucial component of national adaptation planning. Taken together, these demands call for a simplified set of criteria to ensure community-based DRR programming, as well as broader resilience-building efforts, can guide communities and the organizations supporting them.
To address this growing demand, the Minimum Standards for Local Climate-smart Disaster Risk Reduction (hereafter referred to as “Minimum Standards”) have been developed to provide a ‘good enough guide’ to help local community leaders, DRR practitioners and policymakers ensure DRR efforts are geared to more uncertain future risk patterns induced by a changing climate. The Minimum Standards are meant to serve as a useful guide for planners and donors as well so they may ensure DRR programming is meeting CCA needs and that DRR actions are going beyond business as usual by truly addressing changing climate-related risks. Indeed, recognizing that the Minimum Standards are realistic and achievable, national strategies that consider them will be able to go to scale, also in facilitating the use of climate adaptation finance for local efforts to reduce the rising risk of disaster in a changing climate.
This paper presents the Minimum Standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction and details how they can help trigger action on climate change under the post-2015 HFA framework. The first section provides an overview of the Minimum Standards and their relevance for guiding climate-smart action at the community level and at the civil society organisation (CSO) level. The second section presents experience of community level application of the Minimum Standards in the Philippines, Indonesia, and India in the context of the Partners for Resilience Program. To illustrate how the Minimum Standards have been used to strengthen CSO’s capacity to become climate-smart, the third section details the experience of the Vanuatu Red Cross and suggests for this approach to be replicated by other CSOs. In addition, the process by which Australian Red Cross has expanded the Minimum Standards to include gender dimensions of DRR is presented in a final case study. The paper concludes with a discussion of the way forward for maximizing the opportunities to use the Minimum Standards to inform the development of the post 2015 HFA.
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The global pandemic known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions worldwide. Presently in the Philippines, the number of cases continues to increase with 9.90% positivity rate and 1.85% mortality rate. The most vulnerable population is comprised of the elderly, those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, or those who are immunocompromised such as people living with HIV, as well as frontline workers in health and essential businesses.
Health system capacity has improved but continues to face challenges. The country currently ranks 20th in the John Hopkins case monitoring dashboard in terms of the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The number of new cases remains variable with a recent spike following a 2-week decline. The Department of Health (DOH), however asserts that the health system has made significant progress not only in improving recovery rates and reducing COVID-19 mortality, but also in increasing hospitals’ capacity to serve suspected/ confirmed COVID-19 patients.
Currently, there is some 42.1% occupancy rate in wards, ICU, and isolation bedsfor COVID-19. Critical health facilities are now more equipped to provide better care to patients compared to during the early stages of the pandemic. However, testing and contact tracing capacity needs to be sustained to accurately
reflect the health situation. On September 2, the national government launched its official contact tracing app – staysafe.ph, while Local Government Units (LGU) also initiated individual contact tracing strategies/app in their respective communities.
The Philippine government utilized a public health-centered approach in mitigating the spread of the virus. Medical response includes strengthening health capacity by recruiting additional 20,000 health professionals, improved and expanded research capacity, and improved health care facilities and care protocols. Community quarantines include imposition of curfew, ban on mass gatherings, closures of schools or congregations, work suspension, and modified work arrangements.
COVID-19 has resulted in severe socio-economic consequences. The response to the pandemic transmission has negatively impacted the economy. Since March 2020, more than 3.3 million workers have lost their jobs. Unemployment rate is at 10% as of July 2020 which is double the rate of 5.4% last year of the same month. The loss of livelihood and lack of income opportunities has limited the access of the poorest families to food, water, and health services, and increased their reliance on aid. Some 7.6M reported involuntary hunger due to the crisis.10 School suspension displaced learners, barred access to supplementary feeding, and increased care work for women. Moreover, the affected population articulated increased feelings of anxiety and distress due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation. The pandemic situation shows disproportionate impact of the pandemic to women, children, and the most marginalized sectors of society.
The Philippines remains at risk to disasters and climate change impacts. The country ranks 3rd in the World Risk Report of 2018 and 5th in the Climate Risk Index of 2019.12 Tropical cyclones account for the largest disaster-related loss in the country. Some 20 tropical cyclones occur in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) per year. At least 6-9 incidents make landfall causing damage to urban and rural communities. Due to climate change, recent historical data in the country show that stronger typhoons are becoming even more frequent. Degraded ecosystems also exacerbate the impacts of the hazard. Moreover, cyclones are often accompanied by concurrent hazards including floods, flashfloods, and landslides. It also interacts with seasonal and climatological changes including monsoon seasons and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases. The typhoon season has already started. Typhoon Vongfong made landfall in May 2020. It was the first typhoon to hit the country this year. It affected almost 400,000 individuals and destroyed shelter, livelihoods, and health facilities. Emergency response activities were complicated by the ongoing quarantine measures and social distancing protocols. The experience from Typhoon Vongfong showed the need to integrate minimum health standards to better prepare for similar hazard events.
On 14 June 2020, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the start of the rainy season. The climate outlook shows that that there is more than 50-55% chance of La Nina either late October or November 2020 which may last through the first quarter of 2020. Above normal rainfall incidents can also be expected in the same period, particularly in December. Moreover, a total of 9 to 12 tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) until the end of the year. The onset of La Nina will cause tropical cyclones to form nearer land, thereby increasing the chance of landfall.
Capacities are stretched, and resources are dwindling. The whole country was placed under State of Calamity since 16 March 2020-12 September 2021.17 The protracted response due to COVID-19 has depleted resources of the government, private sector, and Civil Society Organizations. LGUs affected by the pandemic have already exhausted their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund- Emergency Response Fund (LDRRMF-ERF) and have realigned their development funds to provide food assistance, conduct awareness-raising activities, and supplement health equipment and services. Medical and government front liners have provided continuous health and social services.
With the advent of the Typhoon season alongside the continuous COVID-19 response, there is a need to revisit plans to better manage risks and increase response capacities. Contingency plans (CP) can be reviewed to update risk assessments, integrate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and improve response arrangements. Other government plans including the DRRM Plans, Annual Investment Plans (AIP), and Comprehensive Development Plans (CDP) may also benefit from the review process.
The Contingency Planning Checklist is an attempt to summarize experiences from the ground into a diagnostic tool that supports the integration of COVID-19 protocols and lessons from the ongoing response into existing Contingency Plans. It is a list of recommendations across multiple sectors that can serve as an entry point in the CP updating process.
Read, view, and download the complete document here.
To extend the RILHUB’s reach, we launched the Resilience and Knowledge Exchange Series (RKES) last June 2020 – monthly webinars where stakeholders and key decision-makers can share experiences, best practices, lessons learned, ideas, and innovations.
In this session entitled “Planning for Typhoons During a Pandemic: A Practical Guide”, we held discussions on gaps and challenges of existing Contingency Plans for Typhoons in light of the current pandemic as well as replicable typhoon response practices. We also formulated a practical guide that aims to help communities update their current contingency plans.
A contingency planning checklist was developed from the inputs of more than 600 registrants. The document below was the one used during a special session of the RILHUB Resilience Knowledge Exchange Series for National Disaster Resilience Month. A more detailed and comprehensive checklist will also be uploaded after completion to include additional inputs from attendees and partners.
View and download the full contingency planning checklist here.
A tool developed in Vietnam, to help communities develop a shared vision of positive change, in relation to community-based adaptation (CBA) and watershed ecosystem management activities.
The visioning approach for CBA supports coordinated, equitable and relevant planning for communities. In other words, it helps to identify what needs to be changed in a community or watershed ecosystem as well as supporting the creation of a vision and a plan of how to reach the desired future.
The approach can be used for CBA watershed management planning, environmental planning for natural resource-dependent people and business development. These plans can, in turn, be integrated into the Socio-Economic Development Plans of communes, districts, and provinces.
View and download the tool here.
Originally posted on https://careclimatechange.org/
Climate change affects women and men differently. Unequal access to resources, rights, and opportunities between women and men means that they also experience the impacts of climate change and disasters in different and unequal ways. To ignore these inequalities is to ignore a key factor in the success or failure of our work. Women play an essential role in tackling the climate change challenge. They are demonstrating innovative ways to adapt to the effects of climate change and build resilient societies. Women are taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by leading initiatives that put forward new solutions to dealing with climate change. If we can address and transform gender inequalities through climate change and disaster risk reduction initiatives, then we not only promote the equal rights of women but also multiply the sustainable impact of climate-related activities.
Produced by CARE International in Vietnam, UN Women in Viet Nam and GIZ, ‘Making It Count’ offers practical questions, actions, tools and resources for integrating gender into climate change and disaster risk reduction interventions. It is designed to be an easily accessible entry point for practitioners and was created through several consultations with multiple stakeholders, including members of Vietnam’s Climate Change Working Group, and other experts with experience in climate change and gender. Whilst it is Vietnam focused, most elements can also be useful for both government and non-government actors around the world.
View and download the material here.
Originally posted on https://careclimatechange.org/
CARE’s most popular practitioner tool: Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis. A community-level tool that integrates climate change into a wider participatory vulnerability analysis.
By combining local knowledge with scientific data, the CVCA process builds people’s understanding about climate risks and adaptation strategies. It provides a framework for dialogue within communities, as well as between communities and other stakeholders (e.g. local and national government agencies). The results provide a solid foundation for the identification of practical strategies to facilitate community-based adaptation to climate change.
View and download the material here.
Originally posted on https://careclimatechange.org/
Guidelines on how to create Community Digital Storytelling (CDST) videos for participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and advocacy purposes.
CDSTs are short videos, based on a sequence of photos supported by a narrative. CDST can play a role in enhancing the community’s climate change adaptation strategies and increase local ownership of the processes of producing the CDST, and thus, their future monitoring and evaluation of components in the programme.
The overall objective of this guide is that the user learns how to produce short video stories that strengthening marginalized voices and sharing their priorities for adaptation strategies.
The CDSTs are designed to be used as part of participatory processes aimed at empowering community members. Videos are a powerful medium for involving community members, especially those who do not read or write as it allows them to share reflections and learning in their own voice and language.
The added value of CDST is that community members are able to document their own processes in prioritizing adaptation strategies as well as their reflections and results. In addition, CDST can be a valuable advocacy tool, both for addressing issues facing local communities with similar challenges in adapting through local and national advocacy as well as having the potential to address an international audience. This guide is built on a methodology applied in the Adaptation Learning Programme for Africa.
View and download material here.
Originally posted on http://careclimatechange.org
CARE’s Resilience Marker is a tool that allows teams to self-assess how well resilience has been integrated into their work. It supports CARE members, affiliates, country offices, and partners with assessing projects, programmes, and the overall portfolio. This process encourages engagement and learning, in particular about the ways in which we can improve and support the effective integration of resilience into all our programming in accordance with contextual constraints and opportunities.
This Resilience Marker is not a top-down judgment tool for projects or programmes. Rather, it should be considered as a bottom-up opportunity to reflect and learn about how we can integrate resilience into an intervention in the most appropriate way for the context and type of development or humanitarian programming.
View and download CARE’s Resilience Marker here.
Originally posted on http://careclimatechange.org
“Development” is about increasing goods and services, increasing access and opportunities, increasing freedom and choices, and sustaining these gains over time. Climate change can undermine or, in some cases, reverse the effectiveness and sustainability of development interventions. What’s more, some interventions can unintentionally leave people even more vulnerable than before to worsening droughts and floods, changing rainfall patterns, sealevel rise and other impacts of climate change. Conversely, welldesigned development activities can increase people’s resilience to these impacts.
It is, therefore, critical to integrate, or “mainstream” thinking about climate change into development strategies, plans and programmes. This is especially true when pursuing goals that are most likely to be affected by the impacts of climate change, such as greater access to safe drinking water, healthy ecosystems or food security.
This Toolkit offers practical, “how to” guidance for integrating climate change adaptation into the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. Its step-bystep structure helps users build climate-resilient projects with sustainable impacts. The Toolkit also includes simple checklists to ensure that development activities don’t increase people’s vulnerability to climate change. It provides guidance and recommended tools for all stages of the project cycle, as well as tools, resources and practical examples from CARE projects around the world. Water resource management and agriculture projects are specifically highlighted, as they were targeted in the early tests of the Toolkit.
This interactive Toolkit is designed to be flexible. Users can tailor the process to meet their needs, priorities and available resources. Furthermore, we see the Toolkit as a ‘living’ document or resource. We welcome feedback on its structure, content and overall utility from users. We intend to update the Toolkit periodically as we receive this feedback and continue to learn more about the process of integrating adaptation into development projects.
View and download the material here.