Post-Disaster Response

Disaster risk reduction is the wider process of planning, preparing for and responding to disasters as well as managing their consequences; UNESCO recognizes that actions are needed before, during and after hazards strike in order to manage risks and protect communities. In the aftermath of disasters, rescue activities, rehabilitation and reconstruction are important aspects of the disaster cycle and should not be overlooked. To that end, the United Nations agencies, including UNESCO and international financial institutions such as the World Bank, lend their expertise to conduct post-disaster assessments upon which affected countries will be able to develop a holistic plan to guide their recovery activities. 

Disaster risk reduction follows four phases in a continuous cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The cycle is such that all communities are in at least one of the phases at any given time, and UNESCO supports them to tackle each of those phases. 

Mitigation, or reducing disaster risk, is the early phase of the cycle. To support Member States in their mitigation efforts, UNESCO fosters actions to prevent or reduce the cause, impact, and consequences of disasters, for example, digging water channels to redirect water or planting vegetation to absorb water are actions that can mitigate the risks of floods.

Not all natural hazards can be mitigated completely: for example, we can restore coastal ecosystems to mitigate the impacts of tsunamis, but we cannot prevent the occurrence of tsunamis entirely. Preparedness is about preparing for the worst so that hazards do not turn into disasters when they strike. During the preparedness phase, UNESCO develops hazard-specific planning, training and educational activities and materials to help communities and Member States create plans for what to do, where to go, and who to turn to for help in case of a disaster. 

The response phase occurs immediately after a disaster. During that phase, businesses and other operations do not function normally. Personal safety and well-being in an emergency and during the response phase depend on the level of preparedness. UNESCO has a limited role during disasters; however, it has proposed innovative solutions to increase efficiency when communities have to respond to natural hazards.

After the response phase, recovery aims to build back better and improve resilience. It is when restoration efforts occur concurrently with regular operations and activities. Recovery from a disaster can be prolonged and requires the coming together of multiple actors. UNESCO collaborates with international actors to identify recovery and reconstruction needs, as well as determine the major causes of a particular disaster. 

The post-disaster phase is of particular importance as it offers the opportunity to ‘build back better’ which connects the cycle back to mitigation. Priority 4 of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, places emphasis on the recovery phase, as it is essential to use it to increase the resilience of communities. Resilience is built by integrating disaster risk reduction measures into the restoration of physical infrastructure and the everyday life of people and organizations so that the damage may be lessened should another hazard strike. 

When a disaster occurs, relevant United Nations agencies and international institutions execute post-disaster assessments to guide recovery efforts. The main goal is to assess the full extent of the disaster’s impact, define the needs for recovery and reconstruction, as well as serve as the basis for the development of recovery and reconstruction strategy to guide donors’ funding. Each agency and institution support the affected country by providing an assessment based on their respective mandates and expertise. 

Following disasters, UNESCO strives to act based on its four domains of competencies where relevant. The Organization aims to limit the amount of disruption to education in times of emergencies on the premise that access to education and a safe learning environment is lifesaving and life-sustaining. 

UNESCO also provides scientific expertise on recovery efforts and building back better. To achieve this in the case of earthquakes for example, UNESCO conducts post-earthquake assessments to evaluate building damage as well as the local construction standards and provides recommendations based on the latest seismology and earthquake engineering knowledge.  

UNESCO has also launched important initiatives for the reconstruction and recovery of several sites that were heavily damaged by conflicts or disasters to preserve the heritage of nations around the world. 

UNESCO also acts on the front of communication and information in its approach to disaster risk reduction by providing training to journalists on comprehensive management of multiple natural hazards and how to handle the surrounding communication to ease disaster management.