Hemispheric Consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Risk Reduction
On 11-12 September 2014, twenty delegates from countries throughout the Western Hemisphere gathered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for a consultation about health sector disaster risk reduction in indigenous communities. ten
The two-day meeting was convened by the Department of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief, in collaboration with the Gender and Cultural Diversity Unit and the Office of the Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. Co-hosts were the Pacific NorthWest Border Health Alliance (PNWBHA), the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, the First Nations Health Authority, the Washington State Department of Health Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response and the Musqueam Indian Band on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Delegates came from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Dominica, the United States Canada .
The Consultation was the first of its kind, where indigenous delegates were able to , .and.Guyana meet and, with their own voice, share experiences and discuss strategies intended to reduce risk within their communities. The objectives of the discussions were to increase knowledge and understanding of the disaster risks and needs faced by indigenous populations, as well as their accumulated experience in building resilience to disasters, towards collaboratively developing culturally sensitive tools to reduce disaster risk and better protect health during and after disasters. Through presentations, working groups and plenary sessions delegates discussed the following:
• Exchange experiences and good practices for reducing the health impact of disasters • Raise awareness, on the part of risk reduction and health experts and indigenous peoples, of the importance and mutually reinforcing nature of collaboration and engagement on this issue • Identify opportunities for future collaboration and establish mechanisms for longer term engagement to advance health disaster risk reduction in indigenous communities • Identify recommendations to improve disaster risk reduction among the indigenous population of the Americas
The agenda, discussion guides, and list of participants attending the Consultation follows.
Hemispheric Consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Risk Reduction
Agenda
DAY ONE
8:00 Bus departs from the hotel for Conference Center 8:30 – 8:50 Welcome and Opening RemarksWelcome by Host(s), w/ Welcome, Prayer, Presentation– Pacific NorthWest Border Health Alliance: Workgroup on Indigenous Peoples. Evan Adams, PNWBHA Working Group co-chair and
Deputy Provincial Health Officer, British Columbia Welcome Prayer1 Musqueam Elder
8:50 – 9:20 Opening Remarks – Pan American Health Organization v The case for disaster risk reduction in indigenous communities in the Americas. Ciro Ugarte, Director, a.i., Department of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief v Overview of Ethnic Diversity and Health Sandra del Pino, Specialist, Cultural Diversity
9:20 – 10:20 Introductions and presentations by each participant (based on suggested outline provided to participants)
10:20 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Continuation of presentations by participants 11:30 – 12:00 Charge to the delegates: Objectives of and expectations for the Consultation. John Scott, President, Center for Public Service Communications
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 BREAKOUT GROUP 1 Dealing with emergencies and disasters at community level: Experiences and initiatives. Facilitated discussion. 2:30 – 3:00 Presentation on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: the risk and potential health impacts. Ciro Ugarte, Pan American Health Organization
1 In North America (Canada and the U.S.), it is customary to open a meeting dedicated to indigenous issues with a First Nations/Native American prayer. 3:00 – 3:15 Break 3:15 – 4:45 BREAKOUT GROUP 2 Gaps and needs to improve health sector disaster risk reduction in indigenous communities. Facilitated discussion. 4:45 –5:15 Plenary: Reports from Breakout Groups 1 and 2. Discussion. 5:15 – 5:30 Summary, wrap up, adjournment of Day One. Ciro Ugarte, Pan American Health Organization
Adjourn
EVENING ACTIVITY ORGANIZED BY CO-HOST
DAY TWO
8:00 a.m. Bus departs from the hotel for Conference Center
8:30 – 8:45 Welcome Welcome by Host(s), w/ Welcome, Prayer, PresentationPrayer;, charge for Day Two
8:45 – 9:15 Presentation: Ensuring that health services continue to function in emergencies. Ciro Ugarte, PAHO.
9:15 – 10:15 Plenary: Discussion of strategies for safeguarding health services in disaster situations.
10:15 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 12:15 BREAKOUT GROUP 3 Identifying strategies and prioritizing interventions for disaster risk reduction.
12:15-1:15 Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 Plenary: Recommendations of Breakout Group 3. Discussion. Panel Discussion: Disaster Risk Reduction at the Global and Regional Level: 2:15 – 3:00 • U.S. Centennial Accord as a model framework for State (non-indigenous)-to-State (Indigenous) relationships. Joe Finkbonner • Pacific-NorthWest Border Health Alliance: model framework for cross-border (Canada- U.S.) relationships involving State Governments and Indigenous Peoples. Evan Adams • Post-2015 Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA2): John Scott • UN Development Agenda 3:00 – 3:30 Break
3:30 – 4:30 BREAKOUT GROUP 4 Moving Forward: strategies for maintaining an ongoing dialogue
4:30 – 5:15 Plenary: Recommendations of Breakout Group 4. Discussion.
5:15 – 5:30 Summary of the Consultation. Closing Ceremony. Ciro Ugarte, PAHO Hemispheric Consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Risk Reduction
Breakout Group 1 Experiences and Initiatives Thursday, 22 May, 1 – 2:30 p.m. The work group will discuss experiences and initiatives (including traditional knowledge and approaches) for disaster risk reduction in indigenous communities, with a focus on health. The items listed below are meant to be a starting point.
General
• When you think about the concepts of ‘disasters’ and ‘emergencies,’ what comes to mind? • Please provide information on situations where your community has faced a disaster or emergency and the general effects they have had. • What health impacts have arisen following a disaster or emergency? o How has the community dealt with these? o Are some groups more affected more than others? If so, why? Have steps been taken to address the situation prior to the next emergency? o What non-health issues have arisen? What solutions have been identified? • Are you aware of any programs or projects that have been developed with the collaboration of the communities that could address disasters and emergencies?
Understanding and preparing for emergencies and disasters
• Does your community have a disaster plan? o If so: ü Who contributed to developing the plan within the community? ü Who helped to develop the plan outside the community? o If not, why? • Is there a health component in the plan? o If yes, is traditional medicine considered in the plan? If so, please provide examples. • Do community members have assigned roles during emergencies? • Can you cite examples of how the community prepared for and/or responded to disasters? • What were the results of these preparedness and response efforts? • Does the community have access to information and materials on health, disaster preparedness and response? Is it useful for the community? Is the information available in languages that are spoken or understood in the community?
Disaster risk reduction measures
• When the term ‘disaster risk reduction’ is used, what comes to mind? • Has the community put in place disaster risk reduction measures (for example, measures to reduce floods, landslides, and other natural hazards)? • Are community members involved in instituting these disaster risk reduction measures? • Can you cite some examples, including any measures in place to ensure that health services can continue to function and provide services?
Breakout Group 2 Gaps and needs Thursday, 22 May, 3:15 - 4:45 p.m.
The work group will discuss what indigenous communities need to reduce their disaster risk and what gaps still exist (for each ‘need,’ there may or may not be a gap). Where gaps exist, what can be done? The list below provides only a starting point. Please add to it and be as specific as possible.
Preparedness
• Emergency plans (do these include disaster risk reduction and health issues?) o Does the community have its own emergency plan? If so, how can it be incorporated into municipal/national disaster plans and supported by disaster staff and authorities? • Communications o Is there an open dialogue between indigenous community leader(s) and health and disaster personnel? o What are the main gaps to initiate collaboration/communication with people from outside the community? o Who are the key representatives to liaise with inside and outside the community (with UN, civil society, etc.)? • Training (for whom and by whom; topics; etc.), including for youth. o How do you think civil society, PAHO and others can become more involved in initiatives that address health and disaster risks as seen by the community? Are men, women and youth trained within the community to be prepared on how to reduce risks? o Do you think that disaster preparedness training programs conducted by external actors (UN, health personnel, etc.) take into account the vision of the community and are useful? How? If not, why not? • Information (developing materials; access, etc.) o As a group, please discuss if available information about emergency planning and disaster risk is provided to community members. If so, what type of information? • What are the main obstacles to collaboration between the community and the relevant ministerial or national disaster department or agency and its staff?
Risk Reduction
• Hazard and vulnerability assessments of critical facilities o To what degree is information on hazards available and useful for the community? o Are vulnerability assessments of critical facilities conducted in the community? Which facilities are considered critical? What kinds of steps are taken to improve the resiliency of critical facilities? • Regulations and codes on the location, design and construction of critical facilities. o Do these exist? o Does the community participate in land use planning? o Are these regulations and codes generally enforced in the country and specifically in your community? • Are ecosystem-based flood reduction measures or other risk-sensitive development initiatives taken into account?
Breakout Group 3 Commitments, strategies and interventions Friday, 23 May, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
In this group, participants will identify and prioritize strategies and interventions for disaster risk reduction for indigenous communities and leaders as well as national and international agencies whose contribution and collaboration will be critical to the strategies’ effectiveness.
The following examples are only a starting point. Are these strategies realistic and can they lead to a commitment on the part of indigenous peoples and national/subnational authorities? If so, list specific activities to implement each strategy. If they are not realistic, specify why they are not and modify as required. Please add to the list and be as specific as possible.
Indigenous Peoples
• Take a leadership role in local-level development and disaster resilience initiatives. o (For example: Establish parish and community-level disaster committees and make sure everyone knows who is responsible for what.) o o • Develop strategies that take advantage of local knowledge; adapt and mainstream ‘external’ strategies (as needed). o (For example: Conduct self-assessments of the vulnerability of critical facilities) o o • Promote budget increases to fund the development of community capacities to reduce disaster risk. • Engage in a dialogue with national and international institutions, platforms and frameworks to share knowledge and learn from the successful disaster risk reduction practices.
National and subnational levels
• Engage in an ongoing dialogue with indigenous communities; identify the different cosmovisions and understanding of ‘disasters’ and ‘disaster risk reduction,’ etc. to ensure that they are recognized by local governments and that DRR planning at the local level involves their full participation. • Use experiences and knowledge of indigenous peoples to develop a local-level disaster risk reduction strategy. • Support, link, or adapt successful/ongoing disaster risk reduction initiatives to risk reduction initiatives in indigenous communities. o (For example: Adapt the PAHO initiative on safe health facilities to the needs of the community.) • Identify inter-agency activities focused on cultural diversity and/or indigenous peoples to incorporate disaster risk reduction interventions. • Seek to establish ‘partnerships’ between Latin American/Caribbean and North American communities. • Seek to strengthen collaboration with different UN agencies and other key actors (civil society, church, etc.) on disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response in support of indigenous peoples. • Identify best practices of indigenous knowledge and practices in disaster risk reduction, including non-formal means of dissemination, and incorporate these into official national DRR policies and education plans. • Promote collaboration between the Ministry of Health and disaster personnel and the community
Breakout Group 4 Strategies for maintaining a dialogue Friday, 23 May, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Moving forward, in order to best take advantage of the information that has been shared at the Hemispheric Consultation and to enable a continuation of the professional contacts that have been fostered, participants will discuss ways to continue the engagement process. Breakout Group 4 will focus on what types of information should be shared and the information strategies that will permit timely and easy sharing.
The list below provides only a starting point. Please add to the list and be as specific as possible.
• Ongoing sharing of community experiences (conceptions, traditions linked to disasters, etc.) • Sharing of relevant literature, case studies and ‘best practices’ in disaster risk reduction (information on the most vulnerable community groups). • Calendar of events of relevance to health sector disaster risk reduction planning and program implementation. • Strategies to make better use of indigenous perspectives and knowledge. • Information sharing about opportunities for indigenous participation in regional and international forums. • Support for the creation of regional indigenous networking to give voice to indigenous advocates for disaster risk reduction.
Breakout Group 4 will also focus on communications technologies and applications that will facilitate ongoing discussion. The group will explore, for example, whether e-mail, Internet video-conferencing and distance learning are possible means to share information and in which formats. For example, do participants have the capacity for Internet video or audio conferencing (Skype) for periodic meetings; or would email be more reasonable?
Hemispheric Consultation on Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Risk Reduction
List of Participants
Canada
Dr. Evan Adams Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Aboriginal Health BC Ministry of Health 4th Floor - 1515 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 3C8 Phone: (250) 952-1349 [email protected]
Ms. Michelle Degroot Executive Director, Health Actions First Nations Health Authority #1205-100 Park Royal South West Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2 Phone: 604.913.2080 [email protected]
Mr. Wayne Dauphinee Executive Director Pacific NorthWest Border Health Alliance Phone: (250) 479-6228 [email protected]
Mr. Bill Gowans Regional Manager of Fire Services & Interim Manager of Emergency Preparedness and Response First Nations' Emergency Services Society Email: [email protected] Cell: 604-838-0693 Web: www.fness.bc.ca Unit 102 - 70 Orwell Street North Vancouver BC V7J 3R5
Dr. Isaac Sobol Director, Health Protection First Nations Health Authority Vancouver, BC Canada Phn.: (604) 693-6963 E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Paul Gully Public Health Consultant Fist Nations Health Authority Phn. (604) 649-6274 E-mail: [email protected]
Caribbean Mr. Garnette Joseph Kalinago Nation DOMINICA [email protected]
Ms. Yusa Xavier Toschau St. Ignatius GUYANA E-mail: [email protected] Phn.: 592-685-3886
Latin America
Mr. Tito Guasu Guaguasu Yuqui Council BOLIVIA [email protected]
Dr. Marcia Masaquiza Provincial Department of Health Tungurahua ECUADOR [email protected]
Sra. Ruth Serech Executive Director, Coordination of the Development of Mayan Women (CODIMM) GUATEMALA [email protected]
Mr. Maylo Wood Director of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Populations (DINAFROH) Department of Development and Social Inclusion HONDURAS [email protected] [email protected]
Mr. Cecilio Solís Librado Coordinator Institutional Relations Indigenous Tourism Network of Mexico MEXICO [email protected]
Mr. Eduardo Nayap Kinin Congressman, Amazon Region (representative of the Awajun peoples) PERU [email protected]
United States
Ms. Elizabeth Buckingham Makah Tribe, Health Director Sophie Trettevick Indian Health Center PO Box 115, 250 Fort Street Neah Bay, Washington 98357 Phone: (360) 645-2224 [email protected]
Mr. Joe Finkbonner Executive Director, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board 2121 SW Broadway, Suite 300 Portland, Oregon 97201 Phone: (530) 228-4185 [email protected]
Mr. Chris Williams Deputy Chief, Office of Emergency Preparedness & Response Washington Department of Health P.O. Box 47890, 101 Israel Road SE Tumwater, WA 98501 Phone: (360) 236-4075 [email protected]
Ms. Bridget Canniff Proj. Director/Public Health Improvement Mgr. Northwest Portland Ara Indian Health Board 2121 SW Broadway Ste. 300 Portland, OR 97211 Phn.: 1-503-416-3302 E-mail: [email protected]
Pan American Health Organization
Dr. Ciro Ugarte Director, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Pan American Health Organization Washington, D.C. 20037 USA Phone: +202 974 3708 [email protected]
Ms. Nicole Wynter Specialist, Disaster Risk Reduction, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Pan American Health Organization Washington, D.C. 20037 USA Phone: +202 974 3477 [email protected]
Ms. Sandra del Pino Specialist, Cultural Diversity, Department of Gender and Cultural Diversity Pan American Health Organization Washington, D.C. 20037 USA Phone: +202 974 3956 [email protected]
Center for Public Service Communications
Mr. John C. Scott President, Center for Public Service Communications Claiborne, Maryland, USA Mobile: +703 307 3260 [email protected]
Ms. Patricia Bittner Disaster Risk Reduction Program Coordinator, Center for Public Service Communications Claiborne, Maryland, USA Mobile: +703 201 1087 [email protected]