ABSTRACT The Social and Livelihoods Assessment following the Impact of TS Erika situates itself within the framework of social vulnerability and disaster risk reduction. In keeping with the PDNA methodology which THE COMMONWEALTH OF undertakes assessments using both a sectoral approach and a bottom up DOMINICA: SOCIAL AND approach, this Social and Livelihoods Assessment, used as its point of departure the data sets and outputs of the Rapid LIVELIHOOD ASSESSMENT Damage and Impact Assessment (September 2015). Its analysis occurs through a focus on FOLLOWING the affected population, the social sector – housing, education, health with specific examination of the social protection measures; and the productive sector, TROPICAL STORM ERIKA particularly agriculture, tourism and Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica with the commerce. Technical Assistance of the UNDP, Barbados and the OECS Asha Kambon, Vincent Little, Lancelot Busby, Marlene Johnson, Nigel Mitchell 1 2 Acronyms and Abbreviations CARICOM Caribbean Community CBO Community-Based Organization CCA Climate Change Adaptation CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CPA Country Poverty Assessment CSO Central Statistical Office DFID Department for International Development, United Kingdom DRR/DRM Disaster Risk Reduction/Disaster Risk Management EC Eastern Caribbean EU European Union FY Fiscal Year GDP Gross Domestic Product GFP Gender Focal Point GOCD Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica GSPS Growth and Social Protection Strategy IADB Inter-American Development Bank IICA Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture ILO International Labour Organization MDGs Millennium Development Goals MSMEs Micro Small and medium Enterprises NGO Non-Governmental Organization OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States PAHO Pan American Health Organization PDNA Post Disaster Needs Assessment TSE Tropical Storm Erika/ TS Erika UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNECLAC United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean UN Women United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women WB The World Bank – The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Justification for the Study and its Methodology ..................................................................................................... 13 a. Justification ................................................................................................................................... 13 b. Methodology .................................................................................................................................. 15 Section One: The Affected Population .................................................................................................................... 16 A. A Social Perspective of Dominica in the Wake of TSE ................................................................... 16 1.Description of Storm and its Effects ............................................................................................................. 16 2. Dominica and its Vulnerability to Natural Disasters ................................................................................ 18 B. TSE: Its Effects on the Population .................................................................................................. 19 1. Social and Demographic Characteristics ................................................................................................... 19 2. Socio Economic Status of the Affected Population ................................................................................ 24 3. Livelihoods of Affected Population ......................................................................................................... 27 4. Effects on the Quality of Life .................................................................................................................. 28 Section Two: Detailed Social and Livelihoods Analysis by Areas of Focus ......................................................... 31 A. Agriculture ....................................................................................................................................... 31 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 31 2. Sectoral Context ....................................................................................................................................... 31 3. Identifying Vulnerable Livelihoods ........................................................................................................ 32 4. The Vulnerable Livelihoods .................................................................................................................... 33 5. Assets of Farmers ..................................................................................................................................... 35 6. Livelihood Activities and Outcomes ....................................................................................................... 35 7. Fisheries: Description of the Livelihood ................................................................................................. 37 8. Social and Livelihood Impact of Erika on Agriculture ......................................................................... 38 9. Recovery Interventions ............................................................................................................................ 39 B. Tourism .......................................................................................................................................... 40 1. Background............................................................................................................................................... 40 2. The Effects of Tropical Storm Erika ...................................................................................................... 41 3. The Pre Disaster Situation ....................................................................................................................... 42 4. Vulnerability Assessment of the Tourism Sector in Dominica ................................................................. 43 5. Details of the Effects of TS Erika on the Tourism Sector ..................................................................... 43 C. Commerce ...................................................................................................................................... 45 1. Overview ................................................................................................................................................... 45 2. Formal Market Sector ............................................................................................................................. 46 3. Informal Market Sector ........................................................................................................................... 50 4 D. Social Sector .................................................................................................................................................. 54 1. Housing .......................................................................................................................................... 54 2. Education ....................................................................................................................................... 59 3. Health ............................................................................................................................................. 60 4. Social Protection ............................................................................................................................ 62 a. Overview of the Social Programmes ....................................................................................................... 63 b. Response to TS Erika ............................................................................................................................... 64 c. Assessment of Social Protection Programmes ....................................................................................... 66 D. Livelihoods and Social Protection Mechanisms Before and After the Event ...................................... 68 Section Three: Recommendations for Sustainable Livelihoods ............................................................................. 70 Recovery................................................................................................................................................. 70 Sustainable Livelihoods ........................................................................................................................ 70 Livelihoods and Women ....................................................................................................................... 72 Livelihoods and Social Capital............................................................................................................. 73 MATRIX – INITIATIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS ...................................................................................... 74 Annex 1. References .................................................................................................................................................