Terms of Reference (TOR) For Media engagement at local and national level to strengthen and mainstream flood early warning system and preparedness for community resilience Circulation date: 30 January 2020 Closing date: 07 February 2020 Practical Action Panipokhari, Lazimpat, Kathmandu PHONE: +977-1-4413452/4423639/640 FAX: +977-1-4423632 E-mail: [email protected] January 2020 1. BACKGROUND Practical Action is a global change-making group that consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent publishing company and a technical consulting service. It combines these specialisms to multiply its impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone. In Nepal, Practical Action is focused on putting ingenious ideas into work to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable wellbeing through working in three expertise change areas: Energy that transforms; Farming that works and Resilience that protects. Under the change area Resilience that Protects Practical Action Nepal with funding support of USAID/OFDA is implementing “Strengthening end to end flood Early Warning System (EWS) and preparedness for effective disaster reduction and resilience in Nepal project” in the following river basins for two years since September 2018: Kankai River Basin - Ilam and Jhapa Kamala River Basin - Sindhuli, Dhanusa and Siraha Upper catchment of West Rapti Babai River Basin in Dang Sotkhola in Surkhet 1.1 Experiences from the past Practical Action completed the Flood EWS project in Kankai and Kamala river basins with the funding support of USAID/OFDA that lasted from September 2014 to August 2018 in collaboration with its implementing partners Nepal Red Cross Society. Through the project, forecast based technologies were strengthened for risk assessment and knowledge. Risk monitoring and warning services were also developed at the catchment area of river basins. Through these, rainfall information at catchments and water level situation in the rivers at real time basis are communicated and disseminated to the most vulnerable communities. The project established efficient end-to-end Early Warning Systems (EWS) that helped to avert casualties, enhance preparedness and response capacities of vulnerable communities and local governments. The communities were able to reduce loss of properties, identify and prioritise actions for disaster risk reduction. They also established and utilised DRR fund for disaster risk reduction and response. The project has inspired local governments to prioritise DRR as one of their development agendas. The local governments prepared DRR plans and allocated budget for implementation. This has been a great example of the local governments integrating DRR into their development planning and programmes. The functional EWS offered adequate time to get prepared for response and cope with the flood disaster for 45,789 people (which include 47 per cent women) in the 60 flood-prone communities. As a whole 243 people living with disabilities were supported in building their resilience with special approach due to the extra vulnerability they are living with. 1.2 Strengthening capacity of the relevant stakeholders Considering the success of project in Kamala and Kankai River Basins, and restructuring of the Government of Nepal (GoN) into local, provincial and federal levels, the current project also has activities to enhance capacity of local governments, DDMC agencies and provincial governments to make decision to invest on DRR and EWS, formulate and endorse DRR related acts, guidelines, by-laws and directives, and their implementation for safe and resilient development. There is a great role of federal, provincial and local governments for disaster risk reduction and early warning system as envisioned in the “Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2017”. However, the implementation of the act is taking more time than anticipated. The local and provincial governments have resources and authorities to formulate acts, strategies and guidelines. Moreover, the “Local Governance Operation Act 2017” has also envisioned roles of local government on DRR and EWS. As per the LOGO Act 2017, there is a provision of formulation of District and Local Disaster Management Committees in each district and in each local government level. Likewise, there is a provision of Province Disaster Management Council and executive committee, in many cases they were formed, but are not aware about their roles in managing the disaster risk and the measures for preparedness. Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act 2017 has clearly mentioned about early warning system, roles of province and local governments to establish and function early warning system. Local Government Operation Act 2017 has also clear provision for early warning system. Province and local governments have resources, authority and roles for sustainable early warning system at local level. There is demand and request from province and local governments to establish early warning system in small rivers which are threatening lives and livelihoods of people due to flash floods. Province governments have allocated resources for EWS. In this backdrop, there is need of media advocacy and lobby so that joint effort of DHM, MoHA and MoFAGA can be channelized towards effective resources mobilization on early warning system, take ownership and make local emergency operation center (LEOC) functional and effective early warning system and response mechanism. Realizing the fact, the three tiers of governments have shown interest and made decisions at various levels for early warning system but the implementation of decisions, procedure, policy, guidelines and act is getting delayed due to lack of follow up and coordination among the government agencies. There is limitation of DHM to reach province and local governments for early warning system in small rivers which is demand of province and local governments. DHM can provide technical support to province and local government, and is very much interested for interaction with them on early warning system and roles of three tiers of government as mentioned in DRRM act 2017 and local government operation act 2017. 1.3 Why do we need media engagement? With effective media engagement, we were able to support in effectiveness of policy and practices of governments and private sectors for their resources and investment on DRR and EWS in the past. Due to Practical Action’s facilitation and media taking up the issue, an agreement was forged between a leading private telecommunication company, NCELL and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) to jointly work on EWS. The media mobilisation helped to get NCELL onboard to provide free services of delivering warning messages in the flood vulnerable communities through individuals representing responsible organisations before the occurrence of any threat of potential flood during monsoon. Practical Action built partnership with the private media agencies for policy advocacy since May 2016 to May 2018. There was increased awareness on importance of community-based EWS through the agency’s televised broadcast of voices of individuals at risk through television involving local and national level stakeholders in the discourse. The round table discussions facilitated by the media with an aim to lobby for the agenda followed by series of televised episode on the subject matter getting key government stakeholders mainly the line ministers’ commitments towards appropriate policies and actions for community-based EWS. Through joint follow-up by Practical Action and private media agency with the line agencies, we were successful in partnering with GoN’s telecom operator Nepal Telecommunication (NTC) for disseminating EWS messages to wider mass for free of cost. 1.4 Past learning Practical Action’s past learning on the need of local governments’ ownership for community- based EWS continues to be valid with Nepal’s recent transition to a federal nation which has come with changes in government structures and mechanisms. Collaboration among local governments (i.e. rural and urban municipalities), provincial governments, DRR actors and stakeholders including private sectors (like district chamber of commerce and other local business corporations) could leverages resources and enhance knowledge and skills for sustainable EWS. Media engagement for awareness generation and stronger evidence-based advocacy to obtain related stakeholders’ commitment and resources also continue to be critical for DRR/M governance including effective and sustainable EWS. There is need of media advocacy for joint effort of DHM, MoHA and MoFAGA for effective resources mobilization on early warning system, take ownership and make local emergency operation center functional and efficient on early warning system and effective response mechanism. 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The overall objective of this project is to aware local, provincial governments and federal government including local communities so early warning system is effectively integrated and mainstreamed in policy and practices at all level, and stakeholders especially at policy level are made aware on improving disaster risk reduction and management and governance more effectively through effective resource allocation and mobilisation. Specific objectives of the assignment are to: Identify issues on EWS governance and the roles of all level of governments in formulating EWS strategic