Anouk Ride, Meg Keen, David Sanderson, and Kira Osborne wrote that local solutions are needed to promote communities to be self-reliant in response to Pacific disasters.
In 2009, the author talked to people about the impact of the tsunami and post-earthquake assistance in Gizo and its surrounding areas in the Solomon Islands as a chapter in a book. At the time, government officials, service providers, and local communities complained of uncoordinated, casual, and chauvinistic responses. There is a view that international organizations break in with a one-size-fits-all project.
Community feedback related to the 2007 disaster response plan indicated that some never started due to poor planning. A housing project did not explain the lack of land use rights in the Kiribati community.
Others were desperately delayed for avoidable reasons, such as a lack of funds to transport emergency supplies to remote islands. Others put aside traditional and social support networks and many repeated efforts, and some families displayed piles of kitchen utensils and utensils provided by up to three donors.
A worker from a local non-governmental organization (NGO) complained that competition is more than coordination. He said: “NGOs have raised many flags, like a game, who does it better? ...... talking about how to improve ... I thought, "This doesn't help." We don't want to participate in the [coordination meeting]. "
Fortunately, by 2020, coordination has reduced waste and confusion in disaster response and put the government back at the center. So what has changed?
In the Pacific region is largely due to the country's new initiatives that prioritize coordination and local inclusion. The 2018 National Disaster Management Plan provided a platform for better coordination of projects and disaster assistance, and the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) coordinated further collaboration among stakeholders. . This was supported by the Disaster Cluster Coordination Committee, focusing on housing, water, sanitation, etc., to bring the institutions together. One of the biggest advancements is the creation of an easily accessible universal assessment tool, using the Kobo Toolbox software, to improve data integration and management. Many communities now have their own disaster risk management plans, developed primarily by NDMO or international aid agencies, that cover basic disaster preparedness.
These system improvements were identified in the recent review of disaster resilience in the Pacific region. It found that the emerging area-based approach provides a local, multisectoral, people-oriented way of working.
In the review, 91% of respondents from a range of governments, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations involved in disaster response gave positive comments on the cooperation.
However, there are still some doubts about local empowerment. The local government and employees of international non-governmental organizations emphasize the need to understand the interests and organizing methods of the community, rather than assuming what a "place" is.
In 2009, people were frustrated by the poor delivery of emergency supplies. Compared to other types of material assistance, most people prefer cash because it enables them to better meet their personal needs and support local businesses. Recent cash transfer experiments in the Solomon Islands and other countries have been successful. The review also found that more attention should be paid to local solutions that promote community self-reliance. One of the best buffers for coping with hardship after a disaster is local food system savings and support groups and community organizations.
During COVID19, women's savings groups allowed Watermelon Dalcanal Island members to collect their savings as their "stimulus plan." These types of initiatives help support the 76% of households in the Solomon Islands that produce subsistence products. Sometimes demand exceeds local supply, but local resources must be explored first, not last.
Other improvements in disaster response come from the Australian Humane Association (AHP), which aims to strengthen cooperation on issues such as geographic priorities and provide institutional leadership on urgent needs such as housing or health.
In addition, local and international NGOs are looking for ways to promote inclusive approaches to meet the needs of women and persons with disabilities. This includes supporting women’s weather observation and work for people with disabilities. Many people in the review believed that these had a positive impact.
Even so, inclusiveness is still tense and complicated. Civil society groups report that they feel marginalized in recent COVID19 economic impact decisions, such as those related to stimulus funding coordinated with the Prime Minister’s Office. Some people believe that their partnerships with international NGOs are more like service providers than partners. The review found that government funds for disasters and emergencies are generally unique when distributed through discretionary funds administered by members of parliament because the distribution is said to be generally based on personal political interests rather than needs.
In urban and suburban areas, strong housing pressure and unclear land tenure can limit adaptation to disasters. Informal settlements are usually located in low-lying areas prone to flooding or coastal areas prone to rising sea levels and tides. As many people seek services, jobs, markets, and schools in the city, Honiara's population will continue to flow steadily. As long as there is basically no planning and supervision of urban settlements, the urban vulnerability will increase.
Despite the challenges, local solutions have benefited a lot from disaster response during the past decade in the Solomon Islands. The disaster and the transformation of humanitarian assistance to “local” is a major revision of the “command and control” and unified response that used to be externally driven. Progress has been made, but true resilience will require changes in economic and political structures to keep the affected people on the edge of power.