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REDLAC
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Risk, Emergency, and Disaster Task Force Inter-Agency Workgroup for Latin America & The Caribbean (REDLAC)
The Latin America and the Caribbean region are highly vulnerable to natural disasters with one third of the region’s population continuously exposed to their consequences. Added to this are problems of poverty, inequality, emigration, accelerated urbanization, social unrest, and climate change.
To respond to the needs arising from the onslaught of hurricanes, droughts, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, humanitarian organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean work to mitigate the impact of disasters, while improving emergency preparedness, response and recovery.
The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/182, the Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) mandate, combined with the presence of various regional humanitarian agencies in Panama, and the need to strengthen collaboration between the different regional agencies, provide the basis for the establishment of the Risk, Emergency, and Disaster Task Force of the Regional Inter-Agency Standing Committee created in 2003.
The aim of this Task Force is to improve information exchange, reflection, and organization of joint efforts in preventing and mitigating the impact of crises and emergencies. |
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Strategy
The group’s main strategy is to improve disaster response in the region, through a consensual approach, emphasizing better coordination and exchange of information.
Activities
The group shares information before, during, and after a disaster or emergency. It also carries out joint disaster and emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities in order to make the best possible use of existing resources.
Results from the workgroup in areas of coordination and cooperation are sent to United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) / United Nations Emergency Technical Team (UNETT) members in affected countries, to widen and strengthen their regional vision as well as their capacities for coordination and disaster management. |
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Operations Emergency Management
In the event of an emergency in the region, the group exchanges information and develops joint strategies for managing the emergency through national emergency response mechanisms, such as UNETT, Humanitarian Country team, UNDMT, and other government-led forums.
In addition to ad-hoc meetings whenever emergencies occur in the region, REDLAC meets monthly. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) acts as the group’s executive secretariat and is responsible for facilitating communication among members, organizing meetings, as well as keeping records of agreements and decisions made during the meetings.
In order to better coordinate emergency operations, working groups on information management, risk reduction, disaster preparedness and logistics have been created. |
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Services
During an emergency, the group offers the following specialized services:
· Continuous sharing of information about the emergency;
· Support for inter-agency needs assessments
· Provide humanitarian assistance in cases where international cooperation is requested (inter-agency appeals). |
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REDLAC Primary Activities
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The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) was established in June 1992 in accordance with General Assembly resolution 46/182.
The IASC facilitates decision making within the agencies regarding emergency response through:
· Development of system-wide agreements on humanitarian policies
· Assigning of responsibilities among organizations in humanitarian programs
· Compliance with humanitarian principles common to counterparts not integrated in the IASC
· Identification of areas with gaps in mandates or a lack of operative capacity and
· Development of a system-wide consensus between humanitarian organizations on humanitarian topics. |
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REDLAC Achievements
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· REDLAC has strengthened partnership, both at regional and national levels, by helping to create Humanitarian Country Teams and include new partners in the REDLAC group.
· Thanks to the REDLAC’s coordination, collaboration in the disaster response has improved at regional and country levels. This has been reflected in joint delivery of donations by its members and through the implementation of inter-agency logistics capacity assessments at country level.
· The Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) methodology, which consolidates various indicators and tools used to assess damages and vulnerability in different sectors, has been developed and promoted in the field by REDLAC partners.
· REDLAC produced publication “Ten years after Hurricane Mitch: An Overview of Vulnerability Trends in Central America”, a study commemorating the tenth year anniversary of hurricane Mitch in Central America and supported the PAHO/WHO “Best Practices in international humanitarian donations”.
· Increased information sharing, through redhum.org and the production of materials such as the REDLAC Weekly Note on Emergencies and maps.
· REDLAC contributed to the creation of the matrix for the development and implementation of the United Nations Inter-Agency Emergency Response Plan. The aim of this matrix is to encourage and facilitate the writing of the Plan and to provide “steps to follow” for its implementation in the event of an emergency.
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REDLAC WORKING GROUP
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Purpose of the Regional IASC Risk, Emergency and Disaster working group
Create a platform for exchange of information, coordination and optimization of emergency mitigation and response in order to reduce their impact on vulnerable populations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Members and Permanent Guests
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
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Special Guests - Donors
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Special Guests – Regional and Sub-Regional Organisms
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Special Guests – Other Partners
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Contact REDLAC
Clayton, City of Knowledge
Vicente Bonilla St., Building 119
P.O. Box 0843-03096, Balboa, Ancon
Panama, Panama City
Phone: (00507) 317 1748
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