The South Asia Policy Dialogue, organized annually by the Duryog Nivaran Network (DN), highlights and explores emerging critical issues related to disaster risk reduction (DRR) at local and global levels. This August's dialogue focused on the status of multi-hazard early warning-early action systems in South Asia, with a specific emphasis on inclusion and governance.
Several regional representatives from international development organizations, practitioners, and humanitarian experts participated in the South Asia Policy Dialogue on Early Warning and Anticipatory Action for Accelerating Risk Mitigation, organized by Duryog Nivaran. The dialogue highlighted ways to make anticipatory action and early warning systems (EWS) more inclusive, equitable, and effective across South Asia.
The event began with welcome remarks from Mr. Achyut Luitel, Chair of Duryog Nivaran, followed by a keynote address from Major General Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd.), Director General, Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka. In his welcome remarks, Mr. Luitel noted that over 700 deaths had been reported since the onset of the monsoon season in South Asia, and that recurring disasters undermine long-term development. He stressed the necessity of timely and accurate information to enable governments, humanitarian actors, and communities to prepare and respond effectively before disaster strike.
Dr. Niranga Alahacoon, Regional Researcher – Remote Sensing and Disaster Risk Specialist at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), presented insights during a technical session on "Leveraging Technology for Informed Decision-Making and Collective Action in Risk Management in South Asia." This session highlighted the Drought Management System and the AWARE platform. The Drought Management System, developed for South Asia, monitors and provides early warnings about the onset of drought conditions. The AWARE platform interlinks the three pillars of early warning, early action, and early finance.
Speaking about international conventions related to disaster risk reduction, the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre highlighted Sri Lanka's alignment with several global frameworks, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sustainable Development Goals. He emphasized that these frameworks prioritize multi-hazard early warning systems, community participation, and anticipatory action as central pillars of resilience. The Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka collaborates with agencies such as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), and the World Food Programme (WFP) to translate global innovations in science, data, and policy into practical applications within Sri Lanka's national systems. He also discussed the Disaster Management Act of 2025 and the DMC's early warning cell. Concluding his remarks, the Director General stated that early warning and early action are not merely technical processes, but a commitment to saving lives, protecting development gains, and building trust between institutions and communities.
A high-level panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Karin Fernando, Steering Committee Member of Duryog Nivaran, featured Mr. Mihir R. Bhatt (Director, AIDMI, India) and a member of Duryog Nivaran, Ms. Hasina Rahman (Country Director, IRC, Bangladesh), and Mr. Takeshi Komino (Chair, ADRRN). Online discussants included Dr. Jyothi Ganesh Sundaram (WFP Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific), Ms. Ryce Ruganko Chanchai (Gender Advisor, UNDRR), and Ms. Srijana Parajuli (Program Manager, Dalit Women Rights Forum, DWRF Nepal).
Panelists shared regional experiences, ranging from community-led flood and landslide warning systems to gender-responsive disaster planning and cross-border information sharing.
The dialogue drew on key insights from Duryog Nivaran’s work, including:
- Embedding gender, equity, and social inclusion (GESI) in early warning policies and budgets.
- Promoting women’s leadership in disaster committees and governance.
- Ensuring accessible warnings through diverse communication channels.
- Linking anticipatory action to livelihood protection, such as microinsurance and cash transfers for informal businesses.
Mr. Mihir R. Bhatt stated: “Early warning saves lives, but anticipatory action saves futures.” He provided examples of effective ground-level initiatives in India and South Asia, and shared AIDMI's plans to improve early warning systems for anticipatory action to mitigate extreme heat losses and damage to the health and livelihoods of small businesses, the homeless, and transport workers.
Ms. Hasina Rahman highlighted that over half a million children in Bangladesh have been out of school in the past five years due to climatic shocks and disasters, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to anticipatory action and early warning systems that reach at-risk communities. Mr. Takeshi Komino shared experiences on localizing risk information for early warning, citing examples of communities using hazard analyses to inform local disaster risk reduction plans in Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Discussants shared best practices from Asia related to early warning that can inform policy. These included women-led community groups in Bangladesh playing a key role in cyclone early warning dissemination and shelter management; tsunami warnings in Indonesia, delivered accessibly via audio, Braille, sign language, and community radio; and inclusive risk assessments using sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated data to inform flood warnings and evacuation support that prioritizes women, girls, children, and people with disabilities.
The event concluded with reflections from Mr. Kriangkrai Thitimakorn (Embassy of Sweden, Thailand) on the evolving role of funding for anticipatory action in the Asia-Pacific region.
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