Stockholm World Water Week: Emphasizing Social Inclusion in Early Warning Systems and Anticipatory Action

Empowering communities to save lives through disaster preparedness was the focus of a key panel discussion at Stockholm World Water Week, where Duryog Nivaran’s steering committee member, Ms. Madhavi Ariyabandu, shared her insights. Hosted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the session, titled “Helping Communities Help Themselves: Early Warning Systems Save Lives,” highlighted the transformative impact of Early Warning Systems (EWS) in enabling communities to take proactive steps in reducing risks and building resilience.

 

Representing Duryog Nivaran, Madhavi Ariyabandu, Steering Committee Member, brought insightful perspectives to the panel. Her participation highlighted the urgent need for inclusive approaches in disaster risk reduction (DRR), particularly in the context of anticipatory action (AA).

 

The session featured experts who discussed the innovative AWARE platform, which integrates data from various sources to provide localized warnings on floods, droughts, and landslides. AWARE empowers communities and humanitarian organizations to take early action to save lives and livelihoods in climate-vulnerable regions. The focus of the discussion was on community-based approaches, the role of cutting-edge technology, and the necessity of clear communication in building effective early warning systems that protect vulnerable populations.

 

Key Takeaways from the Session

 

The session, moderated by Martina Mascarenhas, CGIAR ClimBeR Communication Lead, opened with presentations from Giriraj Amarnath of IWMI, who introduced the AWARE platform, and Robert Stefanski from the World Meteorological Organization, who reflected on the “Early Warning for All” initiative. A panel of experts from various organizations, including the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, World Vision Sri Lanka, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), provided valuable insights into the operational challenges of early warning and early action systems.

 

Madhavi Ariyabandu on Inclusivity in Anticipatory Action

 

Madhavi Ariyabandu’s contributions centered around ensuring inclusivity in anticipatory action and the role of early warning systems in empowering marginalised communities. During her intervention, she addressed the challenges of reaching socially and economically marginalised groups, including Children, Older people, People with disabilities, Migrants, Gender and sexual minorities, Ethnic and religious minorities, people belonging to lower castes or indigenous populations and Women across all these groups.

 

Madhavi emphasised the importance of collecting and analyzing data on marginalized communities to ensure that interventions effectively target those most at risk. Without this data, there is a danger that at risk groups will be overlooked, limiting the impact of anticipatory action efforts.

 

She also noted that early warning systems need to be supported by social analysis to identify the specific factors of marginalization in different locations. Such systems should consider the varying needs of different groups and employ communication methods tailored to reach them. By engaging marginalized communities in planning processes and empowering them with knowledge, early warning systems can enhance resilience at the grassroots level.

 

The Importance of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)

 

Madhavi highlighted the critical role of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) strategies in anticipatory action frameworks. She stressed that GESI considerations must be built into pre-financing and action plans, ensuring that disaster preparedness strategies account for the specific needs of women, children, the elderly, and other at risk groups. Effective anticipatory action requires detailed social and vulnerability analyses to inform targeted interventions that can address the unique challenges faced by these communities.

 

She also pointed out that while there is growing recognition of the importance of integrating protective, gender-transformative, and inclusive approaches into anticipatory action, these approaches are not consistently applied. There is a need to further embed these dimensions into AA frameworks and to allocate sufficient resources to ensure their successful implementation.

 

Challenges for Inclusivity in Anticipatory Action

 

Madhavi identified several key challenges in promoting inclusivity within anticipatory action:

 

  1. Lack of data and social analysis: Without accurate data, it is difficult to identify and reach marginalized groups.
  2. Inconsistent engagement of vulnerable communities: Institutional mechanisms often fail to systematically engage all community groups in disaster risk management.
  3. Attitudinal barriers: Vulnerable populations are often perceived as passive victims rather than active agents in their own disaster preparedness and response.

 

Madhavi concluded by emphasizing that building a more disaster-resilient South Asia requires a sustained focus on inclusivity, gender equality, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. She reiterated the importance of AWARE’s efforts to incorporate GESI as a central element of anticipatory action, ensuring that no one is left behind in disaster preparedness and risk reduction.

 

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