The European Commission’s department for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) has been contributing and investing in DRR and preparedness projects over the last decades both in terms of funding and activities. DG ECHO initiated DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO) programme in 1996 with the key goal to increase communities’ resilience and reduce their vulnerability. In turn, communities at risk could be better prepared for and protect themselves against various shocks and stresses, including disasters triggered by natural hazards, conflict, economic crisis etc.

Over the past 20 years, support given by DIPECHO has generated significant impacts in disaster risk reduction and in community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) which resulted in the protection of lives and livelihoods by helping communities and institutions to be better prepared to face disaster risks while promoting disaster preparedness in national and regional frameworks and agendas.

The impact of disasters has changed in Southeast Asia in the past few decades. DIPECHO partners, local community, civil society organizations (CSOs), and national and sub-national governments, including regional institutions have developed various coping capacities. As a result of DIPECHO’s support, significant achievements have been made in disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Southeast Asia in the past 20 years. In this backdrop, a study has been developed to capture the extent of DIPECHO contributions in the evolution of DRR in the region which draws out good practices and achievements as well as challenges and key lessons learned. The study seeks to provide concrete recommendations for future DRR on how various players can continue to improve coping capacity in the government, CSOs, and at the local level, in-line with regional and global frameworks such as the new AADMER Work Plan and in support for the implementation of the Sendai Framework. The study will be presented during this proposed Regional Lessons Learned Workshop of ECHO Partners to be held on 7 to 8 December 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The workshop is expected to generate 2 key outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Final list of good practices and achievements as well as related challenges, lessons and gaps in Southeast Asia confirmed and verified by partners.
• Outcome 2: Documentation of the recommendations to build on DRR in Southeast Asia, which includes priority actions, advocacy messages and strategies to enhance the investment in DRR in the region.

View and download the supporting documents:

• Concept note
• Registration form
• Agenda
• Participant list
• Practical information for the participants
• Study on two decades of DIPECHO contributions to DRR in Southeast Asia report [pre-final version]
• Annex of the Study on the two decades of DIPECHO contributions to DRR in Southeast Asia report [[pre-final version]

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