Members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit during a practical workshop with Haitian masons
The building of earthquake-resistant infrastructures unfolds via the building of local capacities. Here we see a member of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit at a practical workshop with bricklayers in Haiti. © SDC

Natural disasters strike rich and poor countries indiscriminately, but the repercussions are much more dramatic in the Global South. An earthquake, cyclone, flood or drought can undo decades of development efforts. The SDC is committed to disaster risk reduction not only to save lives, but also to ensure the sustainability of the socio-economic development of the countries it assists.

SDC Focus

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is central to all programmes implemented by the SDC. This preventive approach is essential in vulnerable countries at high risk of natural disasters. The goal of DRR is to save lives and safeguard development gains. 

DRR activities focus both on sudden disasters, particularly flooding and earthquakes, and on disasters that make fewer headlines such as droughts. DRR involves action taken before, during and after a disaster. It requires a long-term commitment to strengthening the institutions, human resources and infrastructure of the partner countries concerned. It is an integrated process that encompasses scientific, technical and socio-political considerations.

The SDC promotes an integrated approach to disaster risk management, centred around the stages that typically occur before, during and after natural disasters:

  1. Prevention: reduce existing risks and prevent the emergence of new risks through preventive and planning measures
  2. Management: reduce the impact of a disaster by organising and training rescue teams
  3. Recovery: reduce the risk of future damage by advocating appropriate reconstruction models

Preventive measures can take a wide variety of forms, including the reforestation of catchment areas affected by landslides, forest mapping and the construction of earthquake-resistant schools (as in Haiti). Organising and training rescue teams saves lives and reduces the impact of disasters.

The SDC is also committed to promoting at the international level the experiences gained in the countries where it is active. In this respect, it played a prominent role in the drafting of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The SDC also works together with international organisations such as the Global Facility for Disaster Risk and Recovery (GFDRR) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

Background

Adopted in March 2015, the Sendai Framework for Action on Disaster Risk Reduction sets out the priorities of the international community for disaster reduction during the 2015–30 period. The Sendai Framework replaced the Hyogo Framework for Action for the 2005–15 period and updated the definition of disaster. The new framework applies to the risk of small-scale and large-scale, frequent and infrequent, sudden and slow-onset disasters, caused by natural or man-made hazards as well as related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks. It also calls for the strengthening of disaster risk governance, including national platforms.

DRR concerns all sectors of society. It only proves effective when everyone does their part: national and local authorities, the private sector (the insurance sector in particular), civil society, international organisations and the public at large.

Switzerland is internationally renowned for its expertise in DRR. In Switzerland, the SDC is leveraging its partnerships with other units in the Federal Administration to transfer this knowledge to its partner countries. It has joined forces with the Federal Office for the Environment, the Federal Office for Civil Protection and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), as well as a number of NGOs, the private sector, various universities and the Swiss National Platform for Natural Hazards (PLANAT).

Online tool

DRR is more than a priority theme for the SDC: it is a working methodology. Each project in a country at risk is evaluated to determine how vulnerable it is to potential disasters, and activities are planned to mitigate identified risks. To this end, the SDC has created the CEDRIG Online Tool (Climate, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction Integration Guidance). Intended for all development and humanitarian aid professionals, this online tool can be used to integrate into project designs the risks associated with natural hazards, climate change and environmental degradation.

CEDRIG Online Tool

SDC internet portal on disaster risk reduction

Specialised information (news, documents, instruments, methods) on knowledge sharing and cooperation with partners and experts

SDC Disaster Risk Reduction Network

Documents

Current projects

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OXFAM : Renforcement des capacités communautaires à résister et s’adapter aux chocs et contraintes de l’insécurité et de la violence au Masisi, Nord Kivu

10.06.2017 - 31.12.2017

Dans le territoire de Masisi, l’environnement de conflit induit de nombreuses menaces de protection, qui ont elles-mêmes des répercussions négatives sur les moyens de subsistance des ménages. Le projet vise à renforcer la capacité des individus, des ménages et des réseaux communautaires à résister aux chocs et aux stresses liées au conflit, en renforçant leur environnement protecteur et en donnant aux groupes communautaires les capacités d’investir dans leurs moyens de subsistance et dans des stratégies positives de survie. Ce projet s’étalera sur deux phases au minimum : la première jusqu’à la fin 2017, et la seconde en 2018.




Emergency support to IRC integrating GBV services, Protection and Health for conflict-affected communities in Rakhine State, Myanmar

01.06.2017 - 31.03.2018

This project will allow IRC to provide protection, GBV and health services to respond to identified urgent needs of conflict-affected communities in Rathedaung in Rakhine State, Myanmar, through a 7 months integrated protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and health response. Both, Muslim and Rakhine communities will benefit from the outcomes of this project.


Nutrition Emergency Assistance to the Drought Affected Pastoralist Communities in Doolo Zone of Somali National Regional State, VSF-CH, Ethiopia

15.05.2017 - 14.08.2018

The failure of two consecutive rain seasons is having devastating effects on the mostly pastoralist population of Ethiopia’s southern arid and semi-arid areas. The number of people in need is dramatically increasing, with the drought affecting multiple aspects of human life. The Doolo Zone, where pastoralism is the main livelihood, is one of the most severely affected. By supporting VSF-CH, Switzerland will contribute to improve the nutritional status of the affected population.



Emergency response to address malnutrition through improved nutrition, mental health and care practices in Maungdaw District, Rakhine State

01.05.2017 - 31.05.2018

The violence that took place on October 9 2016, and the ensuing insecurity across Northern Rakhine State (NRS), resulted in the suspension of humanitarian services in the area. Many of the affected people missed out on their seasonal food assistance, school feeding and regular nutrition support for at least three months, resulting in a significant negative impact on the food security, health and nutritional status, and mental health of vulnerable families. With this emergency response, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) will address increased malnutrition through an integrated program, which aims to reduce child and Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) undernutrition, mortality and morbidity.




Priority themes WASH and Protection 2017

15.03.2017 - 31.12.2019

In the frame of the dispatch 2017-2020, 4 priority themes have been defined for the SDC/HA domain, namely DRR, SGBV, WASH and Protection, the two latter ones being hosted by the Africa H division. This CP will fund several activities implemented for the whole SDC/HA domain in order to increase the impact and coherence of priority themes such as defined in the operational concepts adopted by the HA domain in 2016.


FAO: Improved production, availability and access to nutritious food for vulnerable people in north-eastern Nigeria

01.03.2017 - 30.04.2018

Improve the production, availability and access to nutritious food for vulnerable IDPs, returnees and host communities in north-eastern Nigeria by the provision of agricultural production inputs such as seeds, tools and fertilizer. The provision of agricultural production will complement the emergency food assistance provided by the WFP and enable farmers to produce enough food, as well as to meet the most vulnerable households’ immediate food needs.

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