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What's New |
A to B: Mihir R. Bhatt in Basel
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| Andreas Pecnik and Ronald Wiss, former AIDMI fellows meets Mihir R. Bhatt, Director of AIDMI in Basel, Switzerland. They shared their current work and AIDMI experience. Later debated if a dip in Rhine is timely. ( July, 2008) |
The Right Disaster?
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Maintaining Human Dignity and Respecting the Rights is the Hallmark of a Civilised Society
A civilised society is one which puts the well-being of individual citizens,
their human rights and dignity at the forefront of its existence. As civilisation advances there is also an ever-increasing number of major emergencies with more loss of life and livelihoods than ever before. |
Every major emergency in the recent past such as Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Darfur and tsunami has posed new questions for humanitarian organisations. There is today an increased acknowledgement that answers to some of the questions are not simple due to the many interlinked issues,................."
For More Information Click Here..... |
2007 Floods in South Asia:
From Impact to Knowledge
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As one born 10 feet beneath sea level in the northern part of Holland, I can
sympathise with flood victims. Indeed, the landscape I grew up in is testimony of the Dutch people's struggle with water, and scarred with the remains of battles lost. The dike burst in 1916 that threatened to flood Amsterdam has left many small, but deep lakes at the inside of our supposedly |
safe flood barriers. In 1995, I was surprised to meet flood refugees seeking shelter in my own house, at a time when a similar disaster nearly occurred in the southern parts of the Netherlands, due to unexpected swelling................"
For More Information Click Here..... |
Civil society Consultation on DFID's Plan for
Working with Three Indias
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DFID is currently consulting on a new country strategy for India up to
2015. As India grows and transforms over the next five to ten years, DFID seeks to engage with what it has labelled a distinct 'Three Indias':
• The Global India, which is the modern face of India as a global power, and plays an important role in international affairs; |
• Developing India, where people live on low incomes close to or below the poverty line and access to basic services are limited;
• Poorest India, where the great majority of people are living in extreme poverty, mostly migrant urban slum dwellers, marginal farmers and excluded groups facing discrimination................"
For More Information Click Here..... |
2007 Floods in South Asia:
Understanding for Action
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Looking at the history of floods in Southasia, 2004 and
2007 rate as two of the worst flood years of the past two centuries. This time Bihar had to bear the major brunt of the disaster, with 21 million population affected. The increasing trend over the past decades regarding frequency and scale of floods is alarming. Experts already pointed out that floods are not caused by |
nature's fury alone but also by other factors. With some degree of precision one could observe that with the rising number of embankments, which were meant to regulate the water flow, the areas that are being flooded have increased in a parallel manner. It is therefore not far off the mark to conclude that the prevailing flood management strategy has................"
For More Information Click Here..... |
Learn to Manage your own Risk
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Broad-based social and economic participation is essential to the success of
any international Community Economic Development project.
In the field of disaster risk management, in particular, genuine community participation, especially of vulnerable groups, is critical to building resilience. |
AIDMI has developed a Community-based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) curriculum centered on participation that it has used to train over 6000 leaders of communities, civil society and government throughout South Asia................"
For More Information Click Here..... |
Civil Society: Inclusive Growth
4th Anniversary Issue
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Lots of Money, but none for you
So far it is argued that the main reason why exclusion of poor and marginalised—women, dalits , minorities, tribals, and informal labour—takes place in India is because of limited resources and competing claims over resources. There is just not enough for everybody. As a result some are left out.......
Recently Civil Society has published its 4th Anniversary Issue. This article is extracted from the September - October 2007 issue.
Read full article Clich Here. |
Launch of
Annual Report of AIDMI 2005-2006
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Daniel Kull, Ian O'Donnel and Mihir R. Bhatt at the launch of the Annual Report of AIDMI, August 17, 2007, Ahmedabad, India.
For more details write to AIDMI at bestteam@aidmi.org. |
Understanding the 2007 Floods in South Asia
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This issue of southasiadisasters.net aims to provide an overview of
the current flood situation in South Asia and the situation at the beginning of the monsoon season. It also sheds light on technical aspects of monsoons in South Asia and related problems of flooding. The second and third issues will go into the activities of international organisations, local governments |
and communities in dealing with floods, and more.
Asia is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world. Prevalent poverty and vulnerability in Asia combine with natural hazards, affecting a large number of people................"
For More Information Click Here..... |
Press Releases |
Gujarat: Paralysed by the Recurring Floods?
The Sunday Indian, July 29, 2007
Read the Article in Gujarati, Click Here.....
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Disaster Reduction
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Impact is elusive. It is not easy to distinguish, measure, or
attribute. Still, there is an abundance of anecdotal evidence to demonstrate that the development of resilience against disasters among the poor is achievable. When risk reduction efforts succeed, resilience is the impact.
All India Disaster Mitigation Institute has seen this process in the past 15 years. What we have seen is that |
when it is owned and genuine, it is always unique and always applied in customised ways. This special issue of southasiadisasters.net has been designed both to share AIDMI's experience, and that of our partners, and to illustrate new ways to identify and appreciate resilience. As is well known to any educator, impact in supporting local development emerges slowly. It is long-term...............
For More Information Click Here..... |
TEC Recommendations: An Emerging Method for Institutional Compliance
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"Working with Mihir R. Bhatt of AIDMI on an evaluation of the
tsunami response for the Disasters Emergency Committee, a UK-based consortium of the main international NGOs, I began to be alarmed by the unprecedented scale. From the start aid managers were under intense pressure to achieve profile and to spend funds fast. It was a highly competitive |
environment in which too much money was chasing after too few opportunities. The result, as measured by the TEC evaluations, was a lot of duplication and inefficiency, poor coordination and quantity rather than quality in specific projects..............." - Tony Vaux,
Humanitarian Activities, UK
For More Information Click Here..... |
Child's Right to a Safer School:
Lessons from Asia
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In any disaster situation anywhere in the world—be it a human
induced or natural—children are among the most vulnerable groups. Especially if the disaster occurs during school time. If we critically examine the victims among the affected children, we find that girls are more affected. It could be due to their dress or any other reasons, which need to be critically looked |
into. There are several examples of such incidents where large numbers of innocent school children were killed by natural hazards in a matter of few seconds or minutes-such as Lyete mudslide in the Philippines, Pakistan earthquake, Gujarat earthquake, etc. There are many more unheard/ unpublished stories of children dead due to both human-induced and natural disasters..............
For More Information Click Here..... |
Promoting Risk Reduction and Protecting Human Security Across India and South Asia:
AIDMI's Annual Report 2005–2006
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The report gives an overview of AIDMI's activities in India and South Asia throughout the year 2005–2006. The year has seen a great expansion in terms of geographical reach, programmatic instruments and types of projects. While the severe impact of the Tsunami, the Kashmir earthquake and Gujarat floods took AIDMI's team to the different corners of India, its focus always remained on the community. The report highlights the |
rational and components of this community based and holistic approach to disaster recovery and long-term mitigation. AIDMI's ongoing programmes and activities are seen in light of the global consensus on disaster risk reduction, always in search for innovative ways to improve its own services and the work of the humanitarian sector overall.
Request the issue. Click Here.. |
Understanding the 2007 floods in South Asia
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AIDMI has published its 87th issue of the monthly newsletter Afat Nivaran (in Gujarati language) with focus on "Understanding the 2007 Floods in South Asia".
To Download the Issue Click Here.... |
Disaster Reduction
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AIDMI has published its 56th issue of the monthly newsletter Vipada Nivaran (in Hindi language) with focus on "Disaster Reduction".
To Download the Issue Click Here....
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Work Opportunities |
Want to Rebuild Cities?
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AIDMI is expanding its own urban planning unit with professionals: Urban Planners, Architect and Civil Engineers. Field work, capacity to unterstand community needs and work experience with slum community is needed. Good documentation and landuse planning skills (in English or Hindi) are must. Write soon at bestteam@aidmi.org.
View All Opportunities Here.
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Partner Resources |
ProVention New Website
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The ProVention Consortium, a global partnership dedicated to disaster reduction, launches a new website with information on its activities, partners and resources for organisations and practitioners active in disaster risk management.
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Long-Term Recovery of Tsunami-Affected Villages
The project proposes to move efforts from immediate relief and rehabilation to long-term recovery of tsunami-affected coastal communities, which are vulnerable to similar future disasters.
Theme: Economic Development |
Location: India | Need: $120,000 |
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Call for Action to the SAARC Heads of State
Strengthening Understanding and Cooperation on Disaster Management
for a Disaster Free South Asia
15-16 July 2008, Colombo
This call for action was developed in the two-day regional conference organized by the Sri Lanka National Disaster Management
Coordination Committee, in collaboration with ActionAid, Christian Aid, Oxfam America, Practical Action and Sri Lankan Red Cross.
Participants came from government, UN agencies, universities and civil society organizations from SAARC member countries. The
conference was closed by the Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights where he was presented
with the call for action.
To read this call for action: Click Here.....
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David Armstrong, AIDMI's pillar of support on livelihood options and earthquake rehabilitation finally decided to get married in Thailand!! AIDMI congratulates the couple. |
The 28th INCA International Congress: Collaborative Mapping & Space Technology November 4-6, 2008, Gandhinagar
(source: http://www.cmap.org.in)
Space technology is proving to be a natural partner to the collaborative mapping. Current day space technology not only offers remotely sensed images for mapping but also helps efficient field data collection, integration and quality verification. To keep the information current the interaction between different stakeholders like, Government Departments, Agencies and geographical parties is essential. But the interaction among them becomes more and more complex due to rapid technology development, need for various kinds of maps and types of media. And this phenomenon has led to the development of a new concept for maps, namely the Collaborative Mapping.
The 28th INCA International Congress under the umbrella theme of Collaborative Mapping & Space Technology will be held during November 4-6, 2008 at Gandhinagar organized by Indian National Cartographic Association and hosted by ISRO and Department of Space, GoI. Themes like Enabling Technologies, Standards, Tools and Techniques, Capacity Building, Collaborative Mapping and Applications are proposed to be discussed with the objective of providing a common forum to facilitate interaction among all the stakeholders.......
View the INCA Congress Poster: Click Here.
For more information: Click Here.....
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Central Bank of Kenya - branchless banking goes rural
(source: CGAP website)
Kenya's banking law and regulations look all too familiar: if an institution accepts deposits and uses this money for lending or investment, it needs to have a bank licence . And banks can only transact through their head office or branches......
To Read the Article, Click Here.....
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Development and Climate Days: Parallel Event at UNFCC COP Negotiations on Climate and Development
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City Development and Climate Change: A local view from citizens
Session 2: Cities
Bhatt, Mihir
All India Disaster Mitigation Institute
8.12.2007 16:30
Duration: 11 Minutes
Play the Video and Presentation. Click here
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Should businesses worry?
Live Mint
Posted: Fri, Jan 4, 2008. 1:15 AM IST, Mihir R Bhatt
Neither the company CEO on Dalal Street nor the auto repairman at a street corner of a coastal town in India is informed of the costs of climate risks
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To Read the Article, Click Here.....
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Local issues, cities find place in Bali climate adaptation agenda
The Sunday Economic Times, 23 Dec, 2007,
0021 hrs IST, Mihir R Bhatt
Climate is global. Cities are local. And the emerging climate change adaptation agenda from Bali has started to bridge the gap. For the first time at Bali, COP 13, adaptation has moved from the margins to the centre of discussions and cities have found their due place on the adaptation agenda.....
To Read the Article, Click Here.....
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Recovery Lessons from Bhuj, Gujarat to Basel, Switzerland
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Hasmukh Sadhu of AIDMI teaching recovery lessons learned from AIDMI's experience during Gujarat earthquake 2001 to the geography students of Basel University, Switzerland.
October 17, 2007. |
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Andreas Pecnik from Switzerland, former fellow, AIDMI, alongwith Hasmukh Sadhu of AIDMI explaining the recovery process of the victims of Gujarat earthquake 2001.
October 17, 2007.
For more information please write to AIDMI at bestteam@aidmi.org.
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Risk Reduction and Exclusion
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Senetor Fraiezer, USA, with AIDMI Team discussing risk reduction and exclusion in donor policies.
Ahmedabad, October 1, 2007.
For more information please write to AIDMI at bestteam@aidmi.org.
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Versicherungen für die Ärmsten der Armen
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We are so happy to present an article on disaster risk reduction in German. Click here to read the article. |
Civil Society Consultation on DFID's Plan for Working with Three Indias:
Drawing Lessons from Recent Humanitarian Crisis
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Civil Society members at the Consultation for discussion and feedback on disaster
preparedness issues in DFID's strategic planning for India at AIDMI, September 5, 2007, Ahmedabad, India.
For more details write to AIDMI at bestteam@aidmi.org. |
Global Advisor from Philippines
visits AIDMI
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RUSTICO "RUSTY" BINAS, Global Advisor on Disaster Risk Reduction, Philippines meets Mihir R. Bhatt during his visit at AIDMI, August 16, 2007, Ahmedabad, India.
For more details write to AIDMI at bestteam@aidmi.org. |
Jamnagar, Gujarat Floods 2007
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Junagadh, Gujarat Floods 2007
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Events |
Scientific Awareness on School Safety
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| 226th Local Capacity Building Cycle on Scientific Awareness on School Safety was held in Puducherry, India on February 14, 2007. The course was attended by 63 school teachers and administrative staff from Tsunami affected schools of Villupuram and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu. |
A Round Table on
Right to Safer Schools Campaign
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A Round Table on Right to Safer Schools Campaign was held at the AMA, Ahmedabad on January 10, 2007. The round table was organized by All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, Ahmedabad, India. The Invitee organisations included Oxfam Australia, CEPT, GUJCOST among experts and stakeholders from 5 states of India and abroad.
View Round Table Photos.
More details being posted shortly. Keep visiting.
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Launch of
Right to Safer Schools Campaign Kit
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Launch of Right to Safer Schools Campaign Kit by Dr. Milind Bokil, Oxfam Australia; Dr. R. N. Vakil, CEPT; Dr. A. M. Prabhakaran, GUJCOST and Dr. Tony Vaux, UK.
View Round Table Photos.
More details being posted shortly. Keep visiting. |
Disaster Risk Reduction and Risk Transfer in Recovery
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Training of Trainers Regional Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction and Risk Transfer in Recovery was held at National Institute of Special Education (NISE) Islamabad, Pakistan from November 24–28, 2006. The workshop was jointly organized by Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education, Directorate General of Special Education and UNIFEM South Asias. Conducted by the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, Ahmedabad, India.
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18th National Course on
Disaster Risk Reduction and
Transfer in
Tsunami Recovery
Galle,
Sri Lanka
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18th National Course on Disaster Risk Reduction and Transfer in Tsunami Recovery was held in Galle, Sri Lanka from October 15–21, 2006.
The workshop was jointly organized by Social and Human Resource Development Consultant and All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, Ahmedabad, India.
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External Resources |
Mumbai VOICES
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On July 11th, 2006 , the city of Mumbai bore witness to terrifying human tragedy. A series of seven explosions killed at least 200 people on crowded commuter trains and stations.
All seven blasts came within an 11-minute span, between 6:24 and 6:35 p.m. The serial train blasts in Mumbai once again reminded this world of the challenges our |
increasingly urbanized societies face.
In the hours and days following the blasts, ordinary Mumbaikars demonstrated remarkable ingenuity and resourcefulness in coping with the tragedy. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised this grieving city for its strength. The next day, a majority of Mumbai's citizens returned to work. Over the course of the day, the train stations were again packed with commuters.
Project mumbai VOICES is a tribute to this resilience. It is an endeavor aimed at capturing the voices of the city's survivors - so that the citizens of Mumbai can have their own say in the protection of their beloved city.
For More Information Click Here...... |
Disaster Management in India: Perspective, Issues and Strategies
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India is one of the world's major theaters of disasters. Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, communal riots, conflicts, fires, epiedmics and other disasters compound the country's chronic troubles. The social and economic progress achieved over decades by the people, and advances in physical development, can be significantly devastated and degraded by the disasters..... |
The papers of this volume provide and insight into the various aspects of disaster management in the country and it is hoped that the volume will be of immense importance to those engaged in disaster management, policy makers, city managers, academicians and students for understanding the dynamics of disaster management and evolving strategies for effective management of the disasters.
Request a Copy |
Microfinance and Disaser Risk Reduction
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Sustainable evidence is available from across the globe that micro-finance products and services have the potential to empower the poor, particularly the poor women in the rural areas, on acquiring skill, confidence and capacity to undertake activities that can significantly lift them above the poverty line.
There is also evidence that micro-credit groups of the poor have done better in coping with natural disasters although disasters like the Indian Ocean Tsunami |
of December 2004 badly crippled their activities.
In the immediate post-disaster phase when relief and rehabilitation assistance pours in, micro-finance plays a marginal role, but when the supply of dole dries up, the poor have to fend for themselves. In this critical phase of recovery, micro-finance assumes even greater importance in supplementing other efforts for livelihood restoration and sustainable development.
This volume, which draws from the contributions in an International Workshop in Delhi during 2005, would be an important addition to the very limited literature available on the subject.
Request a Copy |
Real Risk
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Published by Tudor Rose, Real Risk is the latest in a series of volumes addressing the risks faced by communities across the world.
Real Risk offers perspectives, case studies and analysis on disaster risk reduction and mitigation in the light of major natural disasters that have occurred since the publication of Know Risk in early 2005. It brings together the knowledge and experience of public and |
| private organisations working toward disaster preparedness and mitigation at local, national and international levels. |
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Kashmir Earthquake 2005
All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI) has conducted rapid assessment of the needs of the affected victims in Kashmir and has provided immediate relief such as household items to 200 families in five of the affected villages of Baramulla district of Kashmir. It has also started providing support for temporary shelters of wooden beams and posts, rafters and sheets, roofs and walls; and cash for work to the families. Now, AIDMI is planning to carry out activities related to water storage facilities, risk transfer, and community infrastructure projects on need basis. AIDMI also proposes to carry out Right to Safety advocacy related work besides implementation.
Kashmir Earthquake: AIDMI Kashmir Mission–write for more details to Mr. Gupte
Kashmir Earthquake: AIDMI Assessment Photos |
Partner Resources |
United Nations team for Tsunami Recovery Support (UNTRS)
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Two years after the Tsunami unleashed waves of destruction in South India, India's first Community Radio for Disaster Management is poised to rule the airwaves.
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| ALL INDIA DISASTER MITIGATION INSTITUTE
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