NDMA, LEAD ink MoU on disaster-risk reduction

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation for vulnerable population. Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Omar Mehmood Hayat and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh signed the MoU, which entails cooperation in the fields of capacity building, exchange of knowledge and expertise, institutional strengthening and technical assistance for mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and DRR for vulnerable population, initiation and execution of joint projects and enhancing response capacity and awareness of children.
Speaking at the occasion the chairman NDMA said that in order to switch the role of children as victims of climate change and disasters, it is imperative to focus on strengthening their capacity as active participants. This includes building their capacity to adapt to climate change and shifting their role from vulnerable individuals to empowered citizens. He expressed hope that the MoU between NDMA and LEAD Pakistan will pave way for promoting climate change adaptation and resilience building at the national level.
Hayat said that NDMA was mandated under the Disaster Management Act of 2010 to develop guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for adequate response to disasters with a special focus on vulnerable population. NDMA is pursuing child-centred disaster risk reduction/management (DRR/M) wherein safety and security of schoolchildren against all natural and human-induced calamities is one of the focal areas, he added.
He further explained the Gender and Child Cell (GCC) of the NDMA has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LEAD on DRR and climate change adaptation to achieve set goals. The main objectives of the deal is to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerabilities to climate change with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response, Hayat maintained.
Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that Pakistan faces immense risks by human induced and natural hazards which can be reduced by building capacity in the context of DRR/M. He termed the signing of the MoU as an important step in the right direction in adapting to a changing environment in the face of an uncertain climatic future.
He said that the MoU will serve as a leading approach to adaptation by encompassing current risks and uncertainties and fostering the adaptive capacity of the most vulnerable. He maintained that the MoU envisages institutional cooperation and will help establish long-term mutual collaboration between the two organizations.
The MoU will broadly collaborate in the following areas: (i) capacity development - strengthening the capacity of vulnerable population including children in communities to mainstream climate change adaptation and DRR/M; (ii) Research - research, knowledge management and mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and DRR for vulnerable population; (iii) institutional strengthening/technical assistance - LEAD Pakistan through the expertise residing in the organization as well as its extensive knowledge networks would provide technical assistance to NDMA if and when required.