Preparedness

What is it about?

Preparedness is an essential aspect of the humanitarian action, and one of the core function of cluster coordination. Local actors (communities, authorities, market actors) must be prepared to the eventuality of a crisis to mitigate its negative impact. Humanitarian actors must be prepared to provide an efficient and timely response, based on experience and lesson from previous emergencies. WASH Sector Coordinators participate in the inter-sector emergency planning process, often led by OCHA and including the Red Cross Movement. They must coordinate the preparation and implementation of the WASH Emergency Response Plan (ERP) with the WASH partners. The ERP process is inextricably linked to capacity mapping and development, and many tools and approaches are the same for both process.

Coordination platform efforts during preparedness should also include the consolidation of lesson learned from recent emergencies to improve future WASH response planning on key areas, that may lead to production of technical guidance at global level.

As per the core cluster function #5, preparedness process is linked to the humanitarian WASH actors' capacity development on priority topics, so they are ready and able to implement a quality and efficient response.   

What are your objectives?

• Develop a common understanding of risk among all stakeholders
• Establish a system to monitor those risks and ensure early actions are taken when required to mitigate or prevent risks
• Design programs aiming at developing the capacities of the whole WASH sector (partners, communities, local market, local authorities...) to better react to potential threats, including the development of contingency plans
• Ensure that WASH humanitarian actors have proper mechanism and tools to coordinate the WASH response
• Develop relevant information that can be used as the basis for initial WASH response strategic planning
• Use lessons from past emergencies to improve current and future humanitarian WASH emergency response

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