ブックタイトルRecommendations to prepare for future mega-disasters in Japan

概要

Recommendations to prepare for future mega-disasters in Japan

vulnerable populations, which tends to be a top-down and‘one size fits all’approach, toa more human rights-based approach that allows the affected populations to participatein the planning and to request necessary assistance by themselves. Accordingly, theCommittee should acknowledge that the Government alone can only cover a limitedscope of diverse needs, and that mutual relationships for cooperation and associatedresponsibilities between the Government, NGOs and the local Councils of Social Welfareshould be clearly defined. Moreover, the Committee should advise the Government toclearly institutionalise the rights of various disaster-affected persons to participate in thedecision-making process and to guarantee their‘rights to be heard.’? In May 2013, the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office published‘Guidelines forgender considerations in disaster response,’a part of which includes those in line withthe Sphere Standards. However, the Guidelines made no direct reference to theestablished international norms and standards. In order to fully realise the principlesalready stated in the Guideline and to incorporate more specific improvement measures- such as methodologies of needs assessments ?further discussions on this particularaspect need to be facilitated by the Committee. The debate should not only approachthe gender issue from a protection angle, but also address the issue of gender imbalanceamong the aid providers and policy-makers including civil servants of local municipalitiesand the staff of the Cabinet Office working on disaster management issues. Meanwhile,disaster- management plans of the Government and municipalities should clearly statethat a gender balance is considered at all levels, such as appointing individual males andfemales as representatives at each evacuation centres.? Separate guidelines should be developed for local authorities recognising the role ofNGOs, civil society as well as community based organisations more institutionally, sothat these organisations can help promote application of the national minimumstandards, particularly in the local disaster management planning. Furthermore,municipal authorities should be requested to institutionalise means to effectivelyaddress cross-cutting issues, including respecting the rights of children and the elderly,promoting gender sensitive approaches, and ensuring protection of and assistance forthe people with disabilities. In this regard, the local authorities should be requested toestablish focal points on the cross cutting issues at each relevant departments anddivisions and to consider staff exchange, especially between the divisions responsible fordisaster management and gender equality.? On the other hand, NGOs and civil society organisations should bear in mind a leadingrole that they are expected to play in ensuring appropriate response to the diverseneeds of the affected populations and the promotion of human rights-based approaches.To this effect, NGOs should step up their engagement in the relevant policydevelopment processes. In particular, the civil society should monitor policy measurestaken by the Government and local authorities, and form organisations to supportimplementation of such measures in concrete terms. Furthermore, NGOs and civilsociety organisations should enhance their accountability to the affected populations asaid providers by putting in place effective communication mechanisms with the affectedcommunities, including needs assessments, monitoring, evaluation, and feedbackprocesses. Moreover, they should redouble efforts for promoting the code of conductsbased on humanitarian principles, and regulate their activities around a sound peer25