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This book is designed for governments that make decisions on the application of preventive resettlement programs as disaster risk reduction measures, as well as for institutions and professionals in charge of preparing and implementing these programs, civil society organizations participating in resettlement and risk reduc tion processes, and at-risk communities. The basic premises of the guide are that resettlement as a preventive measure should be incorporated in comprehensive risk reduction strategies in order to be effective; and that resettlement’s objective is to protect the lives and assets of persons at risk and to improve or at least restore their living conditions. The guide has two parts. The first consists of two chapters. The first of these looks at disasters occurring worldwide and their impacts, and discusses strategic frameworks for disaster risk reduction. The second chapter analyzes resettlement as a preventive measure in the context of comprehensive risk management policy. It examines the relevance of resettlement according to the type of natural hazards and to their characteristics, as well as the savings achieved by promoting this type of resettlement rather than handling a disaster generated emergency and recovering from it. In this chapter, preventive resettlement is proposed to be included in the public policy sphere, since it is based on recognition of the rights and responsibilities of public, private, and civil society stakeholders, and is to be guided by principles of effectiveness, equity, and general public well-being. Part II consists of four phases. The first phase describes the steps to determine whether a population exposed to the impacts of a natural hazard should be resettled. It starts with the analysis and assessment of the risk and its mitigation measures to formulate the risk reduction plan. At this stage, emphasis is on participation in the preparation of the plan by people at risk since they play two key roles: as potential victims if the hazard material izes and as key stakeholders in managing the risk. Additionally, participation is the only way to make socially feasible a risk reduction plan, and also to safeguard communities from decisions intended to displace them with the argument that their lives are being protected, while other hidden interests are the real motive. To formulate the plan in a par ticipatory manner, the methodology of the logical framework approach is utilized, with an analytical stage based on community information, analysis of stakeholders, and iden tification and analysis of the risk mitigation measures. At this stage, a decision is made, based on the technical studies, about whether resettlement is the only possible option to mitigate the risk. The planning stage involves the preparation of the risk reduction plan. Phase 2 sets out the key aspects of the resettlement process that should be defined before starting to prepare a preventive resettlement program. In order to properly About this Guide xi inform decision makers, the complexity and impacts of displacement and resettlement of populations are discussed. Attention is given not only to the impacts on population to be resettled, but also on the host population and the population that continues living at the site. Resettlement is discussed as a multidimensional process comprised of physical, legal, economic, social, cultural, psychological, environmental, political administrative, and territorial aspects. Lastly, this section discusses organizational factors and mechanisms that should be in place before launching the studies to design the resettlement program, as well as the mechanisms for communication, handling of complaints and claims, dispute resolution, and accountability that should also be established. Phase 3 discusses the analysis required to formulate a resettlement program including: the census and socioeconomic and cultural study of the at-risk population, the inven tory of properties and structures, and the tenure study to determine the land rights. It also sets out methodologies for identifying and assessing the type of impacts people will face as a result of the displacement, and criteria for determining the resettlement alternatives. It stresses that throughout this process, information and communication are of the highest importance, as are consultation and validation regarding the studies prepared. Phase 3 also includes a matrix for classification of the population by type of impact and level of vulnerability, and a second matrix for definition of the resettlement objectives. The impacts on populations that will continue living at the site and the types of uses that may be made of at-risk land following resettlement are also discussed. This is another fundamental consideration, since if a use is not assigned to control the reclaimed land, another population may settle there, nullifying the resettlement effort and losing the investment made. The type of use assigned also validates the operation as a whole. Lastly, phase 4 describes the process of formulating the resettlement program. Two approaches to resettlement—collective and individual—are discussed and the compo nents of each alternative described. As with the earlier stages, communication, consul tation, and consensus are emphasized. This phase also describes the program to restore the socioeconomic conditions of the population not displaced but facing impacts from the resettlement of its neighbors; a contingency program in case the emergency occurs before resettlement; and a reclamation and rehabilitation program for at-risk land. Fi nally, the content and scope of the monitoring and evaluation systems are described. Although in preparing this guide, the goal was to include all relevant aspects of prepar ing a preventive resettlement program, programs of this type should be tailored to the characteristics of the population involved and the context in which they will be imple mented. Resettlement programs should also be implemented with some flexibility so that they can respond to any problems arising during the process.

Populations at Risk of Disaster: A Resettlement Guide

Resource Key: X37VD7M7

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Series Editor:

  • Elena Correa

Contributor:

  • Fernando Ramirez
  • Haris Sanahuja

Creators Name: {mb_resource_zotero_creatorsname}

Place: Washington D.C.

Institution: World Bank

Date: September 2011

Language:

This book is designed for governments that make decisions on the application of preventive resettlement programs as disaster risk reduction measures, as well as for institutions and professionals in charge of preparing and implementing these programs, civil society organizations participating in resettlement and risk reduc tion processes, and at-risk communities. The basic premises of the guide are that resettlement as a preventive measure should be incorporated in comprehensive risk reduction strategies in order to be effective; and that resettlement’s objective is to protect the lives and assets of persons at risk and to improve or at least restore their living conditions. The guide has two parts. The first consists of two chapters. The first of these looks at disasters occurring worldwide and their impacts, and discusses strategic frameworks for disaster risk reduction. The second chapter analyzes resettlement as a preventive measure in the context of comprehensive risk management policy. It examines the relevance of resettlement according to the type of natural hazards and to their characteristics, as well as the savings achieved by promoting this type of resettlement rather than handling a disaster generated emergency and recovering from it. In this chapter, preventive resettlement is proposed to be included in the public policy sphere, since it is based on recognition of the rights and responsibilities of public, private, and civil society stakeholders, and is to be guided by principles of effectiveness, equity, and general public well-being. Part II consists of four phases. The first phase describes the steps to determine whether a population exposed to the impacts of a natural hazard should be resettled. It starts with the analysis and assessment of the risk and its mitigation measures to formulate the risk reduction plan. At this stage, emphasis is on participation in the preparation of the plan by people at risk since they play two key roles: as potential victims if the hazard material izes and as key stakeholders in managing the risk. Additionally, participation is the only way to make socially feasible a risk reduction plan, and also to safeguard communities from decisions intended to displace them with the argument that their lives are being protected, while other hidden interests are the real motive. To formulate the plan in a par ticipatory manner, the methodology of the logical framework approach is utilized, with an analytical stage based on community information, analysis of stakeholders, and iden tification and analysis of the risk mitigation measures. At this stage, a decision is made, based on the technical studies, about whether resettlement is the only possible option to mitigate the risk. The planning stage involves the preparation of the risk reduction plan. Phase 2 sets out the key aspects of the resettlement process that should be defined before starting to prepare a preventive resettlement program. In order to properly About this Guide xi inform decision makers, the complexity and impacts of displacement and resettlement of populations are discussed. Attention is given not only to the impacts on population to be resettled, but also on the host population and the population that continues living at the site. Resettlement is discussed as a multidimensional process comprised of physical, legal, economic, social, cultural, psychological, environmental, political administrative, and territorial aspects. Lastly, this section discusses organizational factors and mechanisms that should be in place before launching the studies to design the resettlement program, as well as the mechanisms for communication, handling of complaints and claims, dispute resolution, and accountability that should also be established. Phase 3 discusses the analysis required to formulate a resettlement program including: the census and socioeconomic and cultural study of the at-risk population, the inven tory of properties and structures, and the tenure study to determine the land rights. It also sets out methodologies for identifying and assessing the type of impacts people will face as a result of the displacement, and criteria for determining the resettlement alternatives. It stresses that throughout this process, information and communication are of the highest importance, as are consultation and validation regarding the studies prepared. Phase 3 also includes a matrix for classification of the population by type of impact and level of vulnerability, and a second matrix for definition of the resettlement objectives. The impacts on populations that will continue living at the site and the types of uses that may be made of at-risk land following resettlement are also discussed. This is another fundamental consideration, since if a use is not assigned to control the reclaimed land, another population may settle there, nullifying the resettlement effort and losing the investment made. The type of use assigned also validates the operation as a whole. Lastly, phase 4 describes the process of formulating the resettlement program. Two approaches to resettlement—collective and individual—are discussed and the compo nents of each alternative described. As with the earlier stages, communication, consul tation, and consensus are emphasized. This phase also describes the program to restore the socioeconomic conditions of the population not displaced but facing impacts from the resettlement of its neighbors; a contingency program in case the emergency occurs before resettlement; and a reclamation and rehabilitation program for at-risk land. Fi nally, the content and scope of the monitoring and evaluation systems are described. Although in preparing this guide, the goal was to include all relevant aspects of prepar ing a preventive resettlement program, programs of this type should be tailored to the characteristics of the population involved and the context in which they will be imple mented. Resettlement programs should also be implemented with some flexibility so that they can respond to any problems arising during the process.

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