South Asia Earthquake 2005: Learning from Previous Recovery Operations (Second Paper)

This briefing provides a synthesis of key lessons from post-disaster recovery programmes. Intended audiences include: operational decision-makers and relief/recovery programme managers in the South Asia earthquake operation working on recovery policies and strategies.

This is the second of two briefings prepared by ALNAP (www.alnap.org) and the ProVention Consortium (www.proventionconsortium.org). The first briefing, at www.alnap.org/lessons_earthquake.htm, focuses on learning from relief responses to past earthquakes.1 This second briefing covers targeting, participation, assessment, shelter and housing, risk reduction and policy, drawing out main lessons in each area and highlighting critical sources for further reference. An Urdu version will also be available.

Because of the need for brevity and focus, a number of areas covered in the first briefing, such as protection, gender and LRRD, are not included in any depth here. Nor can this paper include extensive detail on the evolving context in the affected areas in Pakistan and India. However, some references for general context are provided under ‘Useful websites’ on page 14.