Central Emergency Response Fund: Anticipatory Action
Enabling timely, effective and life-saving humanitarian action to help monsoon-affected communities in Nepal
In an innovative approach to dealing with the effects of severe monsoon flooding in Nepal, the United Nations is leveraging predictive analytics and meteorological data to forecast the next significant monsoon floods, gauge likely impacts – and take action – before possible disaster strikes.
Using hydrological forecasts, a two-step trigger system was developed for two river basins in Nepal (the Karnali and Koshi basins), consisting of a readiness trigger and an action trigger. Once a pre-determined waterflow threshold is predicted to be breached 7 days into the future, the first trigger activates the release of funding to cover critical readiness activities. Upon confirmation of the second trigger, recipient agencies begin delivering Central Emergency Response Fund-funded assistance to communities prior to peak flooding (see illustration below)
UNICEF was among five participating agencies – including the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) – that were allocated the funds from CERF.
Under this project, in collaboration with local governments and through mobilization of partner organizations, UNICEF seeks to provide a timely, effective support package to vulnerable households living in high risk wards in the Koshi and Karnali river basins. This package includes multi-purpose cash (MPC) transfers aimed at the most vulnerable households, provision of crucial WASH supplies, deployment of psychosocial services, and communication of timely, relevant, and clear information about the available humanitarian response and key lifesaving messages.
This pilot relies on forecasts provided by the Global Flood Awareness System (GLoFAS), flood warning bulletins issued by the Government of Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), and real-time river water level monitoring by DHM. A full activation of the framework is contingent on the following two conditions being met:
Stage 1: Readiness Trigger
The GloFAS 7-day forecast model predicts a 70% likelihood of water levels exceeding 6,300 m3/s (typically occurs 1 in every 2 years)
Stage 2: Action Trigger
Condition 1: DHM issues a flood warning bulletin for the affected area Condition 2: Either The GloFAS 3-day forecast model predicts a 70% likelihood of water levels exceeding 6,300 m3/s (typically occurs 1 in every 2 years) or the water levels exceed the the government-defined “Danger Level”
ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING READINESS TRIGGER
Multi-purpose cash transfers
- Orientation to Palikas on Cash Plus Anticipatory action support and clarity on roles and responsibilities of UNICEF, Partner NGO, and Palika Officials
- Deployment of human resource support to the municipalities to facilitate readiness activities
- Review and finalize verified and approved list of targeted HHs with bank details based on the per-identified list
- Team formation for cash camp where necessary.
- Ready to send SMS messages (HHs list prepared with phone numbers and SMS provider ready)
- Facilitate and collaborate with bank to manage possible influx of people to withdraw cash.
- Cash transferred to the municipalities from UNICEF with condition to use only after- the Action Trigger is activated. (this is pre-positioning of cash, actual expenditure budgeted in action trigger)
WASH
- Transportation of Supply items from warehouse to the partner or municipality warehouse in coordination with municipalities and partners.
- Orientation for municipal authorities and Rapid Training to WASH field team and volunteers for mobilization for WASH facilities installation and hygiene promotion. First round of volunteer mobilization for hygiene promotion in most vulnerable areas.
- Assessment of target community evacuation centres (based on pre-identified areas) for provision of WASH facilities if action trigger is activated.
Child Protection
- Psychosocial support rosters activated, and community psychosocial workers (CPSWs)/counsellors contacted, and areas of deployment confirmed.
- Orientation for municipal officials.
Community Engagement/Accountability to Affected Populations
- Training community volunteers/monitors on data collection tools, communication skills, working with affected populations and door-to-door visits.
ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING ACTION TRIGGER
Multi-purpose cash transfers
- UNICEF informs municipalities that action trigger is activated and request to authorize banks to deposit cash into targeted HH's bank accounts.
- Municipalities send authority to the local banks to deposit the cash into bank account of the targeted HHs.
- SMS send to the HHs after their bank account is debited/cash deposited
- Cash camps organized to deliver cash to those who do not have bank accounts
- Post distribution HHs monitoring
- Learning Workshop (face to face or virtual) in each of the 2 municipalities supported by UNICEF
WASH
- Mobilization of technical team for WASH facilities setup in evacuation centers
- Installation/repair or maintenance of WASH facilities (tubewell repair/ toilet repair or temporary installation /handwashing station repair or installation, water supply system/station installation)
- Volunteer mobilization for Hygiene promotion including IEC materials in targeted vulnerable communities
Child Protection
- Provide psychosocial support to the affected population through deployment of psychosocial counselor/CPSWs
- Launch the monitoring and incident reporting mechanism
- Follow up on incidents and referral to appropriate service providers
Community Engagement/Accountability to Affected Populations
- Digital engagement with the targeted beneficiaries (community feedback, early warning and key lifesaving messages)
- Dissemination through Mass Media and social media (early warning, key lifesaving contents)
- Megaphone Announcement
“Ensuring a rapid response is critical in our efforts to assist affected families to cope with the devastating impact of floods (and other natural disasters) when they need it the most. The anticipatory humanitarian action approach further facilitates UNICEF’s ability for a timely and effective response to reach children and families affected by flood disasters in Nepal."
- Ms Elke Wisch, UNICEF Representative to Nepal.
