‘Disaster University’ Studies Ways to Minimize Death and Destruction in Asia-Pacific

World

In the critical moments of a catastrophe, old wisdom can be as vital as new technology. After a massive tsunami heaved onto Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, few things were left standing in the fishing village of Minami-sanriku. Despite the warnings blasted over the town’s loudspeakers, hundreds were killed in neighborhoods that the waves flattened in minutes. Cars were twisted and tossed into trees. But as the waters receded, the ancient Daiou temple, perched on a hill above town, was almost unharmed. Centuries earlier, monks had moved their place of worship to higher ground after a tsunami swept through the area, managing to preserve their legacy — and creating a refuge for homeless villagers generations later.

Coping with the earth’s destructive forces has always been part of the human experience, but it seems to be an ever-bigger job these days. The number of reported natural disasters has steadily…

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Modeling the Linkages Between Climate Change, Food Security, and Population

Evaluate

Climate Change, Food Security, and Population in Sub-Saharan Africa: Modeling the Linkages

A computer simulation model was developed to help clarify the dynamic relationships between climate change, food security, and population growth. The aim was to develop a model that would be simple enough to adapt to a country and that could be used at the policy level to introduce population issues into the dialogue on adaptation to climate change in the context of food security. The resulting model links a population projection, a sophisticated economic model that takes account of the effects of climate change on agriculture, and a food requirements model that uses Food and Agricultural Organization formulas.

The model was tested and piloted in Ethiopia. The Ethiopia pilot demonstrated the usefulness of this model in quantifying the contribution of family planning in adapting to potential climate change-induced food security challenges.

Read the full article on the MEASURE…

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Pondering Events on the Nile

Glen Carey

From July 10-16, I worked from the Cairo bureau, helping to cover events after the Egyptian military ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. I spent days working at the desk until after midnight but I had a few opportunities to take some pictures and talk to people. Here, a young man sits looking out at the Nile, taking a moment, it seems, to reflect on the unprecedented political events unfolding around him. Most Egyptians expressed deep concern about the economy and stability of the country.

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Mahidol University announces a Workshop on M&E of PHN Programs

Evaluate

The Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) at Mahidol University is currently accepting applications for a workshop on “Monitoring and Evaluation of Population Health and Nutrition Programs” which will take place  November 25 – December 11, 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. Please note that IPSR is offering this workshop independently and that MEASURE Evaluation will not be offering fellowships or providing instructional support for this workshop.

The workshop offers an intensive training that will cover the fundamental concepts and tools for monitoring and evaluating population, health and nutrition programs.

The course will include sessions on M&E Frameworks; Selecting, Calculating and Interpreting Indicators; Information Systems; Impact Evaluation Designs; Developing M&E Plans; and Facilitating the Use of Strategic Information.

Application Form

Brochure

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Coordination is Essential for Emergency Response

Rina Tnunay

During the emergency/disaster response, we often hear the word coordination, coordinate, and the like. It is easy to say coordination and coordination, but in reality very difficult to run and achieve it. For example, during the emergency response of floods in Jakarta in early 2013, we noticed that a lot of turmoil distributions of basic necessities due to lack of coordination between the authorities, relief parties/donors and communities affected by the disaster. We saw from mass media, affected people at the evacuation centers complained that they have not received any aid, but on the other hand we also saw that a lot of aid has been given. The questions then where the given aid and why many affected people still complained not get it? Apparently at the time, a lot of aid have only been stored at poskoand has not been given to the affected people due to lack…

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Response – Disaster / Emergency Response

Rina Tnunay

Previously, we have seen that response is the provision of assistances and services during or immediately after a disaster with primary goals to save lives, reduce the impact of the diseases or health-related, providing health services and providing basic needs required by the affected people/communities.

We can use a reference from The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR, 2009):

The provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

As above reference, we can see there are two stages of response, namely:

1. Response given immediately after a disaster or as we know is the emergency response.  The main activities at this stage are save lives and evacuation, fulfillment of basic needs and health care delivery. Emergency response period is usually set by the…

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Google to launch Middle East Hotel Finder

Retail News

Google is preparing the Middle Eastern launch of its Hotel Finder search tool that will allow hotel guests to search for available hotels and compare room rates instantly.

Already available through Google’s international sites, the US based search company is in the process of localising the service for the Middle East so that it is readily available on regional Google pages. However, the service will not currently allow users to make a direct booking, instead directing them to the booking pages of the relevant hotel company or online travel agent (OTA).

During a recent interview with Hotelier Middle East, Google industry head for travel Nigel Huddleston said: “We have started to develop our own products into the travel space, in terms of hotel finder and flight search. Now the booking is still through a third party and when you click a button you’ll go through to that company’s booking site…

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