Kisumu assesses local capacities to avert, minimise and address disaster displacement

On 20 and 21 November 2023, the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) and the Council of Governors (CoG), in collaboration with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Geneva office of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) hosted representatives from the Government of the Kisumu County and from organisations supporting Disaster Risk Management work in the area to assess local capacities to avert, minimise and address disaster displacement. 

The assessment was run using the “Scorecard Addendum on Displacement” tool, which has been developed by UNDRR and NRC to complement with displacement-specific questions and actions the broader DRR capacity assessments local actors can perform through UNDRR’s “Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities”. The addendum covers a broad variety of topics, ranging from policy and data to preparedness and capacities for durable solutions, allowing for the identification of capacity gaps and the prioritisation of follow-up actions.

Kisumu has already signed up to UNDRR’s urban resilience initiatives, and aspires to become a “Resilience Hub” after having recently hosted the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on October 13. Using the Scorecard Addendum has provided an opportunity for local actors to identify measures specifically focusing on displacement the County can pursue to reduce risk and build local resilience.

The workshop was attended by over 50 participants, comprising representatives of all relevant departments of the County Government, sub-county representatives, and international and non-governmental organisations working on displacement and disaster risk management. The meeting was opened by Dr Mathew Ochieng Owili, the Deputy Governor of the County of Kisumu, and attended by Ms Judith Oloch, CEC Member for the Department of Public Service, County Administration and Participatory Development, Ms Maryline Agwa, CEC Member for the Department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, along with high-level and technical staff from the Government of Kisumu.

Over the two-day event, the participants were introduced to issues related to disaster displacement and were able to analyse to what extent local planning, budgeting, and operational capacities integrate displacement considerations. Their reflections will now be integrated in an action planning exercise to identify follow up work that can be supported during the PAMAD project, and beyond.