Reflections on the Annual Lecture: Saving Lives, Building Resilience and the UK

Reflections on the Annual Lecture: Saving Lives, Building Resilience and the UK

Words by Rose Beale, Photos by Elizabeth Wagemann

Chris Austin MP -Head of Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department – began by emphasising the deep roots of the UK’s approach to humanitarian relief: built on our ‘collective humanity’. In response to the Portuguese earthquake and tsunami of 1755 parliament voted £100,000 and despatched ships ‘forthwith’. As Vattel – the author of the Law of Nations – wrote: this ‘convinced the Portuguese that an opposition…does not restrain the beneficence of those who understand the claims of humanity.’

Today the implementation of this deep-rooted principle needs careful consideration. All trends suggest that more people – particularly in developing countries – will be affected by humanitarian emergencies in the coming decades. Global economic stresses, protracted conflicts, political uncertainty, population growth, urbanisation, and climate change are the backdrop to increasing humanitarian challenges. The trends for natural disasters alone are alarming. In 2010, these affected 263 million people. This figure is over 100 million more than in 2004 – the year of the Asian tsunami – but over 100 million less than that predicted for 2015.

In light of the scale of these challenges, Mr Austin emphasized embedding resilience as the key focus of the UK’s humanitarian policy. Disaster resilience was defined in terms of sustainability and sensitivity : the ability of countries, communities and households to manage change, by maintaining or transforming living standards in the face of shocks or stresses – such as earthquakes, drought or violent conflict – without compromising their long-term prospects.

DIFD’s new strategic plan BSOS (Building Stability Overseas Strategy) – takes resilience as its crux. The aim is to embed resilience in all country programmes by 2015, beginning with six priority countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal and Bangladesh. BSOS’ Resilience Framework identifies four key areas which need to be accessed: context (resilience of what), disturbance (resilience to what), capacity to deal with disturbance and reaction to disturbance. This strategy is underpinned by a commitment to appropriate use and application of knowledge: including statistical analysis, scientific research and technological solutions. But measures need not be ‘high-tech’. Mr Austin highlighted the effectiveness of introducing ducks in flood-prone areas of Bangladesh : ‘ducks float, chickens drown’. The approach aims to be holistic – recognising the importance of developing international and bilateral relationships – but also focuses on responding to the needs of communities and individuals. The particular vulnerability of women was highlighted: in the 2004Tsunami women accounted for 80% of deaths .

Mr Austin concluded by asking what ‘success’ ultimately meant, drawing on his own experiences in northern Bangladesh. Through attending a wedding in Rangpur, he met Bobita who had received a cow via a local NGO, being just too well off to qualify for British Government aid. This source of economic stability and social prestige had made a large impact on her livelihood. Ultimately the UK’s definition of success in humanitarian policy- whether achieved through the work of DIFD or not- is to see ‘lives changed’.