National Disaster Management Authority organises third Gender Thematic Group meeting

Islamabad, May 28, 2014 (PPI-OT): The third Gender Thematic Group (GTG) meeting was organized by NDMA at PM, Office Islamabad based on the composition designed to draw maximum assistance from the expertise of all the GTG members for effective mainstreaming of gender and needs of vulnerable segments of the population in disasters.

GTG was established in June 2012 as a forum to support NDMA at the policy level for formulation and implementation of polices on gender mainstreaming in the entire disaster management spectrum. The terms of reference of GTG, include supporting the implementation of the National Policy Guidelines at both government and civil society forums which is important during actual implementation of the Policy Guidelines and GCC National Framework.

The composition of the third GTG included members from parliament and Senate, government ministries, Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF), National Humanitarian Network (NHN), Civil Society Organizations, senior officials of UN/donor agencies and also member DRR and Members Operations NDMA respectively.

The meeting was attended by Chairman NDMA (Major General Saeed Aleem), UN Resident Coordinator (Mr. Timo Pakala), Member Operations NDMA (Brig Kamran Zia) and representatives of DFATD (CIDA), Norwegian Embassy, PHF, NHN, UN Women and other members of GTG.

In his opening remarks Chairman NDMA welcomed the participants of GTG and briefed them on NDMA Gender and Child Cell contributions in formulation of National GCC Framework, National Policy Guidelines on Vulnerable Groups in Disasters, finalization of SOPs on Missing and Unaccompanied Children in Emergencies, and to create an enabling environment for mainstreaming gender and vulnerable Group’s concerns in DRR and DRM that strengthened coordination with NDMA’s provincial and regional counterparts.

Chairman NDMA highlighted the importance of National and Provincial Gender and Child Cells to be functional to operationalize both the GCC Framework and National Policy Guidelines and hoped the group to develop a brief work plan corresponding to the TORs of the forum that can relate to facilitating the implementation of the National Policy Guidelines. He desired GTG to be a high level group for government and civil society to collaborate and complement each other’s efforts for inclusive disaster management.

Farida Rehmat, Programme Officer, GCC NDMA presented the progress and major achievements of GCC during 2013-14, including the National GCC Framework and Coordination Mechanisms developed to bring on board the GCC focal persons from the regional and provincial disaster management authorities for the implementation of the framework.

Briefing on the National Policy Guidelines on Vulnerable Groups in Disasters, Dr. Farhat Sheikh PM, GCC NDMA highlighted the objectives of the Policy Guidelines, the process followed and the issues and challenges of vulnerable groups.

While presenting the mandate and composition of GTG, Dr. Farhat briefly shared the history of formulation of GTG and the revised TORs in order to make the forum more viable and useful for integration of gender in disaster management.

Discussion was held towards the end on the importance of the National Policy Guidelines and the National GCC Framework and its implementation along with the sustainability issues of all the GCCs. It was decided that the meeting will be held biannually to ensure continued attention at the highest levels, to the promotion of inclusive disaster management and gender mainstreaming in DRR and DRM.

For more information, contact:
Ahmed Kamal
Spokesperson
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Tel: +9251 9215412
Cell: +92300 5278981 and +92331-5657779
Email: maf@ndma.gov.pk