UNDP – Disaster Risk Management in Cox’s Bazar District

Project completed

The location, climate and topography of Cox’s Bazar District makes it vulnerable to tropical cyclones and associated storm surges, flash flooding, and landslides. The influx of the Rohingya refugees have raised the population of an already poor, disaster prone-district to 3.5 million people, requiring significant upgrading of disaster risk management capacities. The project supports a comprehensive approach to developing local capacities and enables risk informed-decision making.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Bangladesh
Climate change and environment
Other
Water
Disaster risk reduction DRR
Sector not specified
Water sanitation
01.11.2018 - 31.10.2020
CHF  1’211’000
Background A year ago, the world witnessed one of the largest cross-border forced displacements of recent times. Within the space of a single month, close to half a million Rohingya fled their homes in Northern Rakhine State. The number has now risen to a tented city of nearly a million people crammed in just 26 sq. km of undulating terrain. Shrubs and trees gave way to settlements on the edge of Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas in the southernmost district of Bangladesh sitting at the edge of the Bay of Bengal. Strengthening the preparedness and mitigating disaster risks for the communities in Cox’s Bazar and addressing environmental constraints is an important priority.
Objectives The objective of the project is to reduce the seasonal weather and disaster vulnerability of at-risk Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities in Cox’s Bazar through effective multi-hazard risk management.
Target groups
  • Disaster-vulnerable populations in Cox’s Bazar, including Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities
  • Disaster risk management stakeholders for Cox’s Bazar district
Medium-term outcomes

The main expected outcomes for SDC financed components are:

  1. Government, development, and humanitarian stakeholders have access to improved forecasting information and multi-hazard risk maps to support planning and decision-making;
  2. Most-vulnerable Rohingya and Bangladeshi host communities reduce and manage landslide, flash flood and cyclone risk; and
  3. Government duty-bearers, key humanitarian stakeholders and first response agencies manage residual risk through risk-informed planning and first response.
Results

Expected results:  

  1. Reliable, timely forecast products for 72 hour time frame and seasonal outlook, centered on the Rohingya camps.
  2. A landslide risk modelling and dynamic landslides information system
  3. Joint pre-seasonal situation assessments enabling Early Warning- Early Action 2019 cyclone and monsoon seasons.
  4. A comprehensive, multi-hazard risk assessment for Cox’s Bazar district
  5. Community-based disaster risk reduction schemes and risk awareness campaign in most-exposed areas reducing vulnerability of Bangladeshi host communities and Rohingya
  6. A methodology for community-based disaster management for the Rohingya camp setting created and adopted by site management stakeholders
  7. Government duty-bearers, key humanitarian stakeholders and first response agencies have the knowledge and skills needed to manage residual risk through risk-informed planning and first response
  8. Key government officials and humanitarian staff with forecast and risk information literacy and understanding of how to apply risk information in their roles.
  9. Professional first responders trained on technical landslide Search and Rescue


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Humanitarian aid
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • United Nations Development Programme


Coordination with other projects and actors
  • Eventual synergies with SDC project: “Efficient and Accountable Local Governance” implemented by UNDP in Bangladesh will be explored
  • UNDP/IOM/German Red Cross DRR consortium; ISCG (Inter-Sectoral Coordination Group); DRR Technical Advisory Unit in Cox’s Bazar
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’211’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’211’000 Total project since first phase Budget inclusive project partner CHF   1’211’000
Project phases

Phase 1 01.11.2018 - 31.10.2020   (Completed)