IOM Vision
IOM in the Caribbean region is recognised as a robust actor in preparedness, disaster risk reduction and emergency response and works in close coordination with government entities, international and national organizations, civil society organizations and communities at regional, national and local levels. The vision and the activities of IOM in the Caribbean link to the 3 pillars of the IOM Strategic Vision: Resilience, Mobility and Governance. This Caribbean Crisis Response Plan is mainly geared towards increasing the resilience of individuals, families, communities, institutions and populations to withstand shocks and stresses linked to environmental and biohazards. The preparedness and disaster risk reduction (DRR) work will tie in with longer-term initiatives in the region to make the region safer for all.
The Caribbean has been historically recognised as one of the regions of the world most prone to a wide range of natural hazards, including hurricanes, floods, landslides, occasional earthquakes and volcanic eruptions[1]. The island states are particularly susceptible to these events, due to common factors such as the small and tourism-dependent economies, the topography, the geographic location, as well as the relative lack of comprehensive land-use and environmental protection regulations. Over the last 20 years, disasters have directly affected 12 million people in the Caribbean on average, and not a single year has passed in which disasters in the Caribbean have not claimed lives. Hurricane Maria and Irma in 2017 and Dorian in 2019 have caused significant loss of lives, displacement and billions of dollars in damages to the economy, infrastructure and houses which have to be repaired after each event.
The countries and islands targeted under this Crisis Response Plan (Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Commonwealth of Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago) for the Caribbean are home to approximately 33 million people. Apart from Guyana, which is located on the continent, all the countries and territories covered by this Plan are small island developing states (SIDS) or small island overseas territories. The Caribbean islands are very diverse in culture, state of development, size and demographics. Fifteen states are organized in The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC) which has the primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy.
The Caribbean has witnessed numerous waves of migration throughout history, the effects of which have shaped current day society in each respective country in unique manners. The current migration trend is from countries with a lower GDP per capita like Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba toward high-income countries like The Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the United States of America. The region is beset by high unemployment, ageing demographics, high levels of non-communicable diseases, persistent gender inequalities, xenophobia and crime. The life expectancy in the Caribbean is 75 years for women and 70 years for men[2] which is lower than the wider Latin America and Caribbean ( LAC) average.
Update: On 9 April 2021, La Soufrière volcano erupted on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. According to the UN appeal, an estimated 20,000 persons were displaced through mandatory evacuation of the red and orange zones, although it is noted that the vast majority of the population has been adversely impacted by this disaster.
[1] Kirton, M. (2013). Caribbean Regional Disaster Response and Management Mechanisms: Prospects and Challenges.
[2] Statista 2020
Objective
Saving lives and protecting people on the move
As people have to evacuate from imminent danger areas, temporary shelter solutions must be available. Often there is a high likelihood of multiple displacements, as people explore further relocation in order to address livelihood, education and shelter needs of the household, and in situations where shelters with dual or multi-purposes are closed to return to their original purpose (as in the case of schools, for example).
Shelter and settlements
IOM conducted an assessment on the performance of emergency shelters during Hurricane Dorian and preparedness for the next hurricane season, concluding that the available emergency shelter capacity in the region was largely insufficient in terms of quantity and quality and may have resulted in further displacement. IOM will follow up on recommendations shared with the government of the Bahamas which are likely relevant to other counties in the region, including:
• Strengthening the operational capacities of the relevant authorities
• Increasing emergency shelter capacity in the right locations and factoring in potential longer term stays
• Increasing minimum standards for emergency shelters, rehabilitating and equipping emergency shelter facilities to host displaced persons
Multi-sectoral support
Objective
Strengthen preparedness and reduce disaster risk
In addition to the Regional and National Disaster Management Agencies, the following people and communities in The Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Commonwealth of Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago will be targeted:
- 94 local migrant communities will receive community Disaster Risk Reduction training to prevent disasters
- 228,600 persons and officials will be better prepared for emergencies through emergency management training, communication, emergency shelters, Non-Food Items and Water and Sanitation kits.
- 20 regional and national Emergency Management Agencies benefit from revised emergency shelter and evacuation policies.
- The capacity of 71 health institutions and 1,146 health workers will be bolstered through the provision of essential medical supplies, COVID-19 PPE kits, trainings on priority health intervention areas, prevention and control of communicable diseases, effective risk communication and accessibility of health services.
- 2,170 health professionals, schoolteachers and NGO / civil society staff will be organized and trained to provide Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and referral pathways to vulnerable groups persons after emergencies
Disaster prevention
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IOM's disaster prevention initiatives will include:
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Emergency preparedness - rename
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IOM's emergency preparedness initiatives will include:
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Health components of preparedness and risk reduction
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IOM's health initiatives related to preparedness and risk reduction include:
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System strengthening for mental health and psychosocial support
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Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Jamaica, Guyana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The map used here is for illustration purposes only. Names and boundaries do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by IOM.
Figures are as of 31 December 2023. For more details of IOM's operational capacity in country, please see the IOM Capacity section.
