South Pacific Islands Crisis Response Plan 2020 - 2022
IOM Vision
The South Pacific Islands Crisis Response Plan 2020 - 2022 indicates the total funding requirements for IOM’s programming across the humanitarian, development and peace spectrum for the Republic of Fiji, the Solomon Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga, and Vanuatu. In partnership with the governments of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, IOM will comprehensively address vulnerabilities and drivers of displacement before, during and after crises by:
- Supporting national and local authorities to effectively prevent, respond to and manage displacement situations;
- Enhancing resilience in at-risk communities to prepare for climate change and disaster-related human mobility;
- Providing comprehensive, targeted and life-saving humanitarian assistance to affected populations in times of disaster and ensure the continuation of essential services;
- Supporting progress towards the achievement of durable solutions for communities displaced by disasters and the long-term impacts of climate change
This approach recognizes that meeting immediate needs during crises and addressing the systemic causes of vulnerability contributes to reducing the impact of recurrent stresses and is essential for sustainable development. The strategic goals outlined in the plan will be achieved by implementing programmes in-line with IOM’s global principles and objectives.
Objective
Saving lives and protecting people on the move
Given the frequency of disasters caused by natural hazards in the Pacific region, IOM anticipates to:
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In partnership with national NGOs, and in collaboration with NDMOs, the NEMO and regional /national shelter cluster, IOM will address the shelter needs of internally displaced persons and disaster-affected communities, through:
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In partnership with national health-nutrition and WASH (HNWASH) clusters, and in collaboration with NDMOs and the NEMO, IOM will support addressing the HNWASH needs of internally displaced persons and disaster-affected communities, through;
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In partnership with the national logistics and coordination cluster, and in collaboration with NDMOs, and the NEMO, IOM will support addressing the needs of internally displaced persons and disaster-affected communities, where possible utilizing traditional knowledge and culture, through;
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In partnership with NGOs, local CSOs, NDMOs and NEMO, IOM will provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) activities to communities displaced by disasters and the long-term impacts of climate change, through;
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Objective
Driving solutions to displacement
Climate change projections, even those within 1.5 degrees of global warming, suggest that PICs are facing several critical security threats that are likely to intensify the drivers of migration, displacement and planned relocation of Pacific islanders and communities. Tonga and Vanuatu are two countries with the highest relative average annual disaster displacement worldwide. IOM anticipates to:
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IOM will collaborate with national and local authorities to develop and support progress towards the achievement of durable solutions for communities displaced by disasters and the long-term impacts of climate change. This will include people who remain displaced in Vanuatu as a result of the Ambae eruption. In Tonga, this will include the implementation of the strategic roadmap for emergency management. Through utilizing a rights-based, participatory, and inclusive approach, adhering to the pillars of IOM's Progressive Resolution of Displacement Situations (PRDS) framework, IOM will achieve this by:
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Provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is essential to well-being of displaced persons. IOM will support by:
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Drawing upon its experience supporting community-led conflict mitigation approaches within different conflict situations, IOM will work with communities to address underlying drivers of conflict and to strengthen community capacity to promote peaceful resolutions and respond to threats that might lead to relapse into conflict or violence including. Activities will include:
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Objective
Strengthen preparedness and reduce disaster risk
In PICs, there is already ample evidence to indicate that cautious planning and adequate preparation is required to avoid the worst impacts of unplanned movement as a result of climate change effects and disasters caused by hazards. IOM anticipates to:
- Support most vulnerable community members to have improved access to adequate standard of living, including food, water, housing, health services and education, sustainable livelihoods and employment and the respective National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) and National Emergency Management Office (NEMO);
- Strengthen capacity of national and local government authorities and relevant ministries, non-governmental organizations (NGO) staff and volunteers, civil society, and community members to support preparedness and reduction of disaster risk.
IOM, in partnership with the NDMOs, will support evacuation management by:
- Constructing multipurpose evacuation centres where gaps in emergency shelter are identified in high-risk and remote communities;
- Ensuring that identified protection risks in evacuation centres are addressed and referral systems for child protection and GBV are put in place;
- Retrofitting and upgrading community buildings to meet minimum standards of criteria for evacuation management;
- Ensuring that local vendors for NFIs and shelter materials have been identified and mapped.
In addition, through the regional Evacuation Centre Management and Displacement (ECMD) cluster under the humanitarian architecture of the PHT, IOM will support emergency preparedness by governments and cluster partners in the region by:
- Providing technical advice and support of information management;
- Strengthening localization and national capacities through organizing and providing displacement and evacuation management for partners (including government counterparts, NGOs community groups) to improve the overall understanding as well as capacity to carry out displacement/evacuation coordination, management, and administration activities. Displacement/evacuation training will aim to build the technical knowledge and capacities of displacement/evacuation practitioners to contribute to an effective settlement response and raise standards in the sector;
- Ensuring first responders are trained on how to prevent and respond to a disclosure of GBV incidents in a safe and ethical manner and ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP).
Community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) planning provides a holistic approach, encompassing the whole cycle of disaster risk management, in consultation with vulnerable groups within target communities. IOM plans to build the functional CBDRM capacity of government partners and target communities through:
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Ensuring communities are equipped with skills to manage evacuations in a safe, orderly, and coordinated manner is key to reducing health-related impacts of displacement. IOM plans to carry out the following activities:
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Objective
Contribute to an evidence-based and efficient crisis response system
Climate change and disaster related programmes and policies need to be underpinned by data, evidence, and research – applying mixed-methods and participatory methodologies. Ensuring that national ownership of data and research is in place, that collection and management of evidence is robust and well-integrated in the region, and that analysis and utilisation capabilities are adequate, is critical to ensuring the preparation of PICs is informed and effective. IOM anticipates to:
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IOM plans to build capacity of NDMOs, NEMO, and national NGO counterparts on data collection, data analysis and data management, including through training on use of IOM’s DTM to support data-driven crisis response interventions, such as:
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IOM will provide support to NDMOs, NEMO, and national NGO counterparts and first responders and humanitarian partners as required, including by:
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Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga
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.