Conference on "District Disaster Forum Mansehra"

More than 300 community partners, civil society and district government of Mansehra, the Earthquake affected district of NWFP agreed to form a Disaster Management Forum at district level and stressed the need to develop capacity of the community is disaster preparedness. It was the outcome of conference on disaster management organized by Sungi Development Foundation in partnership other stakeholders in Sungi Relief Camp, Beesian, Balakot. District Nazim Mansehra Sardar Yousaf chaired the session and offered full support to the idea of community based disaster management system initiated by Sungi with support of Oxfam Netherlands and Oxfam GB. Air Commodore (Retd.) Naunehal Shah representing UNDP appreciated the idea and gave useful suggestions for setting up this forum.

He also explained the role of government and civil society in disaster management. Eminent scholar and Dr. Zafar Altaf and Idreees Khan Programme Coordinator Oxfam GB shared their experiences and supported the idea. Manzoor Ahmed Awan Programme Manager Disaster Management shared the experience of Sungi in community based disaster management and shared its future plans in this regard. The participants developed objectives, roles and structure of this forum. Representatives of NGOs, media and government representatives expressed their views and appreciated the role of NGOs, INGOs, and Government in earthquake response. Naib Nazim of District Mansehra appreciated the idea and emphasized the role of local government in disaster preparedness. Ms Samina Khan Executive Director of Sungi thanked all the participants.