Early Recovery in Eastern Sri Lanka

1. Early Recovery in Eastern Sri Lanka Presentation to the Eastern Forum (CHA), 14August2009

2. “Our lives have been saved…but now what?”

3. The Early Recovery ‘Bridge’ Humanitarian phase – focuses on doing the bare needful immediately to save lives, focusing on those directly-affected, i.e. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Recovery and Development Phase – focuses on doing all what is possible in the medium to long term to achieve normalcy and progress Early Recovery

4. Early Recovery (ER) • A phase “between” emergency and recovery; begins in the emergency. • Fills a critical gap between the phasing out of humanitarian activities and the phasing in of recovery/development activities; • Focuses on reducing aid-dependency, building resilience and sustaining return;

5. Humanitarian phase DEVELOPMENT Focused Resilience Self-reliance Reducing risks Comprehensive Smoother transition Continuity ETC CRISIS RELIEF HUMANITARIAN RECOVERY EARLY Breakdown Lost momentum Partial solution Rebuilding risk Dependency Forgotten Relapses ETC. DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION PHASE

6. Demining in the East - at a glance • In 2006 scale-up of demining activities in East • 98% of resettlement-driven demining has been completed • Mid to low priority Mine/UXO clearance work continues in the East. • Mine clearance work required in the HSZs when released by Govt

7. Resettlement in the East at a glance • March 2007, 170,000 persons displaced across Batticaloa and Trincomalee • IDP Stats as of Feb 2009: Trincomalee – 805 families; 2013 persons Batticaloa - 2013 families; 8020 persons Trincomalee - 1078 families; 3961 persons

8. Recovery in the East at a glance • Permanent shelter and infrastructure • Livelihoods and income recovery – agriculture, fisheries, livestock, micro-enterprise • Access to basic services • Governance capacities • Return and reintegration • Access to justice and rule of law issues • Confidence-building and reconciliation

9. UNDP’s Early Recovery Response in Eastern Sri Lanka • UNDP Support to Mine Action Project - quality assurance and coordination of mine action activities • UNDP Transition Recovery Programme – Integrated community-based socio-economic recovery • UNDP Access to Justice Project – Capacity-development to claimholders and duty-bearers • UNDP Local Governance Programme –Capacity-strengthening of decentralized and devolved authorities • Early Recovery Coordination

10. Early Recovery - Challenges • Stakeholders pay little attention to ER during a humanitarian crisis • Concept is complex and broad • Little time for comprehensive assessments and planning; loss of data and information due to crisis • Donors too preoccupied with emergency phase to support ER • Priority given to humanitarian actors, e.g. access, security clearances etc. • Challenge of bringing a wide range of actors and sectors together

11. Early Recovery – Best Practices and Lesson Learned • Advanced preparation, even if perceived premature • Streamline and seamless transitions • Setting dates/time-lines to affect a mindset change • Using conflict analysis as part of the needs assessment process • Cross-stakeholder representation in needs assessment • Community participation • Beyond a bricks and mortar early recovery agenda • Conflict sensitive early recovery

12. Thank you