Page 31 - DIVA_3_2007_No.30

government representatives'
commentary. He noted that a
longer document including
more issues would be prepa-
red. Despite the recommen-
dations submitted by the
Health sector representative,
health was not mentioned in
the short summary. As a
result, the NGO Committee
on Mental Health got on the
list of speakers and fortuna-
tely was called on in the last
moments of the meeting. On
behalf of the committee, Dr.
Judy Kuriansky acknowled-
ged PAHO's "Safe
Hospitals" campaign but
emphasized the need for
including attention to
psychosocial issues in a total
risk reduction program to
address community needs.
She told me, "It was very
important to be at this mee-
ting and advocate for such
Forum speakers: (left to right) Dr. Mary K. Weed, CSEND Research Associate, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Chair of an important aspect of any
the session and representantive of the International Association of Applied Psychology and World Council on disaster risk reduction pro-
Psychotherapy, Margareta Wahistrom, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy gram. Many governments,
Emergency Relief Coordinator; OCHA, Dr. Inka Weissbecker; University of Louisville, and Mark van
agencies and NGOs approa-
Ommeren, World Health Organization.
ched us to collaborate on
is Research Scientist and monitoring and evaluation Framework priorities for psychosocial programs, so
Adjunct Assistant Professor, and human resources and action and explained how we made progress and will
Center for Hazards Research education. The university applied psychology can make a difference. But we
and Policy Development & has also designed handouts serve as a cross-cutting dis- have a big job ahead."
Department of Psycho-logi- for the general pubic regar- cipline to support this frame- The outcome of the sessions
cal and Brain Sciences, ding disaster preparedness, work. Five recommendation which will appear on a final
University of Louisville, response and coping, parti- included applying organiza- report from the UN include
Kentucky. She described a cularly as it regards children, tional psychology and orga- the key points and sugges-
unique multi-stakeholder and plans to conduct paren- nizational development tions raised during the high-
model being applied in ting program to help parents principles, theories and level dialogue, the outcome
Belize involving govern- deal with behavioral pro- instruments in sustaining of the five workshops and
ment, school and communi- blems of children and foster institutional readiness to conclusions of multi-stake-
ty agencies and her universi- more resilient families. prevent and mitigate disaster holder deliberations and
ty departments. She descri- As research associate for the risks; applying social identification of progress of
bed how Belize is uniquely Center for Socio-Eco- psychology frameworks, implementation of the HFA
Development
vulnerable to the effects of Nomic and priorities of the ISDR
like socio-metrics and social
climate change and natural (CSEND), I spoke on the network theory, in recons- system for 2008-2009. The
hazards, and suffers form a "Utilization of Know-how tructing social embeddings main recommendations ari-
lack of mental health experts and Competence from of survivors and social net- sing out of the Global
(there is only one psychia- Organisational and Asocial works for (re)settlement; Platform will form the basis
trist in the country and one Psychology in disaster risk .and incorporating effective of the report of the
clinical psychologist being reduction and the Hyogo monitoring and reporting Secretary-General on the
trained). The project is Framework for Action." instruments based on quality ISDR to the United Nations
aimed at strengthening and This was on behalf of Lichia management principles and Gen&al Assembly.
building local capacity by Saner-Yiu and Raymond systems. John Holmes invited partici-
supporting self-help and Saner, who are the UN pants to send comments
existing structures. The pro- representatives in Geneva of At the closing plenary, John about the summary within
gram follows the IASC gui- the International Association Holmes presented a summa- two weeks. Here is the sub-
delines in the areas of coor- of Applied Psychology. I ry of recommendations for mitted written statement
dination, needs assessment, outlined the five Hyogo risk reduction, and invited about the importance of

3 2007 Diva 29

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