Preparedness and Response

Emergency preparedness and response bookend an emergency in the short term. The two are inseparable, as preparedness is defined by actions taken in advance of a crisis to improve response actions taken during and after it. While other initiatives focus on predicting when and where crises will hit or providing long-term recovery after they do, emergency preparedness and response focus on the here and now of a crisis. They seek to increase the speed, the volume, and the quality of response. That is, they seek to ensure that beneficiaries receive the support they need as quickly as possible, in the amount that they need and at a high standard. This page compiles some of these elements that are particularly relevant to the Asia Pacific region.

Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) 

CCCM seeks to improve the living conditions of displaced persons and migrants in transit. The program does so by monitoring displacement flows, facilitating the effective provision of assistance and protection services in displacement sites, advocating for durable solutions and ensuring organized phase-out and closure of camps. IOM, as co-lead of the Global CCCM Cluster for Natural Disasters, continues to develop standards, policies and tools in close consultation with various partners at the field level. Further, through capacity building efforts, technical support and coordination, IOM seeks to strengthen the preparedness of national authorities and humanitarian partners to respond to disasters and transition phases. 

Shelter and Non-food items (S/NFI)

IOM implements a variety of different S/NFI programs that collectively cover all response phases and use a combination of assistance modalities including in-kind distributions, cash-based interventions, construction/repair and logistics, and heavily incorporate preparedness and disaster risk reduction mainstreaming. These programs emphasize the process of working with the affected populations by building on local coping strategies and local expertise. IOM is one of the largest operational shelter actors worldwide, is part of the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) of the Global Shelter Cluster and has a shelter coordination role in 24 countries. Global Stock Warehouses for NFIs have been established in Nairobi, Manila and Panama for NFI prepositioning to support emergency operations. 

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

WASH emergency programs focus on the immediate provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services to affected populations. The projects construct and/or rehabilitate water supply systems, distribute point-of-use household water treatment supplies and provide emergency water trucking when required. Based on sanitation needs, IOM constructs latrines and bathing facilities in addition to establishing sustainable waste management systems. Interventions are strengthened through systematic promotion of hygiene, including community-tailored messages to better prevent and respond to waterborne-related disease outbreaks. The projects also aim to establish appropriate operation and management approaches to ensure that the populations in need have unrestricted and equitable access to the services.

Health, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support 

IOM also provides health, mental health and psychosocial support to individuals and communities affected or recovering from crisis, with the oversight of the Migration Health Division. This partnership of units is particularly important both for primary health care and referrals, but with key linkages on areas such as gender-based violence services to survivors and health systems strengthening to support return and durable solutions.