Mutare, Zimbabwe – 19-21 March 2024 - Towards reinforcing its existing institutional mechanisms for preventing disaster displacement, IOM supported the Department of Civil Protection (DCP), Zimbabwe to conduct a comprehensive training on disaster risk reduction management and climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. The training, held in Mutare from 19-21 March 2024, also encompassed elements of early warning systems strengthening. It was attended by a total of 41 participants (24 male; 17 female) from all the nine districts of Mashonaland East province. Participants were drawn mainly from DCP; the ministries of Local Government, Education and Social Welfare;  the Police; Academia and Civil Society Organizations. The objective of the training was to strengthen disaster risk management planning and develop a  standardized Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) plans for protection committees operating at the local level.

The training, which was highly interactive, covered a wide range of subjects including: disaster risk management, resilience and climate change adaptation methodologies.  Participants actively engaged in exercises such as hazard and evacuation centres mapping with an aim to offer maximum protection for the population in case of disaster. At the end of three-day training, a significant outcome was achieved in  that the projected DRM plans for Mashonaland East province and that of its nine component districts were successfully developed using a standard template supplied by the DCP.

 The DRM plan will serve as a an important tool to assist disaster management committees management disaster in a systematic and autonomous manner.

 The activity was supported through the Africa Regional Migration Program (ARMP) funded by the US Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).

For details, contact Sylvester Deane sdeane@iom.int.