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The Road to Recovery has been a topsy-turvy ride. Government of Nepal has recently come up with a Post Disaster Recovery Framework 2016-2020 that provides a policy pathway to reconstruction efforts in Nepal post the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. This blog summarizes the major provisions of the policy document:

The Road to Recovery

• In term of damage and loss, Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) study showed that, 498,852 houses were destroyed and 256,697 were damaged. It was reported that 2,656 government buildings were destroyed and 3,622 were damaged. In terms of classroom, 19,000 classrooms were destroyed and 11,000 were reported to be damaged. 
• In past year Government of Nepal (GoN), local governments and Nepali society successfully launched recovery programme. They carried out various activities aimed at re-establishing a sense of normalcy in earthquake affected area. Affected transportation routes and essential services were restored, other unsafe conditions were mitigated and the basic needs of households have been supported. Financial resources required for these urgent interventions were mobilized by public and private sectors both domestically and with the support of Nepalese living abroad and key development partners.
• National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) was established to coordinate and finance medium and long term recovery which made progress through Survey and documentation, Development of policies and guidelines.
• PDNA led by National Planning Commission (NPC) forms the basis for the PDRF with strategies, priories and financial requirements updated as required.  Sector plans which will be used to guide, plan and estimate resource requirements for recovery and reconstruction has been prepared by sector teams led by the respective line ministries and with the support of relevant development partners.  Validation workshop was  organized with relevant stakeholders and district level consultation were undertaken in most affected district so as to have clarity on  level of recovery and reconstruction.

The Recovery Vision

Well-planned, Resilient Settlements and a Prosperous Society

Strategic Objectives for the reconstruction programme

1. Safe structures: Restore and improve disaster resilient housing, government buildings and cultural heritage, in rural areas and cities. 
2. Social cohesion: Strengthen the capacity of people and communities to reduce their risk and vulnerability and to enhance social cohesion.
3. Access to services: Restore and improve access to services and improve environmental resilience.
4. Livelihood support: Develop and restore economic opportunities and livelihood and reestablish productive sectors.
5. Capacity development:  Strengthen capacity and effectiveness of the state to respond to the people’s needs and to effectively recover from future disasters.

Framework for reconstruction

1. Provide shelter on site, maintain and restore local livelihoods, culture and traditions.
2. Reconstruct social infrastructure in a disaster resilient manner
3. Promote use of local materials, furnishings and skills of Nepalese to restore the traditional architecture.
4. Promote principles of Build Back Better and Owner-Driven Reconstruction.
5. Promote collective settlement
6. Maintain national unity, harmony and resilience. Enhance social cohesion.
7. Provide specialized assistance to people with special needs. Enhance the coping mechanism of the most vulnerable
8. Ensure access to settlement location and livelihood support
9. Develop national capacity and skills to ensure overall recovery.
10. Ensure health, safety and well-being of the affected population. Restore health facilities.
11. Address psychosocial and mental health needs of earthquake affected population.
12. Strengthen and reestablish functional maternal, new born and child health care.
13. Provide children and youth with access to quality and safe learning environments.
14. Strengthen the preparedness and risk reduction capacity of the education system.
15. Mainstream Gender Equity and Social Inclusion throughout the recovery and reconstruction process
16. Protect environment and forest in improving DRR and climate-resilient sustainable development.
17. Promote innovative technologies and approaches for water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
18. Establish enabling environment for tourism.

Preparation of the Recovery and Reconstruction Policy

The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Policy: It was drafted during second half of 2015, led by the NPC and approved together with an institutional mechanism and implementation modalities in February 2016 following the creation of the NRA. The key elements of the National Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Policy are:

1. Reconstruction of housing and cultural heritage sites.
2. Relocation and land use
3. Integrating principles of disaster risk reduction and building back better
4. Engaging the community, private sectors, volunteers and diaspora in reconstruction
5. Providing financial assistance
6. Restoring employment and livelihood
7. Improving data collection and public information
8. Compliance and monitoring

The approaches for policy implementation are as follows: Owner-driven reconstruction; Relocation of villages; Integrated habitat approach; Urban reconstruction to improve cultural or historical settlements; Application of building codes and disaster risk reduction measures;   Cash transfers; Livelihoods support; Community outreach; Social inclusion; Capacity building; Environmental and social safeguards

Institutional framework for recovery and reconstruction

Mandate of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA)

• Reconstruct, retrofit and restore damaged infrastructure and houses. Make them disaster resilient and Build Back Better.
• Build community resilience
• Develop opportunities for economic growth
• Undertake research and studies on the science of earthquakes and their impact
• Identify appropriate sites to resettle displaced communities

Roles and Responsibilities of NRA

•  Establish priorities for recovery and reconstruction over a five year period.
• Allocate resources to ministries based on the agreed priorities.
• Approve the plan and budget for the allocated funds, monitor progress against targets at national and sun- national levels
• Undertake damage assessment to determine the extent and cost of reconstruction.
• Collaborate with the key stakeholders for effective reconstruction
• Coordinate at the district level to support recovery and reconstruction
• Building capacity of human resources required for reconstruction work
• Conduct regular public hearings to ensure accountability and transparency

Structures and Functions of NRA

• Organizational Structures: National Reconstruction Advisory Council, Steering Committee, Executive committee, District Coordination Committee, Development Assistance Coordination and Facilitation Committee and Appellate Committee.
• Management and Staffing:  The management team constitutes of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), secretary of the authority, Senior Administrative team and the thematic working groups.

Implementation Mechanism of NRA

• Four ministries (MoUD, MoFALD, MoE and Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation) are responsible for large volume of reconstruction tasks and will set up a central level project implementation units.
• Several new bodies like NRA Sub-Regional offices, District Coordination Committees, Resource Centers, Village Development Committees, Municipalities and Existing local coordination bodies will be created to support local implementation.
• National NGOs and INGOs have also provided a range of financial, technical and material services during relief and early recovery and many are offering to provide significant support to the ongoing recovery and reconstruction process.
• Community society participation and volunteers are also needed for recovery and reconstruction programme. Thus, these groups should be mobilized in carrying out various field level activities.
• In order to strengthen local capacity, NRA will set up resource centers in partnership with NGOs, support the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CL-PIU) and District Level Project Implementation Units (DL-PIUs), hire specialized skills and also develop training strategies for the capacity building.
• In terms of NRA communication and outreach strategy, the NRA communication team will advise the CEO and the NRA on all communication matters.  It will be guided by the values of transparency, respect, integrity, team work, excellence and professionalism. The principle outcome of the communications strategy will be to provide ease to earth affected communities and support them for building back better. The major communication tool used will be written materials, surveys, media relation, website, social media and mobile phones.
• NRA will also address needs of women and vulnerable groups and will incorporate indicators on gender and social inclusions. It will monitor the percentage of women, vulnerable and marginalized groups who are engaged in designing, planning, implementation and monitoring of the reconstruction and recovery programme, those who received information about the programme, those having equitable access to recovery and reconstruction services, those considering that their recovery needs are to be addressed, and those who use the grievance redress mechanisms, and of those, whose grievances have been addressed. It will also monitor the percentage of district; VDC and municipalities where disaggregated data is collected, analysed and utilized to inform recovery planning and monitoring, along with gender and social inclusion are standing agenda items at coordination meetings.
• NRA is establishing an integrated a monitoring system to track the progress of the construction programme. The monitoring system will include information about financial commitments and fund raising; project budgets, financial and physical progress of reconstruction activities; results for recovery activities that are not reconstruction-related and indicators on economic and social impact of the reconstruction programme including feedback from the grievance redress system obtained from ministries, districts and other public agencies and Partner Organizations (POs).

Recovering Financing

• The priorities for government reconstruction financing are given to housing & heritage, agriculture, social protection, energy, social services, livelihoods and tourism in collaboration between citizens, government and international partners to rebuild Nepal.
• Housing recovery is a top priority given its social and economic benefits to the affected population.
• NRF is complemented by the multi-donor trust fund to support restoration of Heritage sites and housing.
• Criteria for Prioritization of Sector Requirements:  Programme or project that delivers priority short term results (3-12 months); Considered priority by stakeholder group(s); Considered priority by government; Significant positive social impact; Significant positive economic impact; Preferential impact on disadvantaged group or contributes to equitable recovery;  Preferential impact on disadvantaged location; Time-sensitive programme Mitigates critical risk factor(s); Facilitates other aspects of recovery.

The Next Steps

• Developing guidelines for reconstruction and operationalization of the Reconstruction Fund and disseminate widely.
• Reconstruction priorities should be confirmed for April 2016- June 2017.
• Integration of Recovery and reconstruction in the districts plans
• Recruit Technical Advisors to support implementation as needed.
• Monitor and communicate and develop monitoring framework for each sector. Launch a communication campaign.
• Approve and allocate funds to implementing partners and home owners.
• Develop capacity to work with and enable stakeholders.
• Expand reconstruction financing for sectors such as housing, small businesses and private sector.
• Develop resources mobilization strategy and track donor pledges and mobilize new resources.