The Toolkit comprises four sets of assessment tools for both existing and new schools as well as hospitals. The Toolkit is a result of cooperation amongst the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), UN-Habitat and UNISDR.
The Toolkit serves Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and complements the work of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre. The aim is to offer user-friendly tools for the multi-hazard context of South Asia, targeting policy makers, experts, and end-users responsible for local level planning and implementation.
The toolkit explains the complex process of retrofitting existing facilities as well as ensuring safe construction of new infrastructure in a practical manner.
Importantly, the tools have been reviewed by a group of experts including policymakers, professionals and users, and have undergone field testing in several locations in India, Nepal and Pakistan.
This new approach will provide concrete indices in support of the recommendations of the 2011 Chair's summary of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, the global advocacy campaigns: One Million Safe Schools and Hospitals, Making Cities Resilient - My City is Getting Ready and, the World Urban Campaign.
This is an important step towards achieving risk reduction targets and building the resilience of nations and communities in the South Asian subcontinent. The toolkit demonstrates that making critical infrastructure safe from disasters is achievable.
