IOM, USAID Strengthen Disaster Preparedness in Western Province

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) promotes resilience building in vulnerable communities at risk of natural hazards and is strengthening preparedness at the national and sub-national (provincial, district and local level) government levels.

In line with the Sendai Framework and PNG’s National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework, IOM in partnership with the National Disaster Centre is enhancing disaster preparedness through delivering training on the use of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) to disaster responders in Western Province. The DTM is a critical data gathering tool useful in tracking and monitoring population displacement and informing multi-sectoral responses including protection during crises.

“We are prone to natural hazards and you may be aware that this province has been impacted by sea level rise that has displaced many people,” said Provincial Administrator of Western Province, Mr. Robert Alphonse Kaiyun while opening the DTM training delivered by IOM in Kiunga Town. “Let us apply the knowledge received and be more practical in our work following this training,” he added.

Funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the DTM training attracted 26 participants (20M, 6F) from various Government departments and partners including Western Provincial Disaster Centre, North Fly District Disaster Office, Western Provincial Community Development, PNG Defense Force, Police, OK Tedi Mine, Save the Children, Word Vision and Caritas. 

“We are grateful to have the IOM team to help us to improve our capacity in Western Province to prepare and respond to disasters,” highlighted Western Provincial Disaster Coordinator, Mr. Philip Gasuat. “To address displacement challenges effectively and efficiently, we must gain a better understanding of human mobility during disaster and conflict situations. Displacement Tracking Matrix has proven to be highly effective in disaster response,” he added.

IOM’s DTM is helping to ensure disaster responders are better prepared to capture, process, and disseminate information more systematically to provide a better understanding of the movements and evolving needs of displaced populations following disaster. The DTM training is implemented under IOM’s USAID-BHA funded project, ‘Reduction of Economic and Human Loss and Displacement by Natural Disasters through Community-based Resilience-building and the Capacity-Building of the Government at All Levels in Papua New Guinea.’