A ripple in development? - Channel Research

Consequently, our study has asked: what has changed in the situation in
the disaster affected areas? And what are the changes that can be attributed to LRRD?
The LRRD1 evaluations showed that the different degrees of satisfaction
on the part of the disaster affected populations, when asked
about the national and international efforts to assist them after the tsunami
of December 2004 2 , were grounded on broader issues than just
changes in conditions on the ground:
1. Structural issues raised by the effects of the tsunami (for example
those pertaining to land rights, security of tenure, existing power
dynamics etc.), and
2. Governance factors (for example the weakness and lack of capacity
in planning and management of mid-level public administration
and national and local authorities).
Understanding the rehabilitation efforts hence both requires understanding
the way in which institutions cooperated, but also how this
related to local conditions. This gives the evaluation a dual focus, to
encompass both the population dynamics, as well as the posture adopted
by agencies in relation to that.
The framework, following the phrasing in the ToR, is structured by
themes, identified in past studies as critical, to structure the information
in a cross-cutting manner:
A. The return of the state and civil society: change in the broad governance
and participation issues relating to development policy and
social services, to all institutional dimensions, as well as the crucial
issue of information flows.
B. Poverty, livelihoods and economic recovery: the evaluation reviews the interaction
of all efforts with the evolution of poverty, food security and
economic development, with a particular focus on the immediately
affected groups.
C. Rebuilding the social fabric and community development: this touches on
the notion of sustainable communities, and of social capital.
D. Reduction of risks from natural hazards and conflict: this will look at
risk reduction strategies at all levels, but also effects on risk management,
risk transfer, and cross-cutting issues such as gender, children
and the aged. Risk also includes the notions of conflict risk.
E. Capacity development: the emphasis here is on the local capacity to
respond better and recover faster. For international capacity it is to
better support and facilitate local initiatives, and where none exist, to
move in and perform, coordinate, build up the relevant capacities
and then hand over.
2
Public perceptions were particularly well captured by the TEC through the use of polling and participatory
qualitative data collection techniques.
20