Presentation to: Special Commission for Migration Issues Amy Coughenour Betancourt Deputy Director January 27, 2009 Pan American Development Foundation’s (PADF) Programs for Preparing for and Responding to Natural Disasters and Other Humanitarian Crises

PADF: An Overview PADF is the oldest and largest NGO affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS) PADF is a non-profit dedicated to uniting public and private sector strengths to improve conditions in Latin America & the Caribbean PADF had a positive impact on more than 4.5 million people in 18 countries during its past fiscal year

Mission is to empower disadvantaged people and communities in Latin America and the Caribbean A Hemisphere of Opportunity for All To achieve sustainable economic and social progress, strengthen their communities and civil society To prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other humanitarian crises

Responding to Natural Disasters Preparedness and Mitigation 35 Years of Success Work with Private and Public Sectors, Provide Shelter Packages, Food shipments, etc. Disaster Management Alliance: Hemispheric Collaboration PADF Corporate Partners National Emergency Management Authorities Inter-American Committee on Disaster Management Community Disaster Mitigation Projects Response in partnership with other relief agencies

Disaster Management & Emergency Response Program (DMERP) DMERP Leverages corporate participation Turn-key operation utilizes PADF’s local offices & partnerships to ensure fast response, maximum beneficiaries Recent Examples of Rapid Response Hurricanes in Haiti, 2008: Shelter packages, food, and supplies benefiting over 480,000 Flooding and landslides in Panama, 2008: shelter package for 480 Tropical Storm in the Dominican Republic, 2008: 5,000 hygiene kits benefiting nearly 11,000 Earthquake in Peru, 2007: shelter package sent benefitting 500

Humanitarian Crises Long history of response Colombia: Internally Displaced Persons Haiti: Modern-Day Slavery Border Conflicts Haiti/DR Colombian borders Recovery: agricultural, jobs, schools

Colombia’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Civil conflicts have displaced 3 million people in Colombia Largest population of IDPs in the hemisphere –second largest after Darfur PADF has one of largest IDP programs– which has helped more than 500,000 people Key focus on income generation and economic stability/development Integrated approach with multi-sectoral partners

Trafficking of persons in Haiti is the worst in the Western Hemisphere (Country report, US Dept. of State, 2007) Haiti’s Modern-Day Slavery Up to 250,000 children are victims of human trafficking (Country report, US Dept. of State, 2007) PADF is working on rescue, reunification, advocacy, education, and training of local officials to combat trafficking

Mitigating Conflict in Border Regions Haiti/Dominican Republic Border Region NGOs in many sectors Small producers (ranchers, fisherman, beekeepers, etc.) Youth and women Haitian and Dominican Parliamentarians Colombia’s Border Partnership with the Government of Colombia Humanitarian and emergency income assistance Benefits 5,670 Colombians displaced in Panama and Ecuador Strengthens local capacity to plan and implement strategies for providing emergency assistance

Together for Haiti (TFH) In conjunction with Yele Haiti and the World Food Programme Complemented work of larger NGOs and international disaster relief agencies Impacted Haitians left without basic resources following the devastating hurricanes of 2008 Targeted areas of high vulnerability PADF: 485,000 beneficiaries with food containers, rice shipments, clean water, shelter packages, etc.

Direct Beneficiaries Beneficiaries of PADF’s programs include women, children, youth, marginalized groups such as Afro- Colombians and indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable populations throughout the hemisphere.

Conclusion PADF’s programs converge at the nexus of disaster relief, humanitarian needs, and displacement Programs effectively leverage local, national, and international stakeholders PADF works in support of OAS objectives and in partnership with OAS units Extensive institutional partnerships allow PADF to deploy rapid relief throughout the hemisphere