Overview

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This module is designed to help you:

Distinguish the terms rehabilitation and reconstruction and the appropriate uses of both these responses.

Understand the scope of rehabilitation and reconstruction activities.

Place these activities in the spectrum of disaster management responses.

Definitions

Actions taken during the period following the emergency phase is often defined as the recovery phase, which encompasses both rehabilitation and reconstruction. The precise time when one phase ends and another starts will vary in each situation.

REHABILITATION

Rehabilitation refers to the actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to enable basic services to resume functioning, assist victims’ self-help efforts to repair physical damage and community facilities, revive economic activities and provide support for the psychological and social well being of the survivors. It focuses on enabling the affected population to resume more-or-less normal (pre-disaster) patterns of life. It may be considered as a transitional phase between immediate relief and more major, long-term development. (See the UNDP/UNDRO module Overview of Disaster Management.)

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RECONSTRUCTION

Reconstruction refers to the full restoration of all services, and local infrastructure, replacement of damaged physical structures, the revitalization of economy and the restoration of social and cultural life.

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Reconstruction must be fully integrated into long-term development plans, taking into account future disaster risks and possibilities to reduce such risks by incorporating appropriate measures. Damaged structures and services may not necessarily be restored in their previous form or location. It may include the replacement of any temporary arrangements established as a part of emergency response or rehabilitation. (See the UNDP/UNDRO module Overview of Disaster Management.)

To amplify the two definitions, following a damaging hurricane the rehabilitation of the power lines would aim to restore the system as rapidly as possible so that the essential services would continue to function. Whereas, reconstruction of the power lines should aim to rebuild the rehabilitated system to a higher or safer standard than before so that the future risks to the power lines from a similar damaging event would be reduced.

Sometimes, the term recovery is also used to embrace both activities. It should be remembered that rehabilitation and reconstruction actions do not always safeguard full recovery. It may take longer to return to ‘normality’ or, in some situations, recovery may never be possible. It is, therefore, not possible to suggest a ‘model’ time frame for rehabilitation, reconstruction or recovery as distinctive periods. The length of time required for rehabilitation and reconstruction depends on a large number of factors, including pre-disaster trends, the extent of damage, level of preparedness, availability of resources, administrative and legislative powers to act rapidly, and political stability and will to implement plans.

Furthermore, different sectors may vary in the time required to rehabilitate or reconstruct. For example, infrastructure requiring high levels of investment and sophisticated technology may take a very long time to fully rebuild to a higher standard. Similarly, economic setbacks due to a disaster can take time to recover from, and in some situations, a return to pre-disaster levels of production may never be possible. This will particularly apply where the disaster interrupted a key economic activity, thus allowing competitors (perhaps in other countries) the opportunity to intercept the market and hold onto it when recovery has been attained. An example of this type of economic destruction could be where a cyclone has destroyed trees, such as coconut palms or banana trees that produce vital cash-crops It may take several years for them to grow again to pre-cyclone cropping levels. Thus authorities have to provide income support or alternative employment to the affected population during this period.

The social and psychological recovery of the affected population are often assumed to be a community function and neglected in most post-disaster programs. Although this may be true for some societies, disasters can render some groups such as the elderly without an immediate family, orphans, single parents with young children more vulnerable due to a lack of adequate support. In the aftermath of a disaster family support systems can break down due to life losses, dislocation and migration of some members in search of work, food etc. These groups would need special social support to survive the impact of disaster.

Similar to social disruption, the psychological trauma of losing relatives and friends, the shock of the disaster event can take much longer to heal than physical recovery. It is, therefore, essential that social welfare and psychological support programs are considered immediately after a disaster as an integral part of recovery programs. This support should be provided not only for the affected public but also for the aid workers and the authorities operating in the disaster area as they can also become psychologically distressed from the event and working in difficult conditions.

Q. What does the term “reconstruction” mean?
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ANSWER

(Reconstruction is the full restoration of all services, local infrastructure, replacement of damaged structures, revitalization of the economy, and the restoration of social and cultural life.)

Q. What does the term “rehabilitation” mean?
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ANSWER

(Rehabilitation consists of the actions taken to enable basic services to resume functioning, assist victim’s self-help efforts to repair physical damage and community services, revive economic activity, and provide psychological and social support for the survivors.)

Q. Why is the distinction between these terms important?
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ANSWER

(The distinction between these two terms is in the extent to which they are integrated into a long-term development plan. Rehabilitation refers to repairs to pre-disaster status only, while reconstruction takes into account the reduction of future disaster risks. This may involve the replacement of temporary arrangements established as part of an emergency response or the upgrading of infrastructure and systems from pre-disaster status. Both activities (rehabilitation and reconstruction) may be required in the aftermath of disaster. One does not necessarily preclude the other.)