With six types of natural threats identified as major risks for
Ecuador – earthquakes, seaquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods,
landslides, and droughts – IOM, working with the Ministry of
Economic and Social Inclusion, participated in the drafting of
Humanitarian Assistance Standards.

The new Standards, which were designed specifically for the
country's needs, include four principal areas: food, shelter,
kitchen and cleaning materials.

"In spite of the fact that the country is prone to natural
disasters, there were no Humanitarian Assistance
Standards.   The floods of 2008 made it clear that these
standards were necessary in order to deliver humanitarian
assistance to the affected population," explains Alejandro Guidi,
IOM Chief of Mission in Ecuador.

The new tool provides uniform guidelines for the Government and
all humanitarian actors and spells out minimum requirements for
nutrition, wellbeing, the quality of assistance provided, while
protecting the rights and dignity of the affected population.

The floods of February 2008, caused by severe winter weather,
prompted the Government to declare a state of emergency in 13 of
the country's 24 provinces.  IOM, as part of the United
Nations Emergency Team, provided technical assistance in shelter
management and water and sanitation, in order to improve the local
response capacity.

"The Government, international organizations and NGOs worked
together to assist the thousands that had been affected by the
floods.  But it became evident that Humanitarian Assistance
Standards were needed to optimize the delivery of relief supplies,
and to ensure that all those in need were assisted," add Guidi.

The Humanitarian Assistance Standards were developed in
cooperation with the Technical Secretariat for Risk Management, the
government entity in charge of emergencies.  Other
participants included Feed Yourself Ecuador Programme
(Aliméntate Ecuador), the National Institute for Children
and Family; the UN World Food Programme; the Ecuadorian Red Cross;
the Ministry of Public Health; the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Development, and the School Feeding Programme.

For more information please contact:

Ana María Guzmán

Tel: (593)2-22-53-948/49

E-mail: "mailto:aguzman@iom.int">aguzman@iom.int