“Indonesia is prone to disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to have a disaster statistics framework, which can be used as a good reference for the government as a basis for policy making related to disaster management” says Mr. Margo Yuwono, the Deputy of Social Statistics at BPS-Statistics Indonesia, during a workshop on “Socialization and the Development of Policy Regulation” held on 23-24 July 2020 in Bogor, West Java.

The availability of accurate and easy-to-use baseline disaster statistics data and information is very important for disaster preparedness and response. In the event of a disaster, data and information can assist decision-makers in formulating the best steps to take, and allow for more precise analyses in determining total populations affected, vulnerable groups, and public infrastructure exposed to hazards in a region.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and BPS-Statistics Indonesia, with technical guidance of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Indonesia, developed Indonesia One Disaster Data. An integral part of Indonesia One-Data coordination mechanism, this national disaster-related statistics framework ensures data credibility, consistency, interoperability, and international comparability. The framework document is the first of its kind that has ever been developed in the country and in the region, integrating a variety of data sources from various government agencies, and standardizing the concepts and methods of measuring cross disaster events. It also applies a measurement framework that is consistent and mutually agreed upon in policies, agreements, and coordination at the national and sub-national levels.

“The development of this framework has not been easy,” says Richard Joanes Makalew, the Population and Development Programme Specialist at UNFPA Indonesia. “We have facilitated the collaboration between BNPB and the BPS-Statistics Indonesia, as well as the involvement of relevant stakeholders from line ministries and agencies. Through a series of technical workshops, related stakeholders became aware of the importance of the One Disaster Data initiative. Afterwards, they finally validated the governing principles of the disaster data.”

Mr. Agus Wibowo, the Director of System and Strategy at BNPB, emphasizes the critical need for this framework. “This Indonesia One Disaster Data Framework is very important and this collaboration process has to accelerate. It needs to be formalized so that it becomes a common reference.”

The Indonesia One Disaster Data covers data management and statistics on disaster risk, occurrence, impacts and recovery, and financing of disaster management activities at all stages of disaster management in accordance with Law Number 24 of 2007.

In its implementation, the Indonesia One Disaster Data adheres to the norms stipulated by the President's policy regarding Indonesia One Data. BNPB performs as the Disaster Data Custodian  (Walidata Bencana) through a Disaster Data Portal mechanism, which facilitates data coordination among various ministries and agencies who produce data. BPS plays a role as the basic data advisor and Indonesia Geospatial Agency (BIG) as the geospatial data advisor. These arrangements and mechanisms are replicated at the subnational level and their data are interlinked with one another.

UNFPA will support the implementation and dissemination of the Indonesia One Disaster Data at national and sub-national levels to ensure its maximum utilization for gathering key data to save lives during emergencies.

Narwawi Pramudhiarta, Data and Geospatial Analyst

UNFPA Indonesia