Strengthening drought risk management and policy: UNESCO International Hydrological Programme's case studies from Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean

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Droughts have resulted in significant socio-economic impacts in the regions of Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), especially in developing countries. The main gaps to mitigate its effects, identified in both Africa and LAC regions, include a lack of human and institutional capacity, a lack of access to relevant early warning information for decision-making, the identification of vulnerable communities within the countries and the integration of these two components into drought management policies. UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO-IHP) has been providing support to enhance human capacity, policy guidance and tools to the countries to address drought-related challenges and this paper presents some examples. Through capacity building at regional institutions in Western, Eastern and Southern Africa, drought monitoring and early warning tools have been transferred and validated for inclusion into national climate risk management plans. In LAC, a drought atlas was produced to identify the frequency of meteorological droughts and the exposure of population to droughts. Also in LAC, national drought observatories were developed in two pilot countries, providing locally relevant and actionable drought monitoring and early warning information, socio-economic vulnerabilities and appropriate drought indicators for decision-making to strengthen current drought policies for these countries.