Working Groups support the delivery of REAP’s targets and advance specific thematic areas of work. Participation in Working Groups is voluntary, with interested REAP partners and observers invited to participate on a ‘opt-in’ basis. Working Groups may contribute to the preparation of policy papers and recommendations to the Board. The Working Groups and their areas of work remain flexible to the needs of the Partnership and will evolve with the implementation of REAP.
Below is the list of Working Groups that are currently in place and addressing the following themes (noting these may adapt in line with needs of the partnership and the external environment):
1. REAP Target 1 Working Group on Comprehensive Risk Management: convening key stakeholders involved in supporting countries to create, develop and review their legal frameworks, policies, strategies and plans in order to achieve stronger coordination, alignment and complementarity. The overarching objective of the group is to help achieve REAP’s first target by 2025. The co-Chairs of this Working Group are UNDRR, and the REAP Secretariat.
2. Linking Social Protection and Early Action Reference Group: conducting research and developing guidance on the evidence base and effective practices, to mobilise further investment in shock responsive social protection systems that support early action. The co-Chairs are UK FCDO and USAID.
3. Linking Risk Financing to Anticipatory Action: strengthening links between early action and disaster risk finance stakeholders, identifying good practice and future opportunities. This group is Chaired by the Anticipation Hub.
4. Early Warning Initiatives Working Group: building coherence between existing initiatives, sharing learning and co-producing greater action. The co-Chairs of this group are Practical Action, UKMO, and the REAP Secretariat.
5. Risk Communication Working Group: addressing elements of REAP Target 4, ensuring that complex risk information is delivered to decision makers - from communities to government - in a timely, actionable manner. The co-Chairs of this group are BBC Media Action and Resurgence.
6. Early Warnings for All Advisory Group: an expert team supporting the WMO Early Warnings for All initiative to achieve its aims.
7. Marketplace: developing the REAP Marketplace to facilitate the connecting of partner support to needs on early warning-early action. The co-Chairs of this working group are UK FCDO and USAID.
8. Advocacy and Communications: identifying concrete activities and methods, and key opportunities, through which Partners can work together to achieve the communications objectives. The group is chaired by the REAP Secretariat.
9. Anticipatory Action MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) Practitioners Group: this groups brings together people from across the anticipation community interested in generating evidence to support anticipatory action. This group is co-Chaired by the Climate Centre and Start Network.