Urbanisation and Community Based Disaster Management
(Hyogo Trust Fund Research Project 2005 - 2008)

Target Countries: Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Goals and Objectives / Background / Activities / Outputs / Profect Partners / Report

Coming Soonn: Activity report on activities in Sri Lanka, 2006

Go to project page and see information on HTFVII community workshops.

Goals and Objectives:

The UNCRD Hyogo Trust Fund Project (HTF), which is funded by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Research Institute, undertakes research on urbanisation and community-based disaster management in Asia, to “incorporate disaster risk assessments into the urban planning and management of disaster-prone human settlements, in particular highly populated areas and quickly urbanizing settlements” (UNISDR, 2005). The UNCRD Hyogo initiative will contribute to “the substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic and environmental assets of communities and countries by 2015” (Hyogo Frame work of Action). Taking into account international and national disaster management policies at the macro level and subsequent actions at community level, the following objectives of the research are proposed to be undertaken by HTF 7:

  • To explain and demonstrate in practice the concept of “living safely in the urban community and sustainable livelihoods” through comparative, regional studies;
  • To enhance international and regional cooperation in the field of community-based disaster management through exchange of research findings, ideas and information;
  • To incorporate disaster management into development planning through community empowerment and good governance;
  • To develop a UNCRD Program in the area of CBDM responsive to urbanisation in the disaster-prone countries and vulnerable communities.
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Background:

A number of case studies illustrate that community disaster management is workable in rural settings. However, it should be noted that more people tend to live in urban than in rural settings, and the growth of urban population in Asian countries has been very dramatic; most of the larger cities of South and Southeast Asia have been growing at over 4 per cent every year (UN Habitat, 2002). Various disasters take place in urbanising areas and the neighborhoods, affecting millions of people each year through loss of life, serious injury and loss of assets and livelihoods. For instance, as evidenced by the Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake on 17 January 1995, it is apparent that urbanizing areas that are vulnerable to disasters, and urban vulnerability further encompasses a wider range of issues such as fire, crimes and epidemics - people’s narratives in urban settings can be more diverse and complex. Therefore, it is critical to examine how the existing CBDM scenarios, so-called “good” practices, can be practically effective in urban areas where the solidarity of people and communities may be fragile.

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Activities:

The activities are divided into three stages as follows:

Stage 1: Field research

  • Review of the literature and secondary information which will help to design and organize the research;
  • Assess the urban areas/communities in their livelihoods and people’s vulnerability to natural disasters;
  • Selection of case study sites at urban/urbanizing community level, and identification of working partners with the UNCRD;
  • Identification of ongoing and/or potential urban community-based disaster managements with local communities;
  • Study and analysis of the selected urbanising communities and the existing CBDM models; and
  • Identification of local training needs of the urban communities with regard to disaster management and drafting a feasible training program.

    • Stage 2: Workshops and symposiums

  • Preparation/production of the CBDM publications;
  • Organizing stakeholder workshops and/or community meetings in the target countries;
  • Organizing an international symposium, aiming to disseminate good CBDM practices and lessons learned.

    • Stage 3: UNCRD Hyogo programme development

  • Development of the UNCRD program framework of community disaster management, and
  • Elucidation of the future strategies, planning and activities for the second and third year with the selected
    communities.

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    Outputs:

    - Community facilitators for community-based disaster management;
    - Community risk, vulnerability and assets assessments;
    - Case study publications on urbanisation and CBDM;
    - Joint Workshop and Symposium proceedings on urbanisation and CBDM:

      (Completed)

      • Dhaka, Bangladesh July 12 - 13, 2006
      • Kathmandu, Nepal July 19 - 21, 2006
      • Moratuwa/Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka July 28 - 29, 2006

    > UNCRD Urban CBDM Programme Framework.

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    Some of our Project Partners:

    • Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC)
    • Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Center (BDPC)
    • United Nations Educational and Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
    • United Nations Volunteer(UNV)
    • Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV)
    • etc. (JOCV)

    etc.

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    Report and Proceedings:

    Upcoming

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