Urban governance and disaster risk reduction in the Caribbean
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Material Information

Title:
Urban governance and disaster risk reduction in the Caribbean the experiences of Oxfam GB
Creator:
Mark Pelling
Disaster Risk Reduction Program, Florida International University (DRR/FIU) ( summary contributor )
Publisher:
Human Settlements Programme, International Institute for Environment and Development
Publication Date:
Copyright Date:
2011
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Risk management ( lcshac )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )
Spatial Coverage:
North and Central America -- Dominican Republic
South America -- Guyana
North and Central America -- Haiti

Notes

Summary:
This document is a comparative analysis of Oxfam GB’s work in urban community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) alongside local non-governmental organizations and municipalities throughout the Caribbean. It discusses implementation in both strong and weak civil society contexts within the Dominican Republic, as well as Haiti and Guyana respectively. Urban disaster risk has always been addressed through the scientific lens of engineering and infrastructure planning, and thus historically neglected by the development and humanitarian aid communities. But, dealing with disaster risks invariably requires solutions that go beyond the technical since disasters are the outcome of interactions between natural hazards and human behavior. Therefore, even seemingly non-political decisions are embedded in the power relations of the communities within which they are implemented. The dynamics of rapid population growth and unplanned development found in developing world cities often produce weak civil societies, and the corresponding risks and vulnerabilities. It is here that the author points to the role that urban civil society groups can play in complementing and increasing the leverage of technologically oriented initiatives, particularly in developing societies with political histories that have precluded the development of strong civil societies. The document looks at Oxfam GB’s work in four cities with varying civil society contexts: Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien in Haiti, and the city of Greater Georgetown, Guyana. Site visits and interviews with government and civil society agencies, Oxfam staff, and members of at-risk communities were conducted in the months of April and May of 2010. The document presents an overview of the risk profile of each city, discussion of the implementing partner’s work and the strength of civil society within which it operates, and the level of local government support and integration into the DRR process. The author concludes that successful DRR projects rely on strong pre-existing partnerships between communities, civil society organizations, and municipal governments. This was particularly evident in the Dominican Republic. The Institute Dominicano Desarollo Integral (IDDI) utilized social capital built-up through its ongoing works in solid waste management, microcredit, infrastructure provision, education, and primary health promotion to act as a central advocate for community-centered DRR. The networks of trust developed with community members and critical government officials facilitated its promotion of DRR in Santo Domingo. ( English )
Subject:
Disaster Risk Reduction and Governance ( English )
Citation/Reference:
Pelling, M. (2011). Urban governance and disaster risk reduction in the Caribbean: the experiences of Oxfam GB. Environment and Urbanization 23: 383 – 400.

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
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Aggregations:
Disaster Risk Reduction