Community-based disaster risk management
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Material Information

Title:
Community-based disaster risk management experience gained in Central America
Creator:
Bollin, Christina
Disaster Risk Reduction Program, Florida International University (DRR/FIU) ( summary contributor )
Publisher:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
Publication Date:
Copyright Date:
2003
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Community, environment and disaster risk management ( lcsh )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )
Spatial Coverage:
Central America

Notes

Summary:
Bollin, C. (2003). Community-based disaster risk management approach: experience gained in Central America. German Agency for Technical Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). This document offers a detailed outline of the German Agency for International Cooperation’s (GTZ) community-based approach to disaster risk management (DRM) in Central America and its plans to apply this approach to other developing regions around the world. The Community-based approach is an example of the new direction DRM discourse is taking at the international level. International declarations made at Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Yokohama (1994) demonstrate the shift from a top-down approach that focuses on building the DRM capacities of national governments to a mixed approach that integrates local, regional, and national actors in the establishment and maintenance of disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives. As such, Community-Based DRM (a bottom-up approach) “does not stand alone…[To] ensure maximum effectiveness…local capabilities [must interface] with the national system” (p. 3). The document notes that local DRM capabilities are most effective when major actors and organizations are identified from the outset, and by extension, when plans are developed by municipal authorities and community members. It expects participation from all actors in DRM planning as opposed to donor agencies taking the helm in all aspects of project design and implementation. Hence, raising awareness and training actors to carry out DRR plans are essential to both the short-term and long-term success of DRR and DRM. In short, GTZ contends that the application of this approach depends on the progress of democratization and decentralization within the state. This approach considers the local political and social contexts as crucial to the successful implementation of DRR initiatives. Challenges such as political and personal rivalries, lack of personnel and resources, and community reticence to accept new ideas have limited DRR in varying degrees. However, it is questionable whether or not democratization and decentralization are absolutely necessary for the application of effective DRR and DRM. Authoritarian and centralized states, such as Cuba, have been able to mobilize their agencies and communities to do the very things this document espouses. Nevertheless, the document is a good source of information for policymakers and students of DRR. It provides detailed definitions of key terms, along with tables and diagrams explaining the path of disasters, DRM activities, and the role of various actors in DRM. It also supplies maps, models of data collection, and boxes replete with real life examples of DRM plans of action. ( English )
Subject:
General Risk Management ( English )
Citation/Reference:
Bollin, C. (2003). Community-based disaster risk management approach: experience gained in Central America. German Agency for Technical Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
Refer to main document/publisher for use rights.
Resource Identifier:
FI13071004

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Aggregations:
Disaster Risk Reduction