What arc the advantages of involving the community in disaster management?
Answers
Answer:
Feelings of coordination and self belonging to the society are developed. Local geo-climatic and socio-cultural characteristics get attention of the people in development and disaster management.
Explanation:
Community based disaster management (CBDM)is anchored in the disaster risk reduction framework. CBDM covers a broad range of interventions, measures, activities, projects and programs to reduce disaster risks, which are primarily designed by people in at-risk localities and are based on their urgent needs and capacities. Simply put, the aim of CBDM is to 1) reduce vulnerabilities and increase capacities of vulnerable groups and communities to cope with, prevent or minimize loss and damage to life, property, and the environment, 2) minimize human suffering, and 3) hasten recovery.
Importance of Community Based Disaster Management:
“Development is the process through which people increase their capacities for producing things they need and for managing their political and social lives as they desire, and at the same time (especially in disaster-prone areas) reduce their immediate and long-term vulnerabilities to events which threaten their economic and socio-political existence”-- Anderson and Woodrow. This view of development expresses succinctly the local and community aspirations in participation in disaster mitigation and risk reduction.
The following basic elements and features of CBDM apply as well to the community-based approaches to mitigation:
• people’s participation:community members are the main actors and propellers; they also directly share in the benefits of disaster risk reduction and development.
• priority for the most vulnerable groups, families, and people in the community:in the urban areas the vulnerable sectors are generally the urban poor and informal sector while in the rural areas, these are the subsistence farmers, fisher folk and indigenous people; also vulnerable are the elderly, the differently abled, children and women (because of their care giving and social function roles)
• risk reduction measures are community: specific and are identified after an analysis of the community’s disaster risk (hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities and perceptions of disaster risk)
• existing capacities and coping mechanisms are recognized: CBDMit builds upon and strengthens existing capacities and coping strategies the aim is to reduce vulnerabilities by strengthening capacities; the goal is building disaster resilient communities
• links disaster risk reduction with development : addresses vulnerable conditions and causes of vulnerabilities
• outsiders have supporting and facilitating role: Closely related to the elements and features cited above are the principles of CBDM activities and programs. These also serve as overall targets to work for and parameters/indicators to keep track of.
• participatory process and content: involvement of community members, particularly the most vulnerable sectors and groups in the whole process of risk assessment, identification of mitigation & preparedness measures, decision making, implementation; the community directly benefits from the risk reduction and development process
• responsive: based on the community’s felt and urgent needs; considers the community’s perception and prioritization of disaster risks and risk reduction measures so the community can claim ownership
• integrated: pre-, during and post-disaster measures are planned and implemented as necessary by the community; there is linkage of the community with other communities, organizations and government units/agencies at various levels especially for vulnerabilities which the local community can not address by itself
• proactive: stress on pre-disaster measures of prevention, mitigation and preparedness
• comprehensive: structural (hard, physical) and non-structural (soft, health, education, livelihood, organization, advocacy, etc) mitigation measures are undertaken; short-, medium- term and long-term measures to address vulnerabilities
• multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary: considers roles and participation of all stakeholders in the community; combines indigenous/local knowledge and resources with science and technology and support from outsiders; addresses concerns of various stakeholders while upholding the basic interest of the most vulnerable sectors and groups
• empowering: people’s options and capacities are increased; more access to and control of resources and basic social services through concerted action; more meaningful participation in decision making which affects their lives; more control over the natural and physical environment; participation in disaster mitigation and risk reduction develops the confidence of community members to participate in other development endeavors
• developmental: contributes to addressing and reducing the complex relation of conditions, factors and processes of vulnerabilities present in society