13 Capacity-Building Strategy for Creating Disaster …
233
The resilience framework is an attempt to protect development gains in the long
term and to reduce dramatic declines in development caused by disasters. This highlights the overlapping nature of disaster mitigation, preparedness, relief, and recovery
work, and thus necessitates the incorporation of those activities into development.
This has further ensured that the voices of communities at risk are represented at
local and national levels to bring the field realities to policy discussions and better
reflect the needs and capacities on the ground. Based on this, the DMC appointed
a technical working committee to look at the options to harmonise the communitybased DRR efforts in the country within a broader framework of building resilient
villages, and build consensus amongst DRR practitioners on common indicators in
order to be able to monitor the increased resilience of communities. The DIPECHO
8 consortium, as part of the initiative, facilitated by the Sri Lanka Comprehensive
Disaster Management Programme (SLCDMP) and the Disaster Management Centre
(DMC), has agreed to provide its financial and technical support.
The Community Resilience Framework (CRF), which was drafted with the
support of the technical working group was placed for wider consultation. The
pilot testing of operationalising CRF in 5 districts had commenced (Kilinochchi,
Mullaithivu, Puttalam, Rathnapura and Kurunegala) and this process aimed for
validation and finalisation of CRF. In view of the pilot implementation of CRF,
it was agreed to develop capacities required on resilience planning and development. Hence, the initial training program on the implementation of CRF trained 25
front-level development representatives from Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu. Trainers
who attended the training of trainers program on CRF, further facilitated the implementation of CRF at divisional level in both districts through a cascading training
approach devised by DIPECHO project. In addition, they have been capacitated as
facilitators of CRF and as a result, a resource pool for the region was now established
with the trained trainers, who have also gone through the complete process of trainer
assessment.
The objective of this chapter is to present the capacity-building strategy created
and implemented successfully with the engagement of disaster management and
development stakeholders for developing risk-sensitive development plans in Sri
Lanka. This chapter also briefs a historical perspective of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in Sri Lanka, particularly Community-Based DRM (CBDRM) and the
challenges in achieving the intended impacts in the communities by implementing
CBDRM strategies, and the need for the risk-sensitive development planning process.
13.2 Literature Review
The linkages between disaster impact and development investment are wellestablished. For example, disasters delay development programs, decrease economic
potential, and reduce human capital (Bendimerad 2003). The regional and national
development plans should also identify disaster risks and integrate disaster risk reduction measures in addition to the contingency disaster preparedness plans, so that
233
The resilience framework is an attempt to protect development gains in the long
term and to reduce dramatic declines in development caused by disasters. This highlights the overlapping nature of disaster mitigation, preparedness, relief, and recovery
work, and thus necessitates the incorporation of those activities into development.
This has further ensured that the voices of communities at risk are represented at
local and national levels to bring the field realities to policy discussions and better
reflect the needs and capacities on the ground. Based on this, the DMC appointed
a technical working committee to look at the options to harmonise the communitybased DRR efforts in the country within a broader framework of building resilient
villages, and build consensus amongst DRR practitioners on common indicators in
order to be able to monitor the increased resilience of communities. The DIPECHO
8 consortium, as part of the initiative, facilitated by the Sri Lanka Comprehensive
Disaster Management Programme (SLCDMP) and the Disaster Management Centre
(DMC), has agreed to provide its financial and technical support.
The Community Resilience Framework (CRF), which was drafted with the
support of the technical working group was placed for wider consultation. The
pilot testing of operationalising CRF in 5 districts had commenced (Kilinochchi,
Mullaithivu, Puttalam, Rathnapura and Kurunegala) and this process aimed for
validation and finalisation of CRF. In view of the pilot implementation of CRF,
it was agreed to develop capacities required on resilience planning and development. Hence, the initial training program on the implementation of CRF trained 25
front-level development representatives from Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu. Trainers
who attended the training of trainers program on CRF, further facilitated the implementation of CRF at divisional level in both districts through a cascading training
approach devised by DIPECHO project. In addition, they have been capacitated as
facilitators of CRF and as a result, a resource pool for the region was now established
with the trained trainers, who have also gone through the complete process of trainer
assessment.
The objective of this chapter is to present the capacity-building strategy created
and implemented successfully with the engagement of disaster management and
development stakeholders for developing risk-sensitive development plans in Sri
Lanka. This chapter also briefs a historical perspective of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in Sri Lanka, particularly Community-Based DRM (CBDRM) and the
challenges in achieving the intended impacts in the communities by implementing
CBDRM strategies, and the need for the risk-sensitive development planning process.
13.2 Literature Review
The linkages between disaster impact and development investment are wellestablished. For example, disasters delay development programs, decrease economic
potential, and reduce human capital (Bendimerad 2003). The regional and national
development plans should also identify disaster risks and integrate disaster risk reduction measures in addition to the contingency disaster preparedness plans, so that