236
A. M. A. Saja et al.
building a safer nation for all with increased resilience to disasters and identified Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) as the tool for risk
reduction at the local level (DMC 2015).
13.3.2 Community-Based Disaster Risk Management
(CBDRM)
Community involvement is the corner stone to identify vulnerability scales and to
improve their resilience. At-risk communities are actively engaged in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to
reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their coping capacities (DMC 2015). The
involvement of highly vulnerable social groups such as women, children, the elderly
and the disabled is considered paramount in CBDRM.
CBDRM implies the participation of communities including most vulnerable
groups in the identification of risk and risk management proposals including mitigation of potential hazards, enhancing coping capacity, preparedness planning and
response. Whilst the emphasis by the Disaster Management Centre has been on
the development of preparedness and response plans at all levels, some NGOs
have engaged in piloting and implementing preparedness, response and risk reduction and development activities at the community level within the past 20 years.
Whilst some organisations have included DRM into development planning at the
lowest government administrative levels through inclusive approaches, others have
confined their activities only to create village/city-level development plans without
due consideration of risk reduction aspects.
13.3.3 Key Lessons and Challenges in CBDRM Approach
in Sri Lanka
Whilst the current practice of CBDRM is well accepted as a tool and the process
for building safer communities, challenges arose in (1) practical implementation of
CBDRM and (2) affordability of mainstreaming into government community development programs. Therefore, current practices of CBDRM needed re-examination
and a common CBDRM with the contextual approach has to be considered, which
also mainstreams risk into the national and regional development plans and programs.
The National Disaster Management Plan (2013–2017) and the Sri Lanka National
Disaster Management Policy emphasised the importance of community engagement
in disaster management. Further, CBDRM is prioritised in the National Policy and
Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction. However, CBDRM was identified as a standalone
intervention where clarity on its connectivity in influencing scaling up development
planning is not adequately addressed. Hence, it becomes of paramount importance
A. M. A. Saja et al.
building a safer nation for all with increased resilience to disasters and identified Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) as the tool for risk
reduction at the local level (DMC 2015).
13.3.2 Community-Based Disaster Risk Management
(CBDRM)
Community involvement is the corner stone to identify vulnerability scales and to
improve their resilience. At-risk communities are actively engaged in the identification, analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to
reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance their coping capacities (DMC 2015). The
involvement of highly vulnerable social groups such as women, children, the elderly
and the disabled is considered paramount in CBDRM.
CBDRM implies the participation of communities including most vulnerable
groups in the identification of risk and risk management proposals including mitigation of potential hazards, enhancing coping capacity, preparedness planning and
response. Whilst the emphasis by the Disaster Management Centre has been on
the development of preparedness and response plans at all levels, some NGOs
have engaged in piloting and implementing preparedness, response and risk reduction and development activities at the community level within the past 20 years.
Whilst some organisations have included DRM into development planning at the
lowest government administrative levels through inclusive approaches, others have
confined their activities only to create village/city-level development plans without
due consideration of risk reduction aspects.
13.3.3 Key Lessons and Challenges in CBDRM Approach
in Sri Lanka
Whilst the current practice of CBDRM is well accepted as a tool and the process
for building safer communities, challenges arose in (1) practical implementation of
CBDRM and (2) affordability of mainstreaming into government community development programs. Therefore, current practices of CBDRM needed re-examination
and a common CBDRM with the contextual approach has to be considered, which
also mainstreams risk into the national and regional development plans and programs.
The National Disaster Management Plan (2013–2017) and the Sri Lanka National
Disaster Management Policy emphasised the importance of community engagement
in disaster management. Further, CBDRM is prioritised in the National Policy and
Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction. However, CBDRM was identified as a standalone
intervention where clarity on its connectivity in influencing scaling up development
planning is not adequately addressed. Hence, it becomes of paramount importance