A path to disaster resilient communities

Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) is a process in which 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 capacities.In the process, people are at the core of decision-making and implementation of risk management activities. The CBDRM programme in Orissa was implemented by Government Administration, United Nations and Civil Society. To realize the paradigm shift, it is necessary to integrate disaster management in community planning for addressing the disaster risk reduction (DRR) concerns. Current practices seldom re¿ect integration of disaster management and community planning in order to address the DRR. This is one of the reasons why hazard awareness is absent from local decision-making processes. If mitigation strategies are to be successfully implemented, then the disaster management processes must ensure the participation of local self governance in disaster preparedness activities. DRR is a proactive approach that needs to be integrated in regular development planning with the participation of all.