Success factors for institutionalising CBDRM

The following success factors are a list of actions to be taken by a variety of actors, from project implementers to local authorities and national government, to ensure community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) is institutionalised.

As some of these elements cannot be achieved within the time frame of a single project, a government’s involvement is essential. Actions that can be achieved in a shorter time frame should be included within CBDRM projects.

The success factors in this section are grouped under six main categories representing characteristics of institutionalisation. Certain ingredients could be listed under more than one category, but they are placed under the one they are mostly linked to.

Policy Environment

This characteristic refers to the need for CBDRM to be included in government policies and plans at both national and local level.

1. Promote synergies (including joint targets) between different policies including those for sustainable development, poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, food security, etc.
2. Decentralise disaster risk management frameworks by promoting local disaster risk management strategies that are owned by the local government and informed by local actors
3. Embed CBDRM projects in local government work plans and reporting
4. Conduct a sunset review of national disaster risk management  policies to evaluate them at the end of the term

Structures and mechanisms

This characteristic refers to the importance of having government-recognised committees and structures in place down to the local level responsible for CBDRM activities.

1. Allow for members of CBDRM committees at community level to report up to national platforms
2. Recognise informal structures (e.g. community leader groups) as channels for effective engagement
3. Define roles and responsibilities of national and local structures in CBDRM and develop terms of reference for community disaster risk management committees to define their roles in these structures

Capacities

This characteristic highlights the importance of including elements of technical support to strengthen CBDRM capacities of different actors.

1. Encourage sharing of capacities and best practices between communities
2. Increase access and use of communication tools by community members
3. Use capacities within CSO networks to fill individual organisation capacity gaps
4. Hold trainings for community leaders on the process of managing disaster risk management projects (including capacities to access international/external sources of funding for CBDRM)

Culture

This characteristic refers to the recognition of the benefits of CBDRM by communities and governments, as well as to the creation of a common sense of responsibility towards resilience building.

1. Sensitise local political leaders to the priorities of communities through visits and impacting perception data
2. Promote and share evidence of the role of communities in disaster risk management  and good practices at national and regional events
3. Promote a culture of including marginalised groups in disaster risk governance by establishing mechanisms where marginalised groups are adequately included

Funding

This characteristic refers to the need for financial support to be stable and adequate at organisational and government level for CBDRM initiatives.

1. Allocate specific budget for CBDRM activities in local and national plans
2. Use existing community structures for resource mobilisation so as to increase trust
3. Establish multiple funding mechanisms with different time frames and actors for CBDRM funds
4. Advocate for larger proportion of emergency funds to go to preparedness and risk reduction

Accountability

This characteristic refers to the need to promote monitoring and evaluation of CBDRM initiatives by various actors, including community members.

1. Conduct participatory auditing of projects
2. Create transparent systems for allocating budget for activities
3. Create local bodies (watchdogs) to monitor government policies, planning and budgeting around CBDRM

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This resource is available in PDF format in three languages:

• English
• French
• Spanish

Further resources

These success factors featured in our Institutionalising Sustainable Community-Based Disaster Risk Management guide and were developed as part of our CBDRM project.