Cultural factors within the CBDM approach

With regard to the exploitation of cultural factors, a CBDM (Community-based disaster management) approach adopts several methods. Local cultural knowledge is used to develop the risk, capacity and hazard assessments. For example, older people can pass on vital knowledge about historical disasters, while others can explain the local context of hazards, as follows: “when hazards are frequent local farmers can be expert in drought assessment, riverboat owners may know about flooding and local builders may know something about earthquakes”.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Individual/collective memory, Local knowledge, Communication, Livelihoods

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness

Types of Actors Concerned: Local authorities, Non-active citizens, Government

Recommendations:

• Empower vulnerable groups (i.e. children, elderly, and people with disabilities) by including them in disaster management decision-making and actions