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How do local institutional dynamics shape community resilience to natural disasters?
Evidence from Bangladesh
Mahed Choudhury, M. Salim Uddin and C. Emdad Haque Natural Resources Institute
University of Manitoba
October 31, 2018
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Outline
Background and the Context Conceptual Considerations Methodology Major Findings Conclusions
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Background
Sendai Framework
Rationale: the success of risk mitigation and disaster management has largely been dependent on the effectiveness of local governance structures
Partial decentralization creates problem
Shortcomings in delegation of power, authority, and resources
Institutionalization of disaster management
Knowledge gap
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Context
• Bangladesh is prone to flooding and coastal cyclones
• 104 cyclones during the last 250 years (68 of which were recorded as severe)
• Each causing 50–500,000 human deaths
• Abnormal flooding in 68% areas of Bangladesh
• Numerous government plans and policies
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Context
Goal: nurture institutional linkages among various disaster management authorities at various levels;
We argue that successful institutionalization of disaster management without compliance with good governance criteria.
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Local Level Good Governance and community Resilience
Resilience is defined as the “capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and reorganize while undergoing change so as to still retain essentially the same function, structure, identity, and feedbacks” (Walker et al. 2004, 4)
Capacity of a local institutions for self-organization and disaster management
Four clusters of factors that build resilience:1. learning to live with change and uncertainty, 2. Nurturing diversity in its various forms, 3. Combining different types of knowledge for learning, and 4. Creating opportunity for self-organization and cross-scale
linkages. (Folke et al.,2003; Berkes, 2004);
Institutionally embedded good governance in local structure helps resilience building and managing disasters
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Good governance, local institutions and institutional linkage nexus
Community resilience to natural disasters
Institutional linkages
Good governance
Local institutions
• Autonomy of local institutions
• De facto and de jure decentralization
• Horizontal and vertical linakges of institutions
• Good governnace, such as efficiency, effectiveness,relative autonomy, and inclusivity
• We focus on the role of local level institutions i.e. UP and UDMC; local NGOs
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Study Area
Wetland-community: -Located in the northeastern part of Bangladesh
-Flash flood prone
-Recent floods: 1998, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2014, and 2016
-Climate change “hot spot” (IPCC, 2014)
--Fishing and cultivation of crops are two main sources of livelihood
Coastal-community:-Vulnerable to tropical cyclones and storm surges
-Seven major cyclones in last 40 years
- Cyclone Sidr (Category V) in 2007 and Cyclone Aila (Category I) in 2009.
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Study Area9
Methodology
A qualitative research methodology following an Exploratory Case Study approach with multiple case designs Primary data collected by PRA tool box in March 2014 to October 2015
Wetland-communities: -8 semi-structured interviews [UP chairperson and members, UNO NGO
officials, UDMC volunteers (male and female)]-2 FGDs (one with male and another with female volunteers)-Participant Observation (PO) of the UDMC meetings after flood events.
Coastal-communities:- 8 FGDs (local people, NGOs officials, elderly women -300 household heads -20 KIIs
Secondary documents: NGO documents, UDMC meeting minutes, local disaster management strategies and action plans, annual budgets
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Key Findings11
Key findings
Compliance with good governance criteria: Role of leadershipStakeholders Vulnerability and risk
reduction strategiesImpacts
Community members in general
Awareness building activities • Enhanced awareness before and after the disasters
• Reduced loss of life and propertyStorage of pure drinking water • Addressing crises period after a disaster
• Saving lives from the spread of water borne diseases
Farmer
Keep domestic animals and agricultural tools in safer places
• Act as a wealth during post-disaster period• Reuse agricultural tools during post-disaster
period• Reduced waiting time for market availability
during post-disaster period
FishermanListening warnings and weather forecasts by mass
• Reduced risk, accidents and loss of life and property
• Enabling to take safe refuge before the onset of a disaster and saving fishing boats and gears
WomenTraining on awareness building • Reduced loss of life and property
• Contribution to awareness building in neighbors
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Key findings
Gender inclusivity and disaster management: Culturally appropriate response and rescue activities
Gender division of rescue activates
“When water entered people’s houses, then I went to people’s houses. I took a boat and asked a man for help. I took people to Fatehpur Union Parishad [flood shelter]. But I could not stay at night, male volunteers stayed at night.”
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Key findings
Institutional dynamics and disaster management: Lack of local autonomy
Fiscal year Total annual budget
(development)(US $)
UP’s own fund(US $)
% of UP’s own fund in budget (development)
% of budget allocated for
disaster response
2010-2011 40,716.15 826.24 02.03 0.059
2011-2012 58,635.47 7,569.86 12.91 1.036
2012-2013 87,595.43 12,904.00 14.73 0.69
2013-2014 104,696.71 13,171.32 12.58 0.58
2014-2015 109,835.96 12,174.97 11.08 1.10
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Key findings
Institutional linkages for sharing risk and responsibilities
-Lack of learning and nurturing of institutional memory
-Lack of coordination, technical capacity and corruption
Role of local NGOs in technical capacity building of UDMCs
Vertical institutional linkages for improvement in response and recovery
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Key findings
Gender Inclusivity and Religious BarrierA female respondent Jahura Begum (40) from Char Gangamati, Dulashar
union said:“We did not go to cyclone shelters with male volunteers during cyclone
Sidr as my husband was not in home. We did not feel comfort at the cyclone shelter as there is no isolated female zone and female designated washrooms.”
Women Empowerment and Disaster GovernanceA participant Poshpo Rani (60) from Nawabganj village of Nilganj union
described:
“We the female member of the family cannot take decision to go to the cyclone shelter during cyclones until my husband decided. During the cyclone Sidr and Mohasen my husband and sons were in the sea for fishing and did not go to the cyclone shelters as we could not decided.”
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Key Findings
Political PolarizationThe Nilganj UP chairman and UDMC president Md. Abdul
Malek Khan (67) said:
“The District and Upazila administration assign most of the development, relief and disaster rehabilitation works to the local convener of the ruling party unless and otherwise mandatory as I was elected and active worker of the opposition party.”
“The UP also deprived for collecting 100% tax from leasing local market places (Hat/Bazar), crossing river (ghat) and other common places as those places were leased by the District and Upazila administration to the ruling politicians.”
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Conclusions
Compliance with good governance criteria is a necessary condition for successful institutionalization of disaster management
Community-based disaster management, decentralization of disaster management and the adoption of a participatory governance approach do not alone constitute a panacea for disaster risks
Future policy formulation needs to take i) institutional capacities, ii) local good governance and iii) mechanisms for effective institutional linkages
Partial decentralization may be a burden on local institutions
Special attention should be given to integrating “governance” and “resilience” research streams to better understand and strengthen local institutions.
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Acknowledgement
• Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
• University of Manitoba
• Local Participants
• Community Development Centre (CODEC) Bangladesh
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