Strategic Research into National and Local Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management

Strategic Research into National and Local Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management

Between 2013 and 2015, the IFRC contracted Oxford Policy Management and the University of East Anglia to conduct “Strategic Research into National and Local Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management”. The research was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

To date there has been little formal, empirical research that has been conducted on capacity building for disaster risk management (DRM) and, as a result, international actors lack robust, evidence-based guidance on how capacity for DRM can be effectively generated at national and local levels. This research project was designed as an initial step towards filling that knowledge and evidence gap. The research project’s central aim was to draw lessons and guidance on ‘how to’ build DRM capacity in a range of contexts. This was done by analysing the characteristics, effectiveness and relative importance of a range of capacity building for DRM interventions across a variety of country contexts. The main focus was on ‘what works and why?’

The research methodology was based on a case study approach representing a range of capacity building interventions, including in fragile and conflicted-affected states, and involving fieldwork in Ethiopia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Philippines, Haiti and Mozambique. Additional methodologies included a global literature review, a global study of perceptions of and financial spend on DRM capacity building in key humanitarian organizations, and the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework.

The project has a range of outputs, all available below. 

  • Six country case study reports, including a pilot in Ethiopia, and full case studies in Pakistan, Myanmar, Philippines, Haiti and Mozambique.
  • The final synthesis outputs, including a synthesis report that contains key findings and policy and programme recommendations, an executive summary of this report available in  English, French, Spanish and Arabic, Annex B of the synthesis report (which presents an M&E Framework) and a global literature review on DRM capacity building.
  • Three policy briefing notes aimed at DRM policy makers and practitioners.
Are you sure you want to delete this "resource"?
This item will be deleted immediately. You cannot undo this action.

Related Resources

Report
16 Jan 2019
This report published by the UNISDR gives an excellent analysis of economic lossess due to disasters. Between 1998 and 2017 climate-related and geophysical disasters killed 1.3 million people and left a further 4.4 billion injured, homeless, displace...
Tags: Report, Post-Disaster Recovery, Resilience and Disaster Risk Management
Report
16 Jul 2014
This publication addresses the need to focus more on mitigating risks and preparing for floods, rather than simply dealing with the consequences after a flood occurs, in order to reduce flood losses and help communities in both developed and developi...
Tags: Report, Community Risk Assessment, Flood, Resilience and Disaster Risk Management
Video
25 Nov 2014
Building Capacities: Best Practices in Asia Pacific – Volunteers and Youth (1/5) The vast majority of human resources of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies are volunteers. In all their diversity, both young and old, from all backgrounds, ...
Tags: Video, Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management, Youth Disaster Preparedness