This study attempts to measure the impact that the Chars Livelihood Programme (CLP) has had on the disaster resilience of communities. It used a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data was collected using questionnaires and then a score card was created. Key Informant Interviews were then performed to collect qualitative data to understand the findings of the survey.
The results of the study showed that the communities where CLP had provided support packages to households had significantly greater disaster resilience than the control communities. It was found in the study that female participants of the survey scored less than the males before CLP support. However in the areas where households had received the CLP support package, females scored higher than their male counterparts.
Key Findings:
- The CLP programme dramatically improves the overall disaster resilience of communities in Disaster Preparedness and Response; Knowledge and Education; Governance; and Risk Assessment.
- Women’s disaster resilience is greater than men after the CLP support package.
- All three KII groups (CLP office staff; IMO staff; and Local Government) understood what roles government and NGOs have to play in building disaster resilience of communities.
- Plinths are vital for sheltering from floods.
- New national policies will take time to be implemented.
- There is a lack of regular assessment on hazards and vulnerability.
Recommendations:
- Continue the current approach of building disaster resilience of communities, especially the infrastructure and disaster relief aspects.
- Partnerships need to encourage stakeholders working in the chars to perform risk assessments on the chars particularly for hazards and vulnerabilities. Involvement of the CLP’s Village Development Committees (VDCs) could be an effective way to approach this as they have the local knowledge of what hazards are impacting their area and where/who is vulnerable. This would create ownership of the assessment by the VDC as well as increasing awareness within the community.
- Distribution of Bangladesh’s National Plan for Disaster Management and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan to CLP’s Implementing Organisations (IMOs) and local government to increase awareness of these policies.
