We believe that community-based disaster risk reduction is fundamental to reducing the risk and the impact of disasters. The development of the Characteristics of a Disaster-Resilient Community was commissioned by a group of six agencies – ActionAid, Christian Aid, Plan UK, Practical Action and Tearfund, together with the British Red Cross/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It is a guidance note for government and civil society organisations working on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation initiatives at community level in partnership with vulnerable communities.
Setting out the many different elements of resilience, it shows what a ‘disaster-resilient community’ might look like, and provides some ideas about how to progress towards increased resilience.