Spotlight Community based Disaster Risk Management

Community-based disaster risk management is one of four thematic disaster risk management areas in which the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) supports its National Society partners. Within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the SRC is known for its comprehensive, multi-hazard and multi-sector approach to enhancing community resilience.

In 2024, the SRC supported such activities in nine countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Paraguay and Togo). It focused on strengthening disaster preparedness by training local emergency committees, setting up early warning systems and drawing up emergency and evacuation plans. It also supported disaster mitigation measures (drainage channels, terracing, riverbank reinforcements) and the protection, rehabilitation and sustainable management of natural resources.

Key cumulative data 2024

SRC-supported projects reached more than 662 000 persons with awareness raising, early warning systems, protection measures and capacity-building initiatives. The project teams trained 4902 members of 446 emergency committees and more than 4000 National Society staff and volunteers.

Learn more about our impact in healthOpens a new window or disaster risk managementOpens a new window or National Society developmentOpens a new window.

The examples present snapshots of the SRC’s work in its programme countries and highlight some of the year’s specific results. The impact of SRC country programmes in disaster risk management are highlighted in the Programme Domain DRMOpens a new window.

Bangladesh: Resilience Along the River

A comprehensive approach to resilience

Under the Reinforcing Rural Resilience through a Stronger National Society Programme, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, with technical and financial support from the Swiss Red Cross, supported more than 270 000 people in 150 villages located on flood-prone islands in the Jamuna River in Kurigram and Gaibandha Districts. The programme focused on enhancing community resilience and applied a variety of initiatives to improve quality of life, health care, economic conditions, disaster preparedness and risk mitigation. Community volunteers held regular courtyard meetings, heightening community awareness about health, water and sanitation, improving access to quality health services and enhancing essential health practices. The programme also provided women entrepreneurs and youths with skills training, to boost their employability.

Disaster preparedness and risk mitigation

Over the course of extensive community consultations, hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities were identified and Village Disaster Management Committees mobilised. The Committees placed the community at the heart of the resilience-building process and served as the anchor for community-based disaster risk management. They established early warning systems covering the entire community. Regular meetings, preparatory training and mock drills reduced the risks of disaster-related damage. Safe and elevated living spaces were provided for multiple families by raising the plinths of their dwellings to protect them from flooding. Similar action was taken for school grounds, roads and community clinics. The costs of all structural measures were shared, with 70% covered by the programme, 20% by the municipalities and 10% by the communities and people, fostering shared ownership and sustainability.

Nepal: Young people as agents of change

The school-based DRM component

The Nepal Red Cross Society, with technical and financial support from the Swiss Red Cross, helped municipalities in Chandannath and Sainamaina with disaster risk management (DRM). The initiative included a school-based DRM component, implemented in 22 schools, that followed the Comprehensive School Safety Framework promoted by major United Nations organisations, the Red Cross/Red Crescent and other children’s organisations.

School-linked activities

School Disaster Management Committees and Junior and Youth Red Cross Circles were set up and trained in all 22 schools, as were specialised task forces for search and rescue, early warning, damage assessment and needs analysis, emergency shelter management and first aid. 21 schools developed school improvement plans and 18 drew up evacuation plans. Some organised drills on site, others were involved in simulation exercises in their communities. Three Committees carried out school building improvements, repairing ceilings and roofs, with funding provided by the project, the schools and local wards. The Committees also organised a variety of school games, such as drawing, public speaking and poetry contests, or quizzes.

Extracurricular activities

The Red Cross Circles also played a significant role in extracurricular activities, including birthday celebration fundraisers, volunteering in disaster relief, organising blood donor drives and promoting hygiene and waste management. They contributed to community well-being by distributing first aid kits and sanitary pads, and by raising awareness on issues like cyber security and drug abuse, together with local authorities. Their involvement in these initiatives contributed to a more resilient and informed community.

Kyrgyzstan: No Regret Early Actions – protecting communities before disaster strikes

The project

The project expands and replicates good community-based disaster risk management practices from previous phases. By strengthening local disaster management committees and establishing early warning systems, communities improve their disaster preparedness. By applying No Regret Early Actions (NREA) and climate change adaptation measures, they reduce their exposure to disaster- and climate-related risks. The goal is to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in rural and urban areas.

No Regret Early Actions

NREA can be described as effective measures taken in advance to protect communities from natural hazards. Such measures, implemented by the local population/authorities and supported by the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan, help mitigate the impact of floods, flash floods and other hazards, ultimately saving lives. In a good example from Chuy province, the local authorities and a community together cleaned a mudflow channel at minimal cost. This small effort had a significant impact, protecting over 100 families and hectares of crop fields from flash floods in April and May 2024.

High cost-effectiveness

NREA activities are not just about disaster prevention; they also strengthen community preparedness. By reinforcing riverbanks, cleaning mudflow channels and conducting evacuation drills, people become better equipped for emergencies. Farmers benefit from improved water management and greater resilience overall. Simple yet cost-effective actions require little investment but have huge benefits, ensuring safety and stability for the future. The National Society and the subnational authorities are currently negotiating the integration of NREA protocols into district and provincial disaster risk reduction plans.

Paraguay: Flood recovery to drive sustainability

Every year, floods in Paraguay affect thousands of vulnerable families, especially in rural areas. In Cerrito, Ñeembucú Department, the 2024 rains damaged community livelihoods in agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry, prompting the Paraguayan Red Cross to undertake the Flood Response and Recovery Project between May and December 2024. In line with the nexus approach, the project linked the immediate response with medium- and long-term sustainability.

The 2024 Flood Response and Recovery Project

The Red Cross delivered food and supply kits to six communities. Garden kits contained seedlings, tools and other inputs, to help families replant; fishing kits contained tools, equipment and clothing for fishermen. Community members were able to consume what they produced and to sell any surplus, thereby generating an income. They were also provided with training in sustainable farming techniques by Red Cross volunteers with prior experience of the technical, operational and financial aspects of response and recovery. The project encouraged community members to participate actively in all project phases, to promote the incorporation of community initiatives and practices that mobilised families, helped improve living conditions and strengthened local resilience.

The humanitarian – development nexus

The project also strengthened long-term organisational capacity by establishing Committees for Integrated Disaster Risk Management in the six communities. The Committees were trained in first aid, damage assessment, disaster management and shelter management. They played a key part in the preparation of their communities' emergency and contingency plans, fostering collaboration, building trust and ensuring sustained interventions in future emergencies.

Togo: Emergency Committees – the cornerstone of disaster preparedness and risk reduction at community level

Role

The Togolese Red Cross, with technical and financial support from the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) Strengthening Community Resilience programme, helped establish 224 community Emergency Committees. The Committees were trained, equipped and connected to subnational disaster management systems, enabling them to stay active and functional. Their main tasks included disaster preparedness, risk prevention and risk reduction. They conducted hazard, vulnerability and capacity assessments, and developed and helped implement action plans in their communities.

Actions to address the effects of climate change

Deforestation, which can be caused by overuse of natural resources or lack of reforestation, makes people more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The Emergency Committees were trained to make better stoves and in reforestation. They promoted these activities through community awareness meetings that encouraged sustainable environmental practices.

Good practices

Cooperation with local authorities and technical institutions was key. For example, municipalities provided land for reforestation and the Institute of Advice and Technical Support aided in capacity building. The Committees used tools like the Climate Change Image Box to motivate communities to engage in activities outlined in community action plans. Collaboration with other initiatives, such as the Blue Schools project, strengthened the project impact. Committee members conducted sessions in schools, together with school champions, to foster reforestation awareness among students.

The SRC will continue to engage in community-based disaster risk management in the coming years, taking further steps to factor in aspects of climate change adaptation, in line with the overall approach of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Supporting and promoting community DRM structures and linking them to subnational systems is a long-standing SRC practice and will continue to be a priority in disaster preparedness. The SRC will increasingly focus on how to keep these local structures functional beyond the period of intervention.

Support for nature-based disaster risk management solutions has gained momentum in recent years. Such solutions have multiple benefits, are low cost, rather low tech and relatively easy to maintain. They have a high self-replication potential but require minimum oversight to avoid inappropriate or even counterproductive action.