Disclaimer
This report was compiled by an ADRC visiting researcher (VR) from ADRC
member countries.
The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe ADRC. The boundaries and names shown and the designations usedon the maps in the report also do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the ADRC.

Asian Disaster Reduction Center
Visiting Researcher Program – Term 2013 A

Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction:
A comparative study of Japan and Maldives
Maldives, and techniques to integrate
disaster risk reduction into the community

Ibrahim Thaufeeq
Maldives National Defence Force
20 NovemberNb 2013Agenda
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Background and significance of the study
2. Disaster risk profile of the Maldives
3 Objective
3.
4. Delimitation of the study
II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
1. Disaster management in the Maldives
Community-based
u ty based ddisastersaste risks reduction
educt o in tthee Maldivesa d es
2. Co
3. Summary of key findings in the Maldives2

Agenda…
AgendaIII. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN1. Institutionalization of community-based disaster risk
reduction in Japan
2. CBDRR through empowerment
3. Disaster education
4. Culture/Society
5. Challenges in CBDRR
6. Summary of key findingsin Japan
IV. CONCLUSION
1. Discussions
2. Recommendations
3. Further studies
V. BIBLIOGRAPHY

3

I. INTRODUCTION
1. Backgroundkd andd significancefoff theh studyd•

The geography of the Maldives and the erratic distributionof the populace, along with the weak economic staturep as pprovidingg basic services tomake somethingg as simple
each inhabited island a logistical nightmare.

•Imminent threats from natural and man-made disasters arevast, and should a disaster strike, it would have devastating
effects on the archipelago.

•

Given this conditions, the only viable method to preventand minimize effects of disasters is to foster disaster risk
reduction (DRR) within the communitycommunity.
4

INTRODUCTION
2. Disaster risk profile of the Maldives
Storms/Tsunamis
Year/StormPeople
affected
ff t dDeadMissingg

Damageg

33,826--

133,090.60 USD

Nearly 12,000
displaced.
1,200 IDPs still
live in 6 islands

8820470 million USD

Islands affected2012(CycloneNilam)

Caused flooding in51 islands, 28islands severe
flooding, 4 islands
critical
53 were severely
damaged

2004(Tsunami)

Estimated cost ofreconstruction is406 million USD

5

I. INTRODUCTION
2. Disaster risk profile of the Maldives…
Water shortage
T t l amountt off water
Totaltdelivered (in tons)

YYear

No. offNIslands

2005

91

2,728

159,221.80

2006

86

2,905

145,525.30

2007

82

2,694

131,031.10

2008

74

2 088
2,088

101 556 40
101,556.40

2009

117

7.469

472,144.70

2010

T t l amountt spentt
Total(in USD)

Water provided by province offices

2011

108

3,920

142,178.30201286

2,500

286,075.80
Total:

1 437 733 00
1,437,733.00
6

I. INTRODUCTION
3. Objectives• Understand CBDRR implementation in Japan and its
integration at each level of the government;• Understand how CBDRR plays into disaster management atthe national level;• Find out how the community, NGOs and other agencies areintegrated into CBDRR;
p out the important
pfactors that contribute to the CBDRR• Map
process in Japan;• Address the social issues hindering the implementation ofDRR measures within the community in Maldives;• Outline the importance of preventive measures as compared
to responsive measures;
7I. INTRODUCTION
3. Objectives…
• Reinforce individual responsibility in reducing the risks ofdisaster in a community.
• Reinforce the importance of making CBDRR a priority at thegrassroots level.

The long-term goal of this research is to build on thisstudy in order to integrate the CBDRR effort into thenational planning process of the Maldives and toinstitutionalize the CBDRR process to sustain andmaintain continuity of such programs.
8I. INTRODUCTION
4. Delimitation of the study• This is NOT a solution to implement CBDRR in the Maldives
Maldives.
• The purpose of the research is to show the importance ofCBDRR and the effectiveness of CBDRR measures in Japan.
• Since Maldives will not and cannot match the fiscal prowessof Japan to conduct the exact CBDRR activities, the major
payoff from this study is to identify key concepts used by
Japan in implementing CBDRR, which Maldives could
replicate.

9II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
1. Disaster management in the Maldives• NDMC is the lead agency
agency, formed under a presidential decree
after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and is under theyMinsitryy of Defence and National Security.
• There is no legal framework.
• But, the Decentralization Act gives the responsibility to thelocal government to formulate DRR activities.
• There is no budget for DRR programs.

10II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
2 Community-based2.
Ci b d didisaster riski k reductiond i iin thehMaldives: SWOT analysis• Strengths:– NDMC has mandate to conduct CBDRR programs in thecountry.
country– Community knowledge (traditional and contemporary)exists in terms of risk reduction.
– UNDP, MRC, and MNDF have been conducting CBDRRgtrainings.
– Ministry of Education has started to integrate DRR into thecurriculum.
– NGOs and National Organizations such as the UN provide
funding and technical support.
11

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: SWOT analysis…

• Strengths:– An increasing number of NGOs are working in DM/DRR
and social causes: such as Care Society,Society Society for Health
Education, and Maldivian Youth Climate Network.
– Coordination between stakeholders is good during disastersituations.
– Maldives has homogeneous
gclose-knit communities.
People are of the same faith, speak the same language,and share an identical, unique, and rich culture.
– Several island councils (local governments) have given
support to establish CBDRR in their constituency.
12II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: SWOT analysis…

• Weaknesses:– Lack of laws and regulations.
– No human resource capacity in CBDRM.
CBDRM– Communities cannot link their traditional knowledge toDRR and DM concepts and use it.
– Lack of continuity.
– Lack of awarenessawareness.
– DRR is not a priority in policymaking and developmentalplanning.
– Political disharmony hinders continuity in DRR efforts.
– Lack of accountability and proper planning is the island
council level pushes the burden onto the central
government.

13

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: SWOT analysis…

• Weaknesses:– The government does not allocate funds to DRR efforts atthe national or local level.
– Lack of coordination within sectors – Every institution tries
to tackle DRR on their own.
– There is little to no coordination among DRR experts in thecountry.
– Geography of the country.
– The administrative structure is very weak at every level lack of documentation.

14

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: SWOT analysis…
analysis• Opportunities:– Decentralization Act ggives the mandate and the freedom
for island councils.
– The Disaster Management Bill would be the quintessentialstep to start the comprehensive disaster management
process in the Maldives.
– NDMC is in the process of formulating a nationalframework for CBDRM. This would streamline the works ofthe organizations doing CBDRM in Maldives and allow toinstitutionalize CBDRM plans of islands.
– There are few people trained in DRR
DRR, even though there islittle coordination between them. However, NDMC can use
15
their expertise if required.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: SWOT analysis…
analysis• Threats:– LandL d scarcity
it - thereth
are no hihighh grounds
d ffor evacuation
tiand erosion exacerbates the situation.
– As DRR is not a priority requested budget for DRR
programs do not get funding from the national budget.
– A weak and declining economy makes the government andthe private sector reluctant to finance DRR efforts.
– Liable authorities are sometimes reluctant to takeresponsibility and shift it to another agency. This creates
conflict of mandate among the institutions.
– Leakage of funds allocated for projects and government’s
16
hesitancy to accept leakage occurs.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: CBDRR programs• 4-year CBDRR program by the MRC – 6 islands (2hhavestopped).
td)• Volunteer firefighting program by MNDF – 103
trained so far.
• CBDRR programs by UNDP
• Almost every program stop because of lack ofcontinuity and support.

17II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS MALDIVES
2. Community-based disaster risk reduction in theMaldives: cooperation and feedback• Local governments are supportive of CBDRR
programs butb ddo not takek theh iinitiative.
ii i• Increasing number of evacuation drills in publicschools.
programs.
• Communities are veryy interested in CBDRR pg
Some have asked to draft DM plans for their islands.

18

II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS MALDIVES
3. Summary of key findings in the Maldives• An infant institutional disaster management
framework
pp from the ggrassroots level and the• Lack of support
community• Excellent CBDRM/CBDRR projects albeit lack ofcontinuity and coordination• CBDRR is the only solution

19

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN1. Institutionalization
loff community-based
b dddisasterrisk reduction in Japan• Laws and regulations – Disaster Counter Measure
Basic Act in 1961.
• National level organizations• Local governments• Research and development
20

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN2. CBDRR through empowerment• Physical preventive measures:– Floodgates and tidal gates in Osaka– Sabo dams: Mount Rokko, Mount Unzen.
– Early warning: J-Alert– Cell broadcasting to send warnings andadvisories

21

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN2. CBDRR through empowerment…

• Ideological preventive measures:– Volunteer firefighters: Kobe
Kobe, Nagasaki
Nagasaki.
– Town-watching: Nagasaki– Rokko mountains greenbelt project: Rokko
Sabo Office– Self protection: Ishinomaki city22

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN3. Disaster education• Formal:– Education at school: different fields• Non-formal:– Memorials, museums, and parks (disastertourism?
– Evacuation drills: Miracle of Kamaishi City• Informal:I fl– Tsunamis in manga– Activities such as games aimed at children

23III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS – JAPAN4. Culture/society• Disasters are part of the Japanese culture• Mutual help – self help: 1995 Kobeearthquake• City level disaster drills: Shinjuku – supportedby the private sector as part of CSR.
CSR
• Willingness to learn about disasters

24III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN5. Challenges in CBDRR• False sense of security• Declining economy• Decliningg population
p p– yyouth leavingg
disaster prone communities for city life.
• DisjointedDi j i d andd traumatizedi d communitiesii

25

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND FINDINGS - JAPAN6. Summary of key findings in Japan• A holistic approach to CBDRR• Look-Learn-Participate• Continuity is vital for an effective CBDRR
process26

IV. CONCLUSION
1. Discussions• Japan’s’ biggest
bstrength
h is theh culture
landd thehintrinsic nature of the community.
• Disaster management is a priority at the grassroots
level and the legal framework identifies andmandates stakeholder agencies to promote CBDRR.
• Local ggovernments have better outreach to remotecommunities and involve these communities in theDRR process.
p• CBDRR effort in Japan relies on empowerment of theindividual through coordinated efforts at every levelof the government.
27

IV. CONCLUSION
1. Discussions…
• Maldivesld
ffaces a toughhbbattle
l in establishing
bl h acomprehensive CBDRR program.
• Must establish a strong disaster management
framework.
• Concurrent efforts to bring in relevant stakeholders
at the national level and remove anyy redundancies in
the mandates of different organizations .
• Local governments need to lay aside the politicaldifferences and proactively coordinate with thenational government
government.
• These are the basic requirements!
28

IV. CONCLUSION
2. Recommendations
1. Maldivesldneeds
d to enact theh Disaster Management
Act as soon as possible. In a passive communitysuch
h as theh Maldives,ld
assigning llegall mandates
danddresponsibilities is the only way to institutionalize acomprehensive
h i didisaster management process.
2. NDMC needs to lobby in the national government
and make DM a priority by showing the fiscal
advantages of a good DM system and efficient andeffective DRR measures.
3. Institutionalize evacuation drills and conduct islandwide evacuation drills that rely on using what is29
available on site.

IV. CONCLUSION
2. Recommendations…
4. NDMC needs
d to takek theh lleadd andd coordinate
dwith
hthe current organizations that conduct DRR projects
to beb on theh same page.
5. Strengthen the continuity of ongoing programs likethe volunteer firefighters program by MNDF and theCBDRR project by MRC.
6. Conduct innovative programs for disaster educationsuch as Kaeru Caravan that would leave a lastingg
impression on the participants.
30

IV. CONCLUSION
2. Recommendations…
7. Findd ways to makek current disasterdeducation
dprograms empower individuals. One example iswheneverhtherehis a tree-plantinglprogram in thehcountry; make the individuals grow a plant instead
off picking
i ki a plantlffrom somewhere
helse.
l Thishi iissimilar to the project by Rokko Sabo Office. Thiswould
ld givei theh participants
i ia sense off
accomplishment in addition to empowering them.

31

IV. CONCLUSION
3. Future studies•••

Thish study
d ffocuses on theh CBDRR efforts
ffin Japan.
The next step would be to conduct a thoroughresearchh on theh Maldives
ldwithh speciall ffocus on thehlocal governments.
A research on how Japan set up its disastermanagement process would be of use to theMaldives and would help in establishing the systemin the Maldives.
Study on how DRR measures are coordinated withclimate adaptation
pmeasures in Japanp would be
another field of study that would benefit the32Maldives.