Exploring Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction As a Community Practice Model: A Case Study of Disaster Affected Villages in Bihar, India

Background and Purpose: Disaster concepts and approaches have undergone a significant shift as a result of the 2005 Hyogo Protocol, from a focus on disaster recovery and post-disaster milieus, towards disaster mitigation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and pre-disaster settings. Attenuating this shift has been the development of community based programs seeking to identify, highlight and mitigate social vulnerabilities which exacerbate the effects of natural disasters, such as marginalization and extreme poverty. Central among these programs has been Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR).

Despite a clear overlap with Social Work practice and praxis, Social Work literature regarding disaster risk reduction, and social worker’s involvement in disaster contexts remains scant. Using interviews and focus group discussions carried out by a social work student as part of a UNICEF sponsored assessment of disaster affected regions in Bihar, India, this paper seeks to assess the effectiveness of CBDRR from a social work perspective. This case study will be used to explore CBDRR as a community practice model for social work with disaster prone communities.

Methods: 23 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult community members, local governance leaders, and NGO field staff, living in disaster affected villages in Bihar, India and receiving CBDRR intervention. 24 focused group discussions were conducted with community groups from selected villages. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were also carried out with the Chairman of the State Disaster Management Authority in Bihar state and the Assistant Chair of the State Disaster Management Committee.

Participants were recruited by UNICEF officials and NGO staff members working in identified villages. Interviews were conducted in Hindi and English. Interviews were transcribed and fully translated into English. Transcriptions were coded and analyzed using SPSS software to identify themes and outcomes of CBDRR interventions, as well as practitioner roles.

Findings: Key themes of CBDRR interventions identified through coding and analysis, were community involvement (98%), community autonomy (88%), identification and integration of community skills and assets (92%), and utilization of local practices, concepts and materials (76%). Key outcomes identified through focus group discussion and analysis of interviews were local leadership and skill development (82%), increased awareness about disasters and vulnerability (88%), and reduced impact of disasters on living conditions (76%).

Practitioner tasks were identified as raising awareness, fostering critical thinking, training, and educating community members regarding government programs and services. Practitioner roles were identified as coordinator, educator, trainer, facilitator and organizer.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings reveal the alignment between CBDRR and community social work practice. Analysis of interviews and key themes using a social work perspective reveal CBDRR as a strengths-based approach to disaster management and engagement with at-risk communities. The identified roles and tasks of CBDRR practitioners are in direct alignment with social work practice skills and imply the suitability of social workers within CBDRR interventions. The findings highlight the need to advocate for further integration of social work professionals within disaster programing and planning and integration of disaster related content within social work curriculum.