Determination of Constraints in Existing DRR Coordination Mechanisms Among Different Humanitarian Actors of Coastal Bangladesh
摘要
Bangladesh is placed fourth in the Asia–Pacific region for risk factors and has been identified as one of the most disaster-prone nations in terms of extreme climate change occurrences. The study was undertaken in the coastal Barguna district of Bangladesh, to identify different disaster risk reduction (DRR) actors in humanitarian sectors; existing constraints of DRR coordinating mechanisms among different stakeholders; to formulate and suggest a framework to resolve the problems related to DRR coordination mechanisms. Results revealed that different humanitarian actors (HA) in DRR-based active working sectors of Bangladesh. The selected DRR actors were the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Fisheries (DoF), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), different Non-governmental Organization (NGO), and International non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Existing gaps found among the acting humanitarian actors related to DRR coordination mechanisms made it difficult to find strong coordination and relationship practices among the different actors; no master plan was prepared to perform DRR activities; no established structure had been found to coordinate among the DRR actors; more emphasis on own reputation rather than community services and lower practices of database preservation related to DRR practices by humanitarian actors. Existing gaps found among the different humanitarian actors and community people related to DRR coordinating mechanisms were: the respondents of M. Balia Toli, Bodor Khali, and Noltona Union opined that the community people were not selected as a representative of any group or committee; community people not received sufficient seeds, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs for emergency recovery due to their vulnerability reasons; inappropriate dissemination of early warning through locally activated humanitarian organization before disaster and the humanitarian actors provided insufficient evacuation assistance in taking rescue shelters. The constraints faced by the community people related to DRR coordination were a lack of opportunities for DRR-related training; early warning practices, participation in community awareness programs; unwillingness to share knowledge and skills regarding DRR with community group meetings; lack of access to digital media (radio and television) and mistrust on warning and forecasting with showing no interest for moving to shelter. Considering the different limitations in practicing DRR activity found in the current study, an appropriate selection of specific problems, limitations, and actors-based coordination mechanisms might be the best approach to solve existing problems faced by the different HA in the district disaster management committee (DDMC) and District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO). A draft framework was proposed to get the basic guidelines to reduce gaps in coordination mechanisms among the different actors to achieve minimum humanitarian standards in disaster response.