The World Disasters Report 2002 observed that the impact of disasters has increased globally by three-fold, since 1970s. Countries with Low Human Development have been specially overwhelmed by this trend. Concurrently there has been a heightened realization amongst disaster risk management community that the loss of life and property could be reduced only through enhanced capability ‘of people at the front end of disaster’. During the past few decades many international and national NGOs, UN agencies and government departments in several countries have undertaken highly innovative initiatives to reduce vulnerability and increase capacity of community. However, it has been a challenging arena. The CBDRM course was initiated in order to provide an opportunity to practitioners to learn essential skills and knowledge to address implementation challenges in a systematic manner. The CBDRM curriculum is reviewed every 2-3 years in order to keep up with the changes in social, economic, political and technological disciplines. We are glad to announce that the CBDRM-11 will be the first course after the latest review held in November 2002. The review was participated by CBDRM alumni and experts from a range of regional and international organizations. The course title is changed from CBDM to CBDRM, since the review meeting observed that the course promotes a risk management framework (CBDRM).

The CBDRM 11 will provide an opportunity to learners to acquire tools and obtain knowledge on "how to" design and implement programs on reducing vulnerability, mitigating hazards and building community capacity so as to promote a ‘culture of safety’. Through exercises and simulations they will practice risk assessment and risk management planning.

The learners would have a chance to know about globally acknowledged programs and projects on community based disaster risk management from leaders of these initiatives. In particular the cases would include examples particularly from South and South East Asia and Pacific regions.

CBDRM course would tackle the issues in disaster risk management from a developmental perspective. There will also be discussions on issues and problems concerning sustainability, replication/adaptation of CBDRM projects, ethics of CBDRM practice and integration of risk management plans with government and non-government development plans.

The bulk of discussions would be in Asian context. However, learners from other regions are welcome to attend the course. 

At the end of the course the learners are expected to:

• Examine various models on disaster risk management;
• Design and conduct community based disaster risk assessment;
• Identify measures for hazard & vulnerability reduction & community capacity building;
• Prepare a risk reduction plan & how to integrate it in development activities;
• Analysis problems in implementation of community based risk reduction plans;
• Describe areas of professional development to become a good CBDRM practitioner;
  

The course is extended over 11 workdays with one Sunday off. It is structured around following modules.

Context of community based disaster risk management: In this module learners and resource persons will analyze risks and impact of disasters on communities in their countries and internationally.

Framework for CBDRM: The place of CBDRM in overall disaster risk management, definitions of terms, analysis of different models, importance of community based approach and the process in different contexts.

Community risk assessment: Perceptions of risk, hazard, vulnerability and capacity assessment, orientation on participatory risk assessment tools, and practice and application of tools followed by debriefing and discussions on ethics of CBDRM practice.

Risk Reduction Planning: Identification of risk reduction measures, prioritization, preparation of risk reduction plan, stakeholder analysis, organizational mechanism for plan implementation, examples on integration of risk reduction into development activities and planning facilitation skills.

CBDRM Implementation: Topical presentations and sharing on issues and problems related to implementation of CBDRM projects; e.g. hazard (structural) mitigation, early warning, public awareness, community organizing, livelihoods strengthening, community health, training, community preparedness, emergency response and sustainability and replication.

Future Directions: Learners self-review, synthesis of learning log and re-entry plan, integration of CBDRM into the organizations of the learners.