Monitoring and Reporting Progress on CBDM in Indonesia

Most of the disasters in Indonesia are natural while in some cases, the occurrence of these disasters is aggravated by the people’s inability to eliminate potential hazards or prevent these hazards from emerging. 

But as complex as the causes might be, concern toward disaster should be focused more on the impact and how to manage it.

A top-down approach in viewing disaster management tends to overlook local resources that may have the potential to build a disaster prevention or recovery program. But in some cases, this kind of approach also increases the vulnerability of local people to disaster risk.

Such gaps in disaster management efforts serve as lessons in creating a new and better approach. After evaluating several possibilities, experts in the field concluded that a new risk management program must have more opportunities to involve local people. 

In creating bigger roles for the people, the new approach shall be community-based and will focus on ways to encourage and invite more active participation from the members of the community to propose ideas in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program. 

Stakeholders at various levels, including the government, will work in a single, coordinated effort.
Community-based Disaster Risk Management consists of steps of actions encompassing prevention of risks, emergency preparedness, emergency procedures, and recovery after a disaster. 

The term ‘community-based’ means that disaster management is jointly dealt with, by the community. 

Although the role of the community varies, it is agreed that under this approach, communities are the main actors that develop and implement important policies in relation to disaster management. 

This argument bears implication on the role of CBDRM practitioners as the ‘outsider’ although they may come from and live in the community. 

Their contribution in assisting community members in dealing with disaster management are defined by limited spatial dimension and time availability. 

Furthermore, this has implication for practitioners to build their awareness on entry and exit strategies. CBDRM is an acknowledgement of the community’s capacity to determine the type and approach of disaster management that is most suitable to them. 

It recognizes the basic rights of individuals and communities to self determination. Following this line of thinking, to the extent required by laws and regulations, the communities have the right and the capacity to determine what and how disaster can be managed in their respective areas.  
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