Effective Approach for Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction in Cambodia

Abstract

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is an interdisciplinary discussion where four distinct components are involved: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Despite previous practices where the focus was more toward response and recovery, international DRR discussion is now more focused on how to reduce the risk effectively before the disaster happens. In this sense, modern concepts of Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) focus on bottom-up approaches where directly-impacted people have greater voice on reducing risk by utilizing localized adaptation measures, and increasing public awareness about disaster risks. The CBDRR concept can be considered under the rural development concept and a disaster information system has not established to provide meaningful data for prevention efforts. Cambodia, located in South East Asia, is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries which is regularly exposed to a variety of natural hazards such as floods, droughts and storms. Despite the efforts for DRR, the country faces technical and structural challenges to execute effective DRR efforts. As traditional one-way disaster communication efforts via mass media are challenged (Tan et al. 2017), disaster communications now are encouraged as two-way, interactive process where the public (users) can actively provide information (Feldman et al. 2016). Due to technical advancements, social networking and disaster mobile applications are now platforms that provide information not only to ministries and organizations, but now the public can also receive proper disaster related information before the disasters happens. In rural areas in Cambodia, the number of people using internet and cell phones is increasing dramatically. This allows organizations to provide disaster information which is specific to user’s locations via disaster plan applications and social networking sites. This can be an effective method of implementing CBDRR as communities’ participation is .0crucial component of CBDRR. The Private sector involvement is crucial for these methods to work sustainably across the country because the private sector has significant presence over the country, and also possesses substantial human, financial, and technical resources. Community members being potential customers to the private corporation participating in CBDRR can also be a contributing factor. The private sector involvement can contribute to a system where a sustainable approach for effective CBDRR can be established. While a number of research on CBDRR have been conducted over the last decades, not many research as been done on CBDRR in Cambodian context as the concept of DRR is relatively new. However, several recent researches and policy papers have stated the urgent needs of establishing effective DRR policy for Cambodia. The Disaster Communication and Informatics was mainly discussed in the context of Communication. However, I believe disaster communication should be discussed within Disaster discussion as social networking as communication method play important roles in disaster setting.;재난위험경감(Disaster Risk Reduction)은 다 학제 분야로 완화(mitigation), 준비(preparedness), 대응(response), 복구(recovery)의 네 구분으로 이루어져 있다. 이전의 연구 및 DRR 실행이 재난 대응 및 복구에 초점이 맞춰져 있었으나 국제적 DRR 의논은 재난이 실제로 일어나기 전 재해의 위험을 효과적으로 감소시키는 방향으로 나아가고 있는 추세이다. 이러한 의미로 현대적 의미의 커뮤니티 기반 재난위험경감은 직접적 영향을 받는 커뮤니티의 의견을 적극적으로 반영하고, 커뮤니티의 역량을 반영하며 인식 개선을 통해 DRR을 접근하는 상향식 접근(bottom-up approach)을 지향한다. 이러한 방식은 실제 커뮤니티 역량을 활용하여 적극적인 위험경감을 효과적으로 이룰 수 있는 장점이 있다. 캄보디아는 동남아시아 국가 중에서도 특히 홍수, 가뭄, 번개 등에 취약한 국가로 국제적 DRR 노력에 발맞춰 Hyogo Action Framework 과 Sendai Framework에 가입하고 재난운영을 위한 법(Law on Disaster Management)을 재정하는 등 여러가지 노력을 해오고 있다. 그러나 부처간 협력 부족, 재원 및 기술 부족 등 여러가지 어려움으로 효과적인 DRR을 이루지 못하고 있다. 커뮤니티 개념은 농촌개발의 일환으로 이해되고 재해위험경감에서 커뮤니티의 중요성은 언급도 안되고 있는 상황이다. 캄보디아의 효과적인 DRR노력을 위해 기존의 재난 통신 방식에서 벗어나 사회연결망(Social Networking)과 재난 어플리케이션(disaster app)을 활용한 DRR노력이 필요 할 것으로 보인다. 폭발적으로 늘어나는 캄보디아의 인터넷 및 휴대폰 사용은 이를 충분히 가능하게 할 것으로 생각된다. 또한 보다 지속가능한 DRR 및 CBDRR 수행을 위하여 기업 및 다양한 사기관(Private)의 참여를 촉진함으로써 시너시를 얻을 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.