The fundamental principle of community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) involves the development of bottom-up processes arising from the communities themselves. Development is based on the community's specific needs and its aspirations for safety, and appropriate actions to address these. The CBDRR course provided an opportunity for practitioners to learn, upgrade and share essential skills and knowledge to systematically address disaster risk reduction challenges at the community level and to facilitate the processes to reduce disaster risk of vulnerable communities.Participants acquired tools and knowledge on how to design and implement programs for reducing disaster risks and vulnerability leading to community capacity building to promote a culture of safety and self-reliance. The course provided an opportunity to gain hands-on experience through scenario-based simulation exercises.The participants had a chance to learn about globally acknowledged programs and approaches to CBDRR from leaders of these initiatives, with a particular focus on examples from South and Southeast Asia. The course also discussed the integration of disaster risk reduction plans to governmental and non-governmental development plans.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Discussed the context of CBDRR in a changing climate
2. Designed and conducted climate-inclusive community risk assessments
3. Identified measures for climate-inclusive disaster risk reduction through vulnerability reduction and community capacity development
4. Prepared risk reduction plans and discussed their integration into sectoral developmental programs
5. Analyzed issues and challenges in the implementation of community-based risk reduction and climate change adaptation programs
6. Discussed areas of professional development
7. Built commitment and value systems to promote community empowerment for climate-inclusive community risk reduction