Yakohama Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Hyogo Framework of Actions and Total Disaster Risk Management (TDRM) Approach

The traditional approach to the disaster management was mainly based on the premise that disasters are sudden occurrences and man has no role to play in its process. The state’s capacity can be overwhelmed by the disasters and government / people have limited role to play in disasters. It’s further premises were:

• Development and disasters are two separate phenomena so approach to disaster management is to be different from development process
• Victims of disasters are passive receivers to aid and relief. No role for them in disaster management.
• Disaster management generally means post-disaster relief operations.

Thus, the traditional approach was inadequate and minimal as far as confronting with the various disasters is concerned.  In the 1990s, when the UN declared the decade as International Decade of Natural Disasters Reduction, a gradual evolution of new approach started. One of the most important steps to give a concrete shape to new approach in disaster management was the Yakohama Conference. This UN conference was held in 1994. At the end of this conference a new Yakohama Strategy for Disaster Reduction was adopted. This strategy was aimed at minimizing the losses to human lives and property due to disasters. This strategy inter alia included the following:

• A global culture for prevention of disasters must be cultivated
• The vulnerable countries and communities should frame and implement policies of self reliance.
• Education and training mechanisms should be strengthened
• The Community participation to reduce vulnerabilities should be emphasized
• NGOs should be given broader platform to work
• UN agencies should be strengthened.

The Yakohama Strategy was further revised at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held at Hyogo (Kobe) in Japan in 2005. This conference brought together government officials, non-governmental experts and other specialists from around the world to discuss the growing trend of people affected by natural disasters.  The outcome of this conference was Hyogo Framework for Action. The HFA suggests five specific priorities for action:

• Making disaster risk reduction a priority;
• Improving risk information and early warning;
• Building a culture of safety and resilience;
• Reducing the risks in key sectors;
• Strengthening preparedness for response.

The current strategies to disaster management across the globe advocate comprehensive framework and approach for all facets of disaster management. This approach is proactive and holistic and focuses on reducing the risk and vulnerability to disasters through a multidimensional and multilevel coordination among all stakeholders with the guiding principles and priorities in Hyogo Framework for Action and other such instruments. This approach is called Total Disaster Risk Management Approach (TDRM).

Total Disaster Risk Management (TDRM) Approach

The objective of Total Disaster Risk Management Approach (TRDM) is to integrate the existing knowledge and techniques of disaster reduction and response to risk management.

This approach emphasises that the natural disasters are not natural, but rather man-made disasters are the consequences of natural hazards and human actions or inactions. Thus, the human societies have the capacity to recognize the risks and factors that could lead or cause disasters, as well as the appropriate interventions to control or manage them. In other words, disasters can be prevented or, at least, their destructiveness minimized. So, human action or inaction to high risk and vulnerability to natural hazards could spell the difference in the Disaster Management Cycle. Secondly, the significant progress has been made in disaster management, moving from ad-hoc relief to developmental approach. The basic concept of the disaster cycle that has been widely used in the last two decades has complemented the TDRM. Thirdly, it has been recognized that the community action and management of the disaster cycle are important, and disaster relief and development are linked.

Thus, TDRM has very much logical relevance to current Disaster Management Cycle and every stage of it. The TDRM envisages preventing or mitigating disasters through the enhancement of local capacity and capacity and capability, especially in recognizing and reducing disaster risks and possibly transforming them into development opportunities. It also emphasises to enhance coordination among communities to participate in the decision-making process for disaster management.

As its essential features, TDRM focuses on the underlying conditions of risks generated by unsustainable development, which lead to disaster occurrence. It also endeavours to minimize, if not prevent, disaster losses and to maximize development opportunities. Moreover, its thrust is to increase the capacity of the communities to recognize, manage and reduce risks, and, consequently, the occurrence and magnitude of disasters.