Natural disaster damage affects individuals and nations in all aspects, including safety, living conditions, health, and the economy. It also hinders development. Many countries around the world have adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which was endorsed by 187 UN member countries, including Thailand, at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan. This framework aims to align disaster risk reduction strategies globally.
World Vision Thailand has implemented Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) with concrete and continuous efforts, following these operational approaches:
- Prioritise disaster management as a core element of policies, projects, and operations
- Support community-led processes to build resilience and recovery capabilities from disasters
- Raise awareness of the importance of prevention through preparedness and mitigation before disasters, alongside response and recovery after disasters
- Focus on risk reduction as the main approach to managing various disasters such as landslides, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes
- Strive to implement the CBDRM model comprehensively and sustainably in the long term to reduce response costs when disasters strike
World Vision Thailand has carried out ministries to mitigate the severity of disaster impacts by enhancing knowledge and preparedness for children and communities. The goal is to empower communities to cope with and reduce the damage caused by disasters. This includes various activities and initiatives such as:
- Safe school curriculum for disaster risk reduction: A specialised curriculum has been developed and implemented as part of the ASEAN Safe Schools Initiative (ASSI)
- Developing information and risk maps for educational institutions nationwide: To identify risk areas and prepare preventive measures
- Awareness and knowledge promotion activities: Organising activities for students at school to build understanding and awareness of disaster risks
Activities to support the development and empowerment of the disaster management committee: To promote coordinated mechanisms between the school and the community through the School Disaster Management Committee
- Implementing CBDRM in operational areas: World Vision Thailand is committed to applying the comprehensive and community-driven CBDRM model in all operational areas to reduce vulnerability and enhance disaster resilience
- Training staff and volunteers nationwide on disaster management: Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)
Implementing emergency relief projects: Providing shelters, food, drinking water, and medical services during disasters, such as the major floods in northern and southern Thailand in the past year
Collaborating with network partners: World Vision Thailand works with other organisations, government agencies, and stakeholders to implement DRR activities at both community and school levels. This includes supporting the development of DRR plans and local emergency response plans. For example, participating in the Thailand Safe School Network (TSSN), a national stakeholder collaboration mechanism established in February 2014, to promote school safety in line with the Comprehensive School Safety Framework 2022-2030, focusing on children’s rights and the adaptation of educational institutes.
Raising awareness and preparedness not only helps children and communities better cope with disasters, but also lays the foundation for a safer and more sustainable future for them..
