CA Country Programme Disaster Resilience Requirements
Christian Aid recognises humanitarian work as being central to its identity and part of its core business as set out in
P4C and No Small Change. Addressing natural and conflict disaster risks is an integral part of our resilient livelihoods
approach in that failure to do so could eradicate livelihood gains built up over several years of successful
development interventions when a disaster strikes. This document articulates what we expect to see under the Risk
and Resource Management component of CA’s Thriving and Resilient Livelihoods Framework, focussing on the
prevention of and appropriate response to disasters. The real value of CA’s approach is in the integration of the
different components. We aim to see a DRR approach that is strengthened by factoring in other elements of the
framework, as well as development programmes recognising and addressing DRR in their project design.
1. Communities identify and
understand the disaster risks
they face
2. Community preparedness
and response plans are in place
and functioning
3. Community Early Warning
Systems are in place and
functioning
4. Communities engage in
disaster mitigation/prevention
activities
5. The policy environment
enables and supports
community disaster risk
reduction
Participatory analysis with communities includes a discussion about the
disaster risks they face, what causes them, and how they have affected,
or could affect their lives and livelihoods; this information is used to
inform the design of project interventions. Communities should be able
to identify the relevant disaster risks in their contexts:
 Rapid onset: floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, fire etc.
 Slow onset: drought
 Conflict: resource-led, national etc
Communities are organised to implement the functional aspects of
managing an emergency. This may include:

Rapid onset/ conflict: community contingency plans, first aid
training, emergency simulations/drills, response equipment
purchased (lifeboats, torches, radios, food stockpiles etc.)
construct cyclone shelters

Slow onset: Herd de-stocking plans made with local traders,
community water/ pasture management plans
Communities have access to, understanding of, and ability to use early
warning information including associated mechanisms and equipment
to enable an effective response to disaster risks. This might include:

Rapid onset: Weather information alerts, upstream –
downstream community warning mechanisms

Slow onset: short-term climate forecasts, use of traditional
indicators
 Conflict: Access to conflict alerts between villages
Communities implement mitigation and prevention measures to reduce
the direct effects of a disaster. These could include:

Rapid onset: build flood defences, dredge rivers, relocate
vulnerable HHs etc.

Slow onset: construct grain banks, water harvesting structures;
improve pasture quality, animal health etc.

Conflict: increase negotiation capacity e.g. promote safe
dialogue opportunities between conflicting parties
Policy-makers and power-holders ensure that their decisions and
actions strengthen community risk reduction and emergency
preparedness, including:

Budget/policy: government units legislate and allocate
funding for community disaster mitigation activities

Practice: private sector actors implement risk-aware business
models i.e. do not expose communities to increased risks