Community participation in disaster recovery programs: A study of a coastal area in Bangladesh

• Main Authors: Islam, Emadul, Wahab, Haris Bin Abd, Benson, Odessa Gonzalez
• Format: Article
• Published: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd 2022
• Subjects: JA Political science (General); JF Political institutions (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/40692/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

This study explores disaster-affected local community participation in disaster recovery programs led by governmental organizations (GOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Focusing on programming in response to the devastating cyclone Aila in the coastal areas in Bangladesh in 2009, the study employed a mixed-method approach using qualitative data (interviews and focus groups) and quantitative data (surveys). Quantitative findings reveal a moderate level of participation in all four stages (decision-making, implementation, benefit sharing, and evaluation) in GO and NGO recovery projects. Qualitative findings reveal that the decision-making process was controlled by project authorities, local elites, and power politics; community participation was limited to passive participation. Furthermore, findings suggest that GO-led programs as less effective in facilitating community participation, compared with NGO-led programs. Findings point to the need for policymakers and practitioners to view community participation not as a monolithic concept, but as a multi-dimensional, dynamic process that can be facilitated more effectively when disaster recovery programming and policies are targeted and intentional in aiming for partnerships and empowerment especially during decision-making phases of programming, rather than nominal forms of community participation. Further, findings call for comparative studies of GO-led and NGO-led programs to better understand organizational culture and institutional mechanisms and their differential impact on community participation during disaster recovery. © 2021, European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI).