community-based disaster risk management and the media media kit

CASE STUDY 2
chapter 5. country CBDRM case studies
The Nature and Practice of CBDRM in East Timor
(Eduardo da Costa, OXFAM GB)
Paper presented during the Third Disaster Management
Practitioners Workshop for Southeast Asia, May 2004,
Bangkok
Oxfam is one of the few agencies involved in CBDM in
Timor-Léste, and perhaps the only one developing a
CBDM program at this stage. This presentation, therefore,
will largely focus on the CBDM work of Oxfam in Timor-
Léste, and in particular the preparatory work already done
and the work planned for implementation over the next
two to three years. This presentation will also look at some
of the features of the overall context for CBDM in Timor-
Léste. CBDM is still in its very early stages in Timor-Léste,
and the development of effective approaches to CBDRM is
likely to take many years. The basic aim of Oxfam’s CBDM
work is to strengthen the capacity of the government, civil
society organizations (CSOs) and communities to prepare
for and respond to natural disasters and violent confl icts in
a gender sensitive way.
The main outcomes that Oxfam is seeking to achieve
through its CBDM work include the following:
• Communities in target areas are able to manage their
own disaster mitigation, preparedness and response
activities.
• Partner organizations and local government in target
areas are able to develop, implement and support
CBDM initiatives.
• Key stakeholders in CBDM (communities, partners,
and government) coordinate on CBDM strategies and
activities at all levels.
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