Culture & DRR: No one left behind

This publication highlights the role of culture in disaster policy and practice, and a set of lessons learned and action steps necessary to advance the recognition and inclusion of cultural priorities and values of groups vulnerable to or impacted by disaster in DRR activities.

Disasters result from the interaction of natural or technological hazards with human populations exhibiting varying degrees of vulnerability resulting from unequal development, structural inequalities, and poor preparedness systems and infrastructure. Planning and recovery that proceed without local perspectives or consideration of cultural worldviews can produce significant and costly misunderstandings between institutions and local communities, resulting in compromises in disaster risk reduction and recovery efforts.