Institutionalizing protection in disaster risk reduction: A case study from the Dominican Republic

This case study addresses humanitarian protection as a key element of disaster risk management (DRM) at the national, provincial, municipal and community levels in the Dominican Republic. This includes the institutionalization of protection protocols that consider the specific needs of diverse segments of the population according to gender, age, disability and physical and health conditions, paying particular attention to the protection of groups at higher risk such as women, children, senior adults, people with disabilities, persons living with HIV/AIDS or other chronic illnesses, as well as Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent. 

This case study addresses a gap in protection and DRM. Since the early 2000s, the protection sector has made great strides in identifying and responding to risks affecting local populations during emergencies, whether in conflict situations or disaster response. But less attention has been given to thinking about protection through the lens of disaster risk preparedness. In disaster situations, protection measures and activities are normally implemented during the response phase but are not as often meaningfully considered as an integral part of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and prevention efforts.