Urbanising disaster risks: vulnerability of the urban poor in Cambodia to flooding and other hazards

The study proposes a number of policy options for the Urban Poor Poverty Reduction Working Group (led by Phnom Penh Municipality and UNICEF) and Joint Action Group for DRR to consider: mainstream DRR into urban planning, implement regulations that limit the negative environmental impacts of rapid urban development, increase the capacity of hard infrastructure, mainstream community-based WASH into DRR programmes and develop appropriate DRR interventions through participatory processes that recognize the specific context of hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities related to urban poor settlements.

While Cambodia continues to be predominantly rural society, the urban centres are growing at fast pace. The cities infrastructure is not prepared for this inflow, and majority of poor residents reside at the marginalized and peripheral land, prone to disasters, especially flooding. Urban disaster risks are little understood in Cambodia and there is limited research on the roots of urban poor vulnerability to disasters. The report focuses on two cities: Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham sheds some light on this topic.