Contribution of non-disaster risk reduction non-governmental organisations’ social network building programmes towards community-based disaster risk reduction: Bangladesh context

Abstract

This study aims to explore the contribution of social network-building programmes of non-disaster risk reduction (non-DRR) non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) within the context of the Satkhira district of Bangladesh using social network-building theory. Purposive sampling was employed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 respondents, including beneficiaries of NGOs, NGO officials and local government representatives. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis technique with the assistance of NVivo12 software. The data reveal that non-DRR NGOs contribute to CBDRR by creating bonding, bridging and linking networks that enhance coordination and collaboration at various levels. Bonding networks enhance coordination and collaboration within the community, bridging networks enhance collaboration between different communities, and linking networks enhance collaboration between local and external communities, thereby increasing the availability of resources, technical support and assistance. Such networks enable timely disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Nevertheless, there are several challenges to these functions, such as the diversity of stakeholder interests and an overshadowing of local needs by donor-driven priorities.
Contribution: This study highlights the social network building activities of non-DRR NGOs, their contribution to disaster resilience, and the need to integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) education into the programmes of non-DRR NGOs. These findings are useful for policymakers, practitioners and other NGOs that intend to use social networks to enhance community resilience. This study also points to the need for further investigation to determine whether these findings are applicable to other settings.