Workshop Stresses Stronger Grassroots Communication For Disaster Preparedness

Vijayawada: A two-day workshop jointly organized by Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) and UNICEF concluded on Friday with a call to strengthen dissemination of disaster-related information at the grassroots level and improve preparedness and response mechanisms.

The workshop titled ‘Risk Communication and Community Participation for Disaster Risk Reduction in Andhra Pradesh’ paid special attention to women, children, elderly, disabled and other high-risk groups. Participants underlined the need to ensure that social and behavior change communication tools developed by the National Disaster Management Institute reach their final point.

APSDMA director general Prakhar Jain said effective disaster risk reduction depends on communication planning, community engagement, trust building, behavioral analysis and strong feedback mechanisms at all stages of disaster management.

UNICEF expert Seema explained the basic concepts of disaster risk reduction, inclusive community planning and community-based approaches. Experts also highlighted the roles and responsibilities of government departments, field-level personnel and non-governmental organizations in strengthening disaster preparedness and response.