Linking Preparedness, Resilience and Response (LPRR)

The project had three strands focusing on:

• Conflict prevention aimed at co-developing methodologies for better resilience programming in countries facing multiple risks. The new methodologies were piloted in Kenya, Pakistan and Honduras and revised based on lessons learned
• Humanitarian response strand aimed to analyse past humanitarian interventions to understand and map out how emergency response could be better informed by communities’ understanding of what builds their resilience and links to longer term development.
  Case studies collected in Bangladesh, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, the Philippines
• Learning: it used an action learning research to systematically capture learning and strengthen skills and knowledge. Led by King’s College London, findings informed the practice of organisations involved in the project resulting in better programmes and more resilient communities. 

Conflict strand: communities identified community-led actions that addressed the interconnections between conflict and natural hazards to help reduce their vulnerabilities. For example, conflict can be exacerbated by drought, so by addressing this relationship we helped prevent violence and build long-term resilience.

In Kenya, the project established peace committees, which during the ongoing drought the two traditionally conflicting tribes, managed the resources for grazing and the delivery of relief without any escalation of violence. This was the first time this had happened. On the other hand, in neighbouring counties there had been significant violence. The delivery of relief was coordinated by the county using the ICPR conflict analysis as a framework. Learn more in this blog

In Pakistan, women identified actions such as water points to improve their health and street lights to improve their safety, in particular to guide them when evacuating from floods at night.

Humanitarian strand: research led by Kings College London was conducted in 7 countries. The study asked 327 crises survivors and first responders (both local partners and field staff) to draw upon their own experience and expertise to strengthen response to humanitarian crises.

Evidence from this research identified 6 common principles for better humanitarian response that enables and does not undermine long-term community resilience.  

Read the research study

The core principles were:

1. Allow and enable the community to co-run the response
2. Coordinate Interventions and work with the government
3. Support community cohesion and establish effective two-way communication between crises survivors and implementing organisations
4. Address underlying causes of vulnerability: protect and prepare
5. Psycho social support and mental health
6. Income generation, cash and savings

The findings of this research have been presented at: a DFID technical session, Kings College, the Science and Technology Advisory Group Workshop, the Start Network Members day.

Watch the research findings that were presented at the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction in Cancun 2017.