Disaster Risk Reduction Communication and Sensitization Strategy for Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

This Communication and Sensitization (C&S) strategy will target children and youth, local communities, and media across the island states of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles with the ultimate aim of ensuring that the concept of disaster risk is taken into consideration at every level of society. This C&S strategy aligns with the global imperative of shifting from managing disasters after they occur towards developing a pre-emptive understanding of risk and how to manage it so as to minimize losses and enhance resilience.

The formulation of a Communication and Sensitization (C&S) strategy is one of the key activities planned under the “Building Resilience and Improving Institutional Capacity in Indian Ocean Island States for Disaster Risk Reduction” component of the “Resilience Building and Disaster Response Management in the Indian Ocean (RMRM-IO) Programme”. The aim of the The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR and formerly UNISDR)-led component is to improve disaster risk reduction (DRR) understanding and governance capacities in the island states of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

Research was conducted to build a sound evidence base for the design of the strategy. A number of general conclusions were drawn that inform the Communication and Sensitization strategy (C&S):

• There is a pressing need for greater awareness around disaster risk reduction (DRR) in all four countries targeted by the strategy.
• Member States, The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR and formerly UNISDR) and partners are already engaged in several DRR campaigns and initiatives, and several of the assets which they have developed may be of use when rolling out this new C&S strategy.
• The most striking chord of unanimity from the consulted groups was the conviction that the target audience for this strategy should be primarily young people, while ensuring the inclusion of women and persons with disabilities.
• Technical capacity for digital and mass communication varies considerably across the region.