Title: Community Participation in Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management: A Scoping Review of Strategies, Outcomes, and Barriers
Authors: Richard P. Pasco
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Pages: 98-106
Publication Date: 2026/06/28
Abstract:
Community participation is widely recognized as a foundation of local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), yet the meaning of participation and the approaches used to sustain it vary considerably across settings and phases of the disaster cycle. This scoping review mapped the strategies used to involve communities in local DRRM planning, preparedness, response, and recovery; the outcomes associated with these approaches; and the barriers that limit meaningful participation. Guided by the Arksey and O'Malley framework, Levac and colleagues' refinements, JBI methodological guidance, and PRISMA-ScR, the review applied a Population-Concept-Context lens. The population included residents, community volunteers, local leaders, civil society organizations, and other local actors; the concept was community participation in DRRM; and the context was local or community-level disaster governance. A targeted search of web-accessible peer-reviewed studies, reviews, and authoritative policy guidance published from 2004 to 21 June 2026 was conducted. Twenty-six substantive sources were charted. Five themes emerged: (1) participatory risk assessment and co-designed local plans anchor participation in the planning stage, (2) community committees, volunteers, drills, and early warning systems operationalize preparedness, (3) community networks and feedback mechanisms strengthen local response, (4) locally led needs assessment, recovery planning, and livelihood support enable more accountable recovery, and (5) meaningful participation depends on power-sharing, inclusive representation, trust, resources, and institutional follow-through. An emergent framework is proposed to show how local context and system enablers shape participation across the DRRM cycle, activate shared ownership and collective capability, and support relevant plans, preparedness, timely response, equitable recovery, and resilience. The review concludes that community participation should be treated as an ongoing governance practice rather than a one-time consultation activity.