Public review of the Words into Action guide: ‘Using traditional knowledges for disaster risk reduction’

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction invites members of the DRR community to comment on the new Words into Action guide on using traditional knowledges for disaster risk reduction.

For generations, indigenous peoples and local communities have successfully used traditional methods to prepare for and respond to disasters. Their risk reduction practices were based on knowledge and experience of surrounding content, well before technology-based early warning systems, disaster risk mitigation strategies, and operating procedures for response.

This Words into Action (WiA) guide aims to provide a practical overview of how traditional knowledges can be used to complement scientific knowledge in disaster risk reduction (DRR). The guide provides a methodology to include aspects of traditional knowledge in decision-making. It provides practice guidance to build the capacity of various stakeholders in the DRR community.

Using a knowledge co-production methodology, WiA work groups take a participatory approach that ensures wide and representative diversity in sources of know-how. In this context, the WiA guide on traditional knowledges for DRR will be on PreventionWeb for public review for two months (until 29 September) to ensure no important aspect has been overlooked.