Disaster Risk Management in the Province of Córdoba (Argentina): Participation Mechanisms in the Organizational Structure and Planning

Abstract

The most important mission of subnational governments in terms of disaster risk management is to plan and create structures and processes necessary for the construction of governance, stimulating communication among all the actors involved to strengthen the bonds of trust and the assumption of common responsibilities and individuals, and for a more efficient use of resources. On one hand, this raises important demands in terms of organizational redesign, counting on decision, communication and flexible relations processes that allow the articulation of people and resources within the organization and outside of it, in order to establish the different functions and results to be achieved through collaborative work, based on the objectives of disaster risk management. On the other hand, it requires a review of planning processes, with the participation of actors from all areas and levels, indispensable in the design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of such planning. In this paper we analyze the ways in which the government of the province of Córdoba (Argentina) designs its organizational structure and raises its disaster risk management planning processes in a participatory manner, in order to guarantee joint work between government, civil society, private sector and at-risk populations.