1. Vulnerability, Resilience and the Church
David Boan, PhD
Wheaton College
Humanitarian Disaster Institute
Vulnerability, Resilience and the Church

2. Three Parts to a Disaster
An event, for example a typhoon
Exposure, for example people living in the path of the typhoon
Vulnerability, people who are exposed and vulnerable to harm
World focuses on events, because they are dramatic and grab attention, but that focus is misleading

3. Are Disasters Getting Worse?
Em-Data data shows sharp increase in disasters, BUT.. Not the whole story
Harm is increasing faster than disaster events, and faster than the severity of events.
More people and buildings in the “bullseye”
The number of vulnerable people harmed in disasters is increasing faster than general population
To understand the increase we need to look at the increase in vulnerability

4. We Have Known this for Decades
People working in R&D know vulnerable people suffer the most, and that injustice is at the root of vulnerability
Programs have been addressing this for at least the past decade
And still, the number of vulnerable people is growing

5. More People are Vulnerable to Disasters … And Not Just in the Developing World
Poor forced to choose between livelihood and safety
Development favoring the wealthy, displacing the poor
Policies that favor the wealthy, such as building codes
Economic models that create disparities, ignore barriers
Disparities compound vulnerability
Social institutions that protect the vulnerable are being dismantled
Example - access to education, services to the elderly, transportation, healthcare

6. Disparities are Also Increasing
A disparity is a gap between groups, such as an income gap or health gap or education gap
Programs and services often benefit one group more than another, typically those with more resources and education benefit more than those without
Example – In US, mortality rising, longevity rising for rich, decreasing for the poor, largely due to access to healthcare
Lack of access to services impacts ability to recover from disasters
Programs developed in the majority world and transferred to the developing world add to disparities

7. Our Approach Needs to Change
Our model for natural disasters is to improve prediction and then promote preparedness
Using the same approach for climate change, BUT, we know more about the impact of extreme weather than we do about the impact of climate change
Our response model is based on predicting impact, but this is insufficient with DRR

8. We Need to Promote Local Learning and Collaboration
Emphasize learning at least as much as prediction and preparedness
Disentangle preparedness from long term vulnerability
Develop a dialog, share lessons across communities
Confront vulnerability, promote resilience
Link present vulnerability to long term adaptation to climate change

9. The Church is Central to Community Learning
Speak out about bad policies
Recognize vulnerability as the opposite of resilience and rooted in injustice
Recognize and speak for the vulnerable
Integrate disaster ministry into existing ministries
See disasters as exposing injustice.
See injustice as a defining ministry of the church
Make existing ministries “disaster aware”
How are the people you already minister to impacted by severe weather and climate change?

10. New Resources
Tearfund - Changing International Trends in Disasters and the Role of Christian Agencies
…ways the church and church-based organisations can address the increasing intensity and frequency of natural and man-made disasters
WEA – A Call to Commitment and Partnership
A policy paper on the role of the evangelical community in international development
HDI – Communities of Practice
Building local capacity for change

11. Conclusion Because… the ranks of the vulnerable are growing quickly
The vulnerable bear the brunt of disasters
Programs that fail to adapt to the needs of the vulnerable add to the problem
Therefore …
We need to foster local learning , discussion and sharing
The church needs to be the voice and advocate for the vulnerable