A New Guiding Framework for Engaging Diverse Populations in Disaster Risk Reduction: Reach, Relevance, Receptiveness, and Relationships

Abstract

Disaster messaging is only effective if the population it is intended for embraces it. For minority communities, several factors can affect people’s resilience to hazards. These include language and cultural barriers, lack of local knowledge (including hazard awareness), limited social networks, access to fewer resources, marginalization, and inadequate familiarity with local organizational structures that provide disaster support. This is especially true in urban environments characterized by rich diversity. The use of different forms of media creates challenges to ensuring that disaster risk reduction communications reach those potentially affected. This article presents a study with 20 Pacific Island community leaders and connectors about their communities’ perspectives and anticipated responses to natural hazards in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The rich cultural and linguistic backgrounds of multiple Pacific communities living in this city highlight the need to consider the complexities of disaster messaging related to natural hazards. In particular, the article highlights the need to incorporate reach, relevance, receptiveness, and relationships as an embedded guiding framework that can inform disaster communication.