A framework for community participation in post-disaster housing reconstruction projects: A case of Afghanistan

Abstract

The study aims to develop a framework for community participation that can inform a participatory approach more effectively when planning and developing post-disaster reconstruction projects. It focused on post-disaster housing reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore and explain the impact of the barriers upon community participation, and how such impact can be eliminated or reduced. The analysed results were extended to facilitate the development of a framework for more successful community participation in post-disaster reconstruction. This study identified five common barriers to community participation, which are: lack of community capacity, gender issues, lack of professional competence in NGOs, government policies and practices, and lack of adequate security. A logical framework is proposed as a pragmatic solution for community capacity development activities, which should lead to achieving the following objectives: to re-establish community structure; to encourage sense of project ownership; to provide disaster recovery support; and to provide livelihood opportunities.