Options for Including Community Resilience in the Post-2015 Development Goals

Abstract

Resilience needs to be at the heart of the post-2015 debate. Disasters inflict significant damage on local communities, with disproportionate effects felt by the poorest and most vulnerable. Disasters, alongside gradual stresses and ‘everyday crises’, are also responsible for significant setbacks in development progress, including in food security and poverty reduction efforts (see ECLAC 2005). With this in mind, a ‘resilience approach’ is needed to safeguard progress on the goals that will be agreed under a post-2015 framework in the face of current and future risk. Looked at in another way, the next set of goals must be underpinned by a risk-sensitive development framework. This is especially relevant given that the intensity of, and exposure and vulnerability to, many disasters is increasing in light of global trends such as climate change, depletion of natural resources, urbanisation and demographic shifts.Below we outline the case for including resilience in the post-2015 development goals and explore the characteristics of a resilient community. We briefly take stock of existing proposals for including resilience in the post-2015 framework, and make recommendations for practical options for targets and indicators based on three scenarios: Embedding resilience in a poverty goal; mainstreaming resilience in other sectoral goals; and a standalone goal on resilience. Finally, areas for further consideration in ensuring that resilience is taken up within the post-2015 consultation process are outlined.