Best Practices for Disaster Prevention and Risk Management Disseminated Among Central American MunicipalitiesC

Given the ever-present threat of natural disasters, many municipal governments in Central America are adopting innovative prevention and risk management measures to reduce the vulnerability of their constituencies. Disseminating such success stories is the chief objective of “Vivir en riesgo, dormir seguro” (Living with risk, sleeping soundly), a new awareness-raising project promoted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Federation of Municipalities of the Central American Isthmus (FEMICA) and the Central American Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention (CEPREDENAC).

As a starting point, the project identified best practices in several municipalities of Honduras (San Pedro Sula and the MAMUCA Confederacy of Local Governments of Central Atlántida), El Salvador (San Salvador) and Nicaragua (Estelí and Managua). These practices were summarized and collected in an information kit that includes a variety of print and audiovisual materials. Starting in June 2003 and continuing until October, the kit will be used in training workshops for mayors of those three countries. The municipal governments, in turn, will train community leaders and members of various local prevention and emergency committees. The project will conclude with an evaluation of the impact of the actions taken.

For more information please contact Ángela Fúnez, IDB,
angelaf@iads.org