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Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Gender, Community-Based Approaches, and Local Governance in Mitigating Water-Related Hazards

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1779

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD), China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, China
Interests: disaster risk reduction education (DRRE); risk characterization (urban/rural); community resilience and vulnerability; community-based disaster risk manage-ment; public health in emergencies; NGOs and disaster risk reduction; gender and disaster risk reduction; DRR at the local government level

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: gender and disasters; climate and vulnerable communities; rural communities and disaster management capacities; bottom-up approaches in dealing with climate hazards; disaster and social inequality; disasters and gender-based violence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As climate change accelerates, water-related hazards—including floods, droughts, and water scarcity—present escalating risks that disproportionately impact rural and urban communities worldwide. Vulnerable populations, especially women, children, and marginalized groups, are particularly affected by these climate-induced disasters, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) frameworks. These frameworks must not only address the specific vulnerabilities of these groups but must also harness the valuable insights and adaptive capacities that local communities bring. However, despite their crucial role, local communities are often underrepresented in DRR planning and implementation processes. Achieving effective risk reduction requires coordinated, bottom-up approaches that empower communities, prioritize gender equity, and strengthen local governance. These inclusive strategies are essential for building resilience and ensuring that DRR efforts are both comprehensive and sustainable across diverse social and environmental contexts.

This Special Issue, titled “Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Gender, Community-Based Approaches, and Local Governance in Mitigating Water-Related Hazards”, aims to explore innovative and inclusive strategies to manage water-related hazards more effectively in the face of climate change. Recognizing that water hazards such as floods, droughts, and water scarcity affect communities differently based on gender, social status, and geographic location, this issue seeks to shed light on how tailored DRR approaches can foster resilience across diverse populations.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews, and case studies are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR);
  • Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction;
  • Community-based disaster risk management;
  • Climate Change Adaptation (CCA);
  • Community resilience and vulnerability;
  • Local governance and DRR;
  • Disaster Risk Reduction Education (DRRE);
  • Risk characterization (urban/rural);
  • Public health in emergencies;
  • Bottom-up approaches to climate-induced hazards;
  • Sustainable development and disaster resilience;
  • Capacity building for climate resilience
  • Role of NGOs in Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Socio-economic impacts of water hazards;
  • Nature-based solutions for DRR and CCA;
  • Water hazards and social inequalities;
  • Gender-based violence in response to water hazards.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Shah
Guest Editor

Dr. Wahid Ullah
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • inclusive disaster risk reduction
  • community resilience and vulnerability
  • local governance and disaster risk reduction
  • community-based disaster risk management
  • socio-economic impacts of water hazards
  • nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
  • water hazards and social inequalities
  • gender based violence in response to water hazards

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 1324 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerabilities of Flood-Affected Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
by Wahid Ullah, Haijun Dong, Ashfaq Ahmad Shah, Chong Xu and Bader Alhafi Alotaibi
Water 2025, 17(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17020198 - 13 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1421
Abstract
Climate-induced migration is increasingly affecting communities, disrupting livelihoods, and intensifying socio-economic inequalities, particularly in disaster-prone regions. Despite the prevalence of recurring flood hazards, there remains limited research on the multi-dimensional impacts of migration particularly in socio-culturally sensitive and resource-constrained settings like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [...] Read more.
Climate-induced migration is increasingly affecting communities, disrupting livelihoods, and intensifying socio-economic inequalities, particularly in disaster-prone regions. Despite the prevalence of recurring flood hazards, there remains limited research on the multi-dimensional impacts of migration particularly in socio-culturally sensitive and resource-constrained settings like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. This study seeks to bridge this gap by exploring the post-migration challenges of flood-affected communities in District Nowshera. Using a qualitative methodology, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 diverse key informants. The study results revealed profound socioeconomic instability, inadequate access to essential services, and cultural disruptions. Key findings include significant challenges such as inadequate housing, the loss of traditional livelihoods, persistent financial hardships, health issues, and the breakdown of social support networks. Moreover, displaced families face marginalization and language barriers, which hinder integration into host communities, amplifying feelings of isolation and identity loss. Environmental degradation in resettlement areas further intensifies these challenges, prolonging poor living conditions and heightened vulnerability. To address these issues, the study recommends community-based interventions such as developing resilient, culturally appropriate housing, implementing targeted skills training programs to restore livelihoods, promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, and enacting inclusive social policies to promote integration and cohesion to address climate-induced migration in disaster-prone regions. Full article
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