The SIDRRA project aims to enhance adaptability and strengthen resilience among at-risk communities in Asia and amplify local voices in decision-making processes. It promotes multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure that adaptation strategies are grounded in the realities of those most affected. By bridging policy and practice, the project helps local knowledge influence regional resilience agendas.
The Exploratory Research Study on Governance Approaches in the Ditwah Recovery Process is an assessment led by Duryog Nivaran member – Janathakshan Pvt Ltd to examine the rebuilding process following the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah that struck Sri Lanka in late 2025. This study adopts a multi-level approach, spanning from national policy down to community-level implementation, to understand how governance structures influence the transition from emergency response to long-term resilient recovery.
Project Overview
Impacting 2.2 million people, the recovery from Cyclone Ditwah highlights a critical gap in Sri Lanka’s disaster governance: the failure to turn technical data into inclusive, accountable action. Despite advanced assessments like the JRNA and GRADE, deep-rooted issues like overlapping institutional mandates and poor administrative coordination mean the current framework repeats past mistakes. By favoring rapid physical reconstruction over long-term socioeconomic rehabilitation, the response threatens to entrench existing inequalities, rather than foster long term resilience.
Objectives: The study objective is to analyze the governance dimensions of the rebuilding process and identify specific pathways to make disaster risk governance more inclusive, accountable, and coordinated. Specifically, the research seeks to evaluate how community participation is integrated into planning, how major assessment frameworks like the JRNA and GRADE are translated into action, and how coordination functions across the key sectors of housing, livelihoods, and social protection. By identifying existing gaps and documenting good practices, the study aims to provide actionable, governance-focused recommendations for both the current Ditwah recovery and future disaster management in Sri Lanka.
Methodology: The study uses a mixed-methods approach built on the DRG analytical framework:
- Document Review: Extracting governance data from policies and recovery plans to align with DRG pillars.
- Institutional Assessment: Evaluating how well institutions perform against governance dimensions.
- Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): Consulting national and district officials to understand how plans translate into action.
- Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): Engaging divisional and community levels to assess information flow and implementation.
Expected Outcomes
- Detailed mapping of relevant stakeholders and a comprehensive study report that synthesizes findings from extensive desk reviews, key informant interviews, and community focus groups.
- This report will serve as a foundational document for a national validation workshop where preliminary findings will be vetted by government agencies, UN representatives, and civil society partners.
- Ultimately, the study will produce a validated set of recommendations and lessons learned that can be used to strengthen the country’s disaster risk governance and ensure that future rebuilding efforts are more responsive to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations.
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