Strengthening Disaster Response and Resilience in Lao PDR - A Decade of Learning Since Typhoon Ketsana

Abstract

When the southern provinces of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) were hit by Typhoon Ketsana in September 2009, it brought devastation and destruction to over 200,000 people. The impacts of the disaster only exacerbated the social and economic vulnerabilities Lao PDR was already facing as a Least Developed Country. Despite the challenges encountered by emergency response teams and aid workers, the Government of Lao PDR used the lessons learnt to improve humanitarian response planning and strengthen community-based disaster resilience. This review seeks to evaluate the progress made in disaster risk management in Lao PDR since Typhoon Ketsana, and analyze the impacts a gender analysis conducted by Oxfam Australia had on mainstreaming inclusive and gender-responsive approaches to disaster risk reduction. It will also provide key recommendations to support the continuous development of community-based disaster risk reduction.