Final Report on Decentralized Disaster Risk Governance in Nepal Ground Refection

This report presents the findings of an assessment study, Decentralized Disaster Risk Reduction Governance in Nepal: Ground Reflections, conducted in 16 local levels across three provinces to assess the status of implementation and effectiveness of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and climate change (CC) policies and plans at palika level. The objectives of the assessment were: to review the roles and responsibilities of the local levels as stipulated in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2017; to document the challenges experienced and the opportunities perceived by the local governments while discharging their responsibilities related to DRRM and mainstreaming DRRM in development plans; to assess the changes perceived by the vulnerable communities after the decentralization of disaster risk governance in Nepal; and to document how the decentralization of disaster risk governance shifted power to the local and vulnerable communities, promoted transparency and accountability, and promoted youth and women leadership in DRRM. The study used both secondary and primary data. Primary data was collected through key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs) and observations based on pre-defined checklists or semi-structured questionnaires at provincial, municipality and community levels. The secondary data consisted of relevant policies, plans and study reports, as well as the websites and the BIPAD portals1 of the municipalities concerned.