Building Resilience from the Grassroots: The Cyclone Preparedness Programme at 50

Abstract

As Bangladesh’s Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) celebrates its 50th anniversary, we reflect on its legacy, the gains made, and progress that still lies ahead. The CPP is unique among disaster risk-management agencies, as more than 90% of its staff consists of community volunteers. This unique institutional design influences its functioning. An important part of its growth has included the expansion of the involvement and leadership of women in the CPP, so that today, women constitute about 50% of the volunteer corps. We reflect on the improvements made, since Cyclone Bhola of 1970 (the deadliest natural tragedy on record) and analyze institutional features of the CPP that other countries can learn from. Lastly, we reflect on remaining challenges for the years ahead.