Disaster risk: Towards equitable resilience in southern Africa
This working group critically examined the concept of resilience, which has faced criticism for its oversight of differential vulnerability and neglect of issues related to social justice, equity, and inclusion. In response, equitable resilience has emerged as a vital notion recognising that vulnerabilities and capacities are unevenly distributed in societies. With a notable increase in disaster-related events in Southern Africa, there is a pressing need for a nuanced understanding of achieving equity, particularly among the most affected. However, research on equitable resilience has predominantly originated from high-income countries, leaving a gap in its conceptualisation within the context of developing countries, specifically the Global South. This project aimed to bridge the gap by engaging in a series of activities, including an advanced mixed-methods pilot study that utilized group concept mapping. Through these endeavours, the aim was to holistically explore equitable resilience in a contextually grounded manner, shedding light on the construct within the specific context of Southern Africa (SADC).
Working group members
- Regardt ‘Reggie’ Ferreira, Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience
- Tim Davidson, Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience
- Alice Ncube, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State
- Anita Padmanabhanunni, Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape
- Cameron Leahy, Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy
- Collins Okolie, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State
- Brendon D. Faroa, Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape
