Disaster risk: Towards equitable resilience in southern Africa
This working group critically examines 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 recognizing 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 conceptualization within the context of developing countries, specifically the Global South. Our project aims to bridge this gap by engaging in a series of activities, including an advanced mixed-methods pilot study that utilizes group concept mapping. Through these endeavours, we aim 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
Dr. Regardt “Reggie” Ferreira, Director Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, Executive Director, Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience
Tim Davidson, Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience
Dr. Alice Ncube, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State
Dr. 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, Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape
