Disaster risk reduction is an integral part of humanitarian assistance, both in relief and recovery, as well as in long term development initiatives.

However, to date it has not always received the attention it deserves. With the climate change debate, the problems approaching the citizens of mega-cities and the increasing number of natural disasters there is a need to develop programmes addressing how to prevent natural phenomena from turning into disasters, to mitigate their impact and help prepare increased numbers of people who may be at risk. Climate change, migration patterns as well as socio-economic pressure have forced more and more people into vulnerable living conditions.

Be it by the reinforcement of houses against earthquakes and cyclones, or by constructing flood safe emergency shelters or training village emergency teams and volunteers in the establishment of early warning systems, Malteser International includes disaster risk reduction and mitigation components in many projects for people at risk. The focus is clearly on community based disaster risk management (CBDRM) and risk reduction aiming to support and to strengthen local coping capacities and to reduce vulnerabilities of people at risk.