Abstract
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is critical to sustainable development (SD). The 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development articulates this link; 10 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 25 of the 169 targets are specifically related to DRR. Yet, policies, practice, and research have not sufficiently integrated them. For example, in Japan, a disaster-prone country, has developed extensive disaster prevention systems; however, current SD policies and programs in Japan barely incorporate DRR, if any. Through PhotoVoice—photographs, group discussions, and voices (written messages)—of women affected by the Great East Japan Disaster of 2011, this study examines the nexus between SDGs and DRR. Data come from a 13-year longitudinal participatory action research project launched in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Disaster, a cascade of massive earthquakes, colossal tsunamis, and a nuclear accident. Since 2011, 65 women of diverse backgrounds across 10 disaster-affected sites have taken photographs, discussed various aspects of the disaster (e.g., its impact, prevention, reconstruction) in a small group (over 140 meetings thus far), and created “voices” (written messages). Data have been analyzed in close collaboration with participants using the analytical approach of grounded theory’s open and focused coding with constant comparison. By explicating the SD-DRR link from the perspective of disaster-affected women, this study advances both the conceptualization of SD and the implementation of SD agenda and action plans at the local and national levels in Japan and beyond.
Presenters
Mieko YoshihamaProfessor, School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Michigan, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—The Future We Want: Socio-Environmental Challenges in Times of Climate Emergency
KEYWORDS
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SDGs, PHOTOVOICE, PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH
