Risk-Mapping and Local Capacities: Lessons from Mexico and Central America (International Development)

This working paper maps the range of natural hazards and other risks to which people in Mexico and Central America are exposed and relates these to the complex social, economic, political and cultural factors that make some social sectors more critically vulnerable than others in emergencies. It also identifies the wide range of local capacities - organisational, social, governmental, and non-governmental - that can contribute to developing effective disaster-prevention and mitigation programmes, as well as emergency rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes.

Monica Trujillo works for Oxfam GB in Central America as an Emergencies Support Person with special responsibility for gender and representation.