Citation

Lu Y, Zhan C, Li R, Su M. Nat. Hazards 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11069-021-04560-9

PMID

33551569

Abstract

As China is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to small and medium-scale natural hazards (SMNHs), its NGOs have had a great deal of experience in dealing with disaster relief, especially since the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake; however, there have been few studies that have comprehensively examined China's NGO disaster relief networks (NDRNs). One Foundation (OF), which is one of the most active public-fund raising foundations in China, has been engaged in developing a nationwide NDRN made up of 20 independently operating provincial networks that are focused on SMNHs. This paper explored the structures, operations and challenges in the representative North-Sichuan network, from which the following key factors for sustainable NDRNs were identified: (1) a combined hierarchal and networked organizational structure; and (2) a coordinated external and internal network operations mechanism that has a specific entry threshold to ensure healthy network expansion, periodic member NGO training to enhance network capacity, and reciprocal and cooperative government-NGO relationships. These findings provide a useful reference for the establishment and development of NDRNs in other countries.

Language: en

Keywords

China; NGOs; Disaster relief network; Small and medium-scale natural hazards