Post-Disaster Reconstruction, Well-being and Sustainable Development Goals: A Conceptual Framework

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of disasters. Low-income households living in low- and middle-income countries are most vulnerable to the effects of disasters. While efforts have increased for better disaster management since the adoption of the Sendai framework adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in 2015 by 187 countries, the success rate of post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation has been debatable for disaster affected persons. The purpose of this article (which is the first part of our research on approach to post disaster reconstruction) is to propose a framework based on capability approach to understand the determinants of well-being that need to be restored for disaster affected persons. The second part will present results from application of this framework to examine the post-disaster reconstruction of affected persons in Chennai (India). Resettlement is a complex issue, and it requires a balance between protecting lives and livelihoods of those affected, as these are tied to a location, and protecting them from future disasters, the occurrence of which is also tied to a location. The article argues that a capabilities-based approach that aligns with sustainable development goals could provide a framework to identify components of a post-disaster management plan to satisfactorily rebuild the well-being of affected persons.