MECHANISMS FOR ACTIVE INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION: POLICY FRAMEWORKS, BARRIERS, AND PATHWAYS FORWARD

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and traditional practices
provide place-specific, sustainable, and culturally resonant
strategies for disaster risk reduction (DRR), yet their systematic
incorporation into formal frameworks remains limited,
frequently resulting in the marginalization of active participation
by indigenous communities. This paper critically examines
global, regional, and national policy frameworks that support
IK integration in DRR, with a particular focus on mechanisms
designed to ensure meaningful indigenous involvement in
decision-making, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Drawing on key instruments such as the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), Hyogo Framework for
Action (2005–2015), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNDRR) Words into Action guidelines, the Local
Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) under
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and national
examples from India (e.g., NDMP 2019, Forest Rights Act 2006),
Canada, and Africa, the study analyses how these frameworks
promote hybrid DRR systems that blend traditional knowledge
with scientific approaches. It highlights advantages including
enhanced resilience, equity, cost-effectiveness, and psycho-social
support, while addressing persistent challenges such as knowledge
erosion, power imbalances, climate-induced unreliability of
indicators, marginalization, and documentation gaps. Through
a qualitative literature review and policy analysis, the paper
identifies gaps in systematic co-production, ethical participation,
and long-term evaluation. Findings emphasize the urgent need
for strengthened legal protections, direct funding, community-
led initiatives, and intersectional approaches to foster genuine
inclusion. The paper proposes actionable recommendations
centred on Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), knowledge
co-production platforms, and community sovereignty to build
inclusive, resilient DRR systems capable of addressing escalating
climate risks.