By Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu, Senior Expert, Disaster and Climate Risk, Social Inclusion Member-Board of Directors, Duryog Nivaran, Sri Lanka

In 2005, when the world was grappling with the devastation and loss caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami, the need for shared learning became more pressing than ever. In my view, Southasiadisasters.net was a humble yet visionary initiative in response to this need. It strived to fill this gap by creating a space for collective reflection, knowledge sharing, and learning on disaster risk and resilience in the region.

South Asia, the most populous subcontinent, continues to face some of the world’s highest levels of disaster risk, compounded by poverty, inequality, and growing climate pressures. In such a complex setting, sharing knowledge and experiences from multiple sources and layers remains vital for advancing inclusive development. Southasiadisasters.net continues with this undertaking, gathering and disseminating lessons from diverse contexts: community innovations and practices, research insights, and facilitating navigating an increasingly complex riskscape.

What makes Southasiadisasters.net truly special is its inclusive and participatory approach. It serves as a platform for civil society organisations – both small and large- to communicate, highlighting the voices of marginalised and excluded communities facing disaster risk. Its undertaking on fostering dialogue on contemporary and evolving issues of disaster risk reduction is noteworthy.

Southasiadisasters.net stands today as a trusted knowledge platform linking local realities with global commitments for disaster risk reduction and community resilience. Reaching a 20-year milestone is a testament to its voluntary spirit, credibility and continuing value. I am certain the team leading and supporting this work will sustain and strengthen these efforts.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of AIDMI.