Co-production of proposals to catalyze the implementation of the National Policy on Civil Defense and Protection in Brazilian municipalities

Abstract

The 2011 disaster in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro led to the creation of the National Policy on Civil Defense and Protection (PNPDEC) in 2012 through Law 12,608, which was updated in 2023. The PNPDEC assigned several responsibilities to municipalities without analyzing their capacities to implement this public policy. In Brazil, more research is needed to analyze municipal capacities for disaster risk management. In the Brazilian context, the Elos Project analyzed these capacities and needs of municipal civil defense agencies in three axes: i) the structuring of municipal agencies, that is, their human and financial resources and working conditions; ii) training needs; and iii) governance, that is, the formal and informal mechanisms of relationship between the actors in the system. The results of the Elos Project indicated that 72% of the 1,993 municipal civil defense departments needed to have their budget, in addition to having small teams, high turnover, and essential work tools to perform their activities. It was also found that the vast majority did not organize training activities for the community centers for civil defense and protection, in addition to facing challenges in communication and coordination with municipal agencies from other sectors. Based on this diagnosis, the Elos Project co-produced, through participatory methodologies, proposals to strengthen the implementation of the PNPDEC in Brazilian municipalities. The objective of this article is to discuss these proposals based on five main pillars: i) professionalization and professional appreciation of civil defense and protection; ii) financial resources; iii) regionalized training needs; iv) strengthening of communication; and v) intersectoral and social participation.