In Perumbakkam, Chennai, a small cohort of Community Fellows belonging to the Information and Resource Centre for Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) are collecting data, liaising with authorities, and mobilising the community in order to secure housing rights and community development schemes for the residents. The community is also working with local authorities to mainstream climate adaptation and resilience into the city’s development plans and policies.
So what?
These strategies, which are tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the community, are an example of locally-imagined and grounded resilience.
Can such a multi-dimensional approach to resilience-building that moves beyond crisis management to capacity building, community empowerment, and decentralized decision-making be replicated in other parts of India? How can community members be empowered as they can most effectively articulate and co-design pathways to resilient futures? How we can ensure women are not left behind in the climate crisis and are at the center as critical changemakers for their communities?
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