Township-level governance in disaster preparedness in Yangon, Myanmar, during the period of transformation from April 2011 to January 2021

Abstract Since Cyclone Nargis hit the country in 2008, Myanmar has stepped up its efforts to implement a disaster management system aimed at reducing disaster risk. At the same time, a far-reaching political and social transformation took place, shifting from military to civilian administration between April 2011 and January 2021. During this period, new concepts for disaster risk management were developed internationally, focusing on local governance and community-based strategies. This article provides an overview of the legal and organisational framework introduced in Myanmar for disaster risk management during the transition phase. In particular, it examines how and to what extent governance elements have been integrated into the system to meet local societal needs. The focus is on identifying challenges, gaps and opportunities in local governance structures. The study employs a mixed-methods analysis approach. This involved conducting 28 expert interviews with Yangon-based disaster management institution members as well as a quantitative household survey of 896 people in eight Yangon townships. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of government documents and reports was conducted. The study shows that the general framework for implementing governance aspects was already well established when the political system changed again in 2021. In practice, however, governance aspects remain challenging.