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This Guide has been created to provide advice on useful strategies for implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (HFA). It represents a distillation of the wealth of experience that exists throughout the world on how to manage and reduce disaster risks. The Guide can help states to assess where they stand in the implementation process and, by building on existing experience and structure, to identify possible gaps and useful next steps to take. It does not attempt to cover all risks, nor all elements of disaster risk reduction. Some sections outline basic points and processes for disaster risk reduction, while others describe more complex tasks.

Because states have the primary responsibility for disaster risk reduction, the Guide’s target audience is national governments and their subsidiary local governments, including decision makers, leaders and practitioners, and other civil servants. In addition it is expected that the Guide will be of interest to a diverse audience and may be used at different levels for a variety of purposes, such as by leaders and representatives of specific sectors, civil society organizations, community organizations, the private sector, academia, international and regional organizations, and others working to reduce disaster risk reduction.