About the Sundarban Coalition
Who We Are
The Sundarbans Coalition is a collaboration of local and national organizations working together to strengthen locally led disaster risk reduction and resilience in the coastal region of Bangladesh.
The Coalition brings together organizations with diverse experience, knowledge and connections with coastal communities. By working collectively, members seek to strengthen coordination, share learning, support community-led action and contribute to more disaster-ready and resilient communities.
The Coalition’s work is grounded in the principle that local organizations and communities should have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives and resilience.
Why the Coalition Exists
Coastal communities in Bangladesh face a range of disaster and climate-related risks. Addressing these challenges requires strong local leadership, effective coordination and approaches that reflect the priorities and experiences of communities.
The Sundarbans Coalition provides a platform for organizations to work together, strengthen locally led approaches and develop coordinated actions that respond to community priorities.
The Coalition seeks to improve its collective ability to reach vulnerable communities, strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience, and ensure that community perspectives are meaningfully reflected in planning and implementation.
Our Focus
The Coalition’s work focuses on strengthening disaster readiness and resilience through locally led action.
Key areas include:
- Locally led disaster risk reduction
- Community resilience and preparedness
- Joint Action Planning
- Inclusive community participation
- Coordination among local and national organizations
- Learning and knowledge sharing
- Strengthening the capacity and leadership of local actors
- Engagement with relevant government, humanitarian and development partners
How We Work
The Coalition promotes collaborative, inclusive and participatory ways of working.
Members contribute their knowledge, experience and local relationships to collective planning and action. Community participation and feedback are important to the Coalition’s approach, with the aim of ensuring that planning and implementation remain responsive to community priorities.
The Coalition also emphasizes shared responsibility, transparency, mutual accountability and equitable partnerships among participating organizations.
Through Joint Action Plans and coordinated activities, members work together to strengthen the effectiveness, reach and sustainability of locally led disaster risk reduction.
Coalition Governance
The Coalition is supported by a governance and coordination structure that includes the Governance Council, Secretariat and Technical Working Groups.
The Governance Council provides an important platform for inclusive decision-making and shared accountability. The Secretariat supports coordination and implementation, while technical structures contribute to specific areas of collective work.
The Coalition’s governance approach emphasizes democratic decision-making, transparency, mutual accountability and collaboration among member organizations.
Our Commitment
The Sundarbans Coalition is committed to strengthening locally led action and ensuring that the voices and priorities of coastal communities are reflected in disaster risk reduction and resilience efforts.
We seek to build stronger partnerships among local and national organizations, strengthen coordination with relevant stakeholders, and contribute to sustainable systems that enable communities and local actors to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.
The Coalition is also working toward stronger institutional capacity and greater independence so that locally led collaboration can be sustained over the longer term.