'The democratic touch of disasters': The perception of non-governmental organizations in public institutions in the context of disaster governance

Abstract

As in all matters related to society, governments have the last word in disaster management. But the views of public institutions and state-affiliated organizations are also crucial. This study examines the perspectives of public institutions in Bal & imath;kesir, reflecting T & uuml;rkiye's disaster sensitivity, on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in disaster management. The aim is to assess the functionality of disaster management and governance in Bal & imath;kesir. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 public institutions with significant disaster responsibilities, and the data were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA 2020. While public institutions acknowledge that NGOs provide valuable labor during disasters, they generally believe that disaster management would continue without them. However, the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaras, earthquakes challenged this view, as international aid, including from NGOs, became essential. The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) representative differs from this dominant perspective, emphasizing the critical role of even small NGO contributions. Countries like Japan and the United States of America (USA) highlight the important role of NGOs in disaster management. For instance, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) in the USA is a key partner in local disaster response, benefiting from its initiative in postdisaster activities. Conversely, Turkish public institutions often view AFAD as superior and criticize NGOs for lacking leadership and order. This suggests that both the Turkish Disaster Response Plan's (TAMP) implementation and the internal and external challenges faced by NGOs reveal that disaster governance in Bal & imath;kesir is not functioning optimally.