@misc{9234799,
  abstract     = {{Early Warning Systems (EWS) are crucial for safeguarding communities, but are vulnerable to failure due to a technocratic focus that excludes local communities. This thesis closes the gap between normative participatory principles and practical implementation by exploring the entry points or challenges that affect community participation. Adopting a complexity theory lens, the study conducts a qualitative, instrumental case study to analyze participation in EWS in Homa Bay and Kilifi counties, in Kenya. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured individual and joint interviews and 7 focus group discussions (FGDs). A broad spectrum of stakeholders was consulted, including government officials, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) staff, and community members. The results reveal that participation is primarily geared toward dissemination (Pillar III) and is mostly ad hoc and instrumental. Critical challenges include the lack of DRM planning and institutionalized procedures to include communities. These challenges reinforce unequal power dynamics and frequently regard communities as passive recipients of information. On the other hand, the study identifies important entry points, such as ensuring inclusive and decentralized communication, and leveraging existing community structures. The research highlights the importance of advancing knowledge co-creation processes and the systematic inclusion of vulnerable groups across all four pillars of EWS to establish context-sensitive and transformative EWS.}},
  author       = {{Guidotti, Ismea and Cestino Lopez, Gabriela Ana}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Barriers and Entry Points for Community Participation in Early Warning Systems}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}