Soutenance publique de thèse de doctorat en Sciences géographiques - Clemence Idukunda

Understanding local contextual vulnerability to landslides and floods: A case study of Northwestern Rwanda

Jury

• Prof. Nicolas DENDONCKER (UNamur), Président
• Prof. Sabine HENRY (UNamur), Secrétaire
• Dr Sébastien DUJARDIN (UNamur)
• Prof. Pierre OZER (ULiège)
• Prof. Emmanuel TWARABAMENYE (Université du Rwanda)
• Prof. Caroline MICHELLIER (MRAC et UCLouvain)

Abstract

 

This research investigates community vulnerability to landslides and floods in Northwestern Rwanda, hazards that frequently interact to produce compound disasters. The research focused on understanding the institutional, social, and structural factors that shape vulnerability and adaptive capacity in this disaster-prone region. Using a mixed-methods approach at local-scale, including institutional analysis, household surveys (n = 904), and field observations, the research highlights how vulnerability is shaped by socio-economic conditions, weak institutional coordination, and limited adaptive capacity. A Contextualized Vulnerability Index (CoVI) was developed to map vulnerability patterns, revealing particularly high vulnerability in landslide-prone and dual-hazard zones. The analysis of adaptive capacity showed that while awareness of hazards is high due to lived experiences, financial constraints, and limited technical knowledge hinder communities’ ability to adapt effectively. The study contributes to the literature on social vulnerability and disaster risk reduction by emphasizing the importance of locally grounded, evidence-based strategies to strengthen community resilience in hazard-prone regions.

 

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