Risk communications and community engagement (RCCE)

What is risk communications?

Risk communication is the real-time exchange of information, advice and opinions between experts or officials and people who face a threat (from a hazard) to their survival, health or economic or social wellbeing.

The purpose of risk communication is to enable people at risk to make informed decisions to mitigate the effects of a threat (hazard) – such as a disease outbreak – and take protective and preventive measures.

Risk communication is a core capacity of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 and one of 5 strategies within the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework.

What is community engagement?

Community engagement is the process of developing relationships and structures that engage communities as equal partners in the creation of emergency response solutions that are acceptable and workable for those they impact.

The goal of community engagement is to empower communities to confidently share the leadership, planning and implementation of initiatives throughout the health emergency response cycle. 

The term ‘community’ describes a vast array of people and groups, connected by certain characteristics, including: 

• culture
• age
• gender
• ethnicity
• shared vulnerability or risk
• shared interests or values
• geographic location.

Social sciences are disciplines that include sociology, anthropology, history, psychology and economics, among others. The integration of social science is increasingly recognized as key component of successful RCCE activities. Understanding the drivers of human behaviour allows for the development of RCCE interventions that meet people where they are – emotionally, intellectually and linguistically.