The Asian Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC) has been promoting a culture of disaster reduction by advocating disaster reduction as a core part of government policy and raising public awareness in the Asian Region. ADRC and the Asian Disaster Response Unit of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Kobe (UN-OCHA/Kobe) developed the concept of Total Disaster Risk Management as an effective and strategic approach to disaster reduction that is based on many years of experience in coping with natural disasters worldwide, particularly in Asia.

The TDRM approach looks at the entire cycle of disasters and involves all sectors of societies and communities in disaster management and encourages partnership to reduce risk and vulnerability to natural hazards.