The scale of the destruction caused when typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on 8 November 2013 was staggering. The emergency response provided life-saving support to millions of people in the affected region. But the challenge now is to ensure that recovery efforts leave devastated communities better able to pursue diverse livelihoods, access safe shelter and withstand future shocks.

A pro-poor recovery agenda, premised on the strengthened capacity of local authorities and communities, is critical to building a better future for Haiyan’s survivors living in the shadow of the storm.