Disability and disaster risk

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Introduction

Persons with disabilities comprise 16% of the world’s population with 80% of persons with disabilities living in the Global South. Persons with disabilities are frequently the most affected by natural hazards, climate-induced disasters, and global health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disability is a risk multiplier that cuts across identity characteristics and social determinants, such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status, and amplifies pre-existing social inequalities and power imbalances. Disability is diverse and how exclusion is experienced varies with many persons with disabilities, including persons with cognitive and psychosocial disabilities, further marginalized and underrepresented in decision making.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 recognizes persons with disabilities as contributing stakeholders, emphasizing the need for inclusion in all DRR policies and practices. Similarly, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits to leaving no one behind and to end poverty for all people in all its forms. Achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) will be reliant on reducing and preventing disaster risk and ensuring inclusion for all.

This resource guide includes case studies, challenges and best practices to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction.

View videos on disability inclusion on YouTube

Themes
Inclusion

Knowledge base

Close up shot of a building for use by people with visual impairment.
Interview
Ioannis Vardakastanis Evangelia Kallimani Dimitrios Alexandris Efstathia Athinaiou Sofia Karma

Inclusive evacuation exercises in multi-hazard scenarios: lessons learnt from Greece

An inclusive evacuation exercise took place in October 2023, organized by the European Center for Forest Fires, the General Secretariat of Civil Protection, and the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities. PW interviewed the key stakeholders.
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Documents and publications

Disability inclusion in climate finance: A background paper for the disability inclusion approach for climate investment funds

This background paper was developed to inform the Climate Investment Funds (CIF’s) approach to disability inclusion and provide concrete and actionable guidance on how to apply it to investment projects in different sectors.
Cover
Documents and publications

Moving towards greater representation of persons with disabilities in climate change decision-making

This policy brief discusses the current state of disability representation in the climate negotiations based on observations from the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP28) held in 2023.
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Documents and publications

The climate realities of the deaf: evidence from a climate vulnerability assessment of the Filipino deaf community

This policy brief synthesizes the key findings of the Climate Vulnerability Assessment on the Filipino Deaf community conducted under Project SIGND, highlighting challenges faced by the Deaf in the context of climate change.
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Documents and publications

Leave no one behind: Active involvement of persons with disabilities in disaster preparedness and response towards strengthening inclusive disaster resilience

This volume has been prepared by ECFF in the framework of the joint project "Inclusion of Vulnerable groups in Disaster Preparedness and Response for coping with emerging risks: Evacuation exercise including people with disabilities".
Cover
Documents and publications

Inclusive participation of persons with disabilities in emergency preparedness and response practice guide

The study explored the World Food Programme (WFP) programming in Indonesia and the Philippines, including WFP’s advisory, technical assistance and service provision roles to government and partners and informed the development of this guide.
Portrait of Abia Akram
Interview

Abia Akram: “If policies don’t have teeth, change can’t happen”

For over two decades, Abia Akram has been a leading and vocal advocate for the rights of women with disabilities, in more than 30 countries, especially in the context of gender justice, financing for development, and inclusive DRR.
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Documents and publications

Including persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction in Africa

This issue brief presents the key findings of a study UNDRR conducted on disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction (DiDRR) policies and practices in Africa.
Update

Failure to prioritise elderly, disabled in Gisborne evacuations, research project reveals

The elderly and disabled people are often forgotten during extreme weather events, a research project study has found.
Radio New Zealand International
Cover and source: Christian Blind Mission
Documents and publications

Collecting disability disaggregated data in disaster risk reduction: Findings and lessons learned

Efforts to improve disability inclusion into government strategies, DRR plans, and humanitarian response initiatives is hindered by the absence of disaggregated data, impeding the understanding of disability prevalence before, during and after crises.

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