Disability, displacement and climate change
80 percent of persons with disabilities live in low and middleincome countries, many of which are highly climate vulnerable. For example, 54.3% and 27% of the adult populations of Afghanistan and Syria respectively have a disability. Climate change may lead to a higher risk of forced displacement through an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as cyclones and drought, as well as environmental degradation that impacts livelihoods and survival. People with disabilities face heightened protection risks and barriers to inclusion and are likely to have specific, additional needs related to forced displacement in the context of disasters and climate change.
This paper identifies four key points to improve disability-inclusive approaches to disaster displacement:
- Participation is key.
- Better data is needed on the prevalence, location, needs and resources of displaced persons.
- Accessibiity is a precondition for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Implementing an intersectional approach.
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