Participation of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction: Working together to implement CRPD Article 11 and the Sendai Framework
Background
The impacts of climate change – from rapid-onset disasters such as typhoons and wildfires to more gradual changes such as droughts, temperature increase, and sea-level rise – have disproportionate effects on the lives, well-being, and livelihoods of persons with disabilities all over the world. The failure to include persons with disabilities in the world’s efforts to combat the climate crisis and reduce the risks to disasters has dramatic consequences. Due to inaccessible disaster preparedness plans, systemic discrimination, and widespread poverty, persons with disabilities are often left behind in relief and response efforts.
Persons with disabilities and their representative organizations have a critical role to play at all stages of disaster risk reduction. Article 11 of the CRPD reinforces and specifies States’ obligations to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including climate emergencies and other disasters caused by natural hazards. The Sendai Framework reflects a human rights-based sustainable development agenda inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities. It also requires all disaster risk reduction policies to integrate a disability perspective and promotes inclusive risk-informed decision-making based on the dissemination of information disaggregated by disability. Until today about 118 countries have national and local disaster risk reduction strategies in accordance with the Sendai Framework commitments. Of these countries, only 81 have a policy related to persons with disabilities.
Objectives
This event aims to:
- Share outcomes on disability inclusion from the 7th Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction
- Showcase leadership of persons with disabilities in disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction
- Promote participation of persons with disabilities in emergency preparedness, early warning systems and early action
Speakers
Opening
Juhani Damski, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment of Finland
Ricardo Mena, Director, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Moderator
Jibon Gomes, Deputy Programme Manager, FCDO, Bangladesh
Panellists
Elkaye Macasil, Programme Officer, CREWS Secretariat
Huyen Do, Country Coordinator, Abilis Foundation, Vietnam
Talal Waheed, Global Advisor Disability Inclusive DRR, CBM
Armine Hayrapetyan, Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia
Closing Remarks
Petru Puhakka, Ambassador for Disability Inclusion, Finland