Purpose
This document looks at addressing the needs of people with disabilities in disasters. It provides guidelines and tools on including people with disabilities in disaster management. The guidelines cover the following areas: preparedness; immediate response; reconstruction and mitigation; and development.
Overview
- Any disaster brings the opportunity to aim for further development in the community. Including disability issues in the disaster management process is a way of creating demand and interest from every stakeholder.
- The cross-cutting approach is supposed to generate important changes in the mentality and behaviour of everyone so that considering disability issues will no longer be an exception in societies activities but, progressively, a natural reflex at community, regional, national and international levels. It is a fundamental right for people with disabilities to reach equal and full participation in the society.
- By taking into consideration the special needs of people with disabilities in every project or activity, they are able to uphold their dignity at family and community level, which helps them achieve their rights. This will automatically create impressive and sustainable changes in the society.
- An example of a Rapid Assessment Tool to identify people with disabilities (PWDs) in an emergency situation is provided on page 20. A contingency plan format and guideline for including PWD can be found on page 50.
Usage: Guidance for project implementation
Audiences: Technical staff
Reference: Handicap International (September 2005). How to include disability issues in disaster management: Following floods in Bangladesh. 2004. Pp.1-58. Available from: http://www.handicap-international.de/fileadmin/redaktion/pdf/disability_management.pdf [Accessed: 20thSeptember 2015].
