Accessible crisis preparedness on the rise in the Nordic and Baltic region – but a lot remains to be done

Accessible crisis preparedness is of utmost importance for persons with disabilities when faced with an emergency. According to the UN convention of rights for persons with disabilities, CRPD, state parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk.

– States should really do their best to help people with disabilities when it comes to safety in situations of risk. We are not doing that yet, summarizes Gunta Anca, vice president of the European Disability Forum and a representative of the Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations, SUSTENTO.

Gunta Anca uses the situation in Ukraine as an example, as the organisations she represents are contacted by persons with disabilities either fleeing from Ukraine or experiencing hardships staying in the country. The list of problems is long: several shelters are unaccessible to wheelchair users, public awareness about assistance to persons with disabilities is low, and evacuating persons with disabilities from war-torn parts of Ukraine has been difficult or impossible.

Before the start of the war, over 2.7 million persons with disabilities were registered in Ukraine. The UN Refugees Agency estimates that, as of July 2022, 13% of the families fleeing Ukraine had at least one member with a disability.

Gunta Anca stresses the need for robust preparedness and for clear evacuation plans. On a local level, she encourages strengthening organisations to ensure they have the capacity to support persons with disabilities during emergencies.

Crisis communication must be accessible

Effective crisis communication is a vital aspect of crisis preparedness. It must also be accessible to everyone, regardless of disability.

– Make emergency communication systems more inclusive for people with disabilities, says Gunta Anca.

Again, using Ukraine with frequent air raid sirens as an example, persons who are deaf or hard of hearing need to rely on text alerts. However, mobile alerts can only get through when networks are stable. Gunta Anca underlines the importance of developing reliable smartphone applications and other tools that provide timely, accessible information to everyone.

Good practices to share

There are several initiatives and good practices in the Nordic and Baltic countries regarding accessible crisis preparedness.

New laws on crisis management and civil protection have either been adapted or are underway in several countries. For example in Estonia, a new law on crisis preparedness will also focus on ensuring the availability and continuity of social services, including psychosocial support, during crises.

In Iceland, authorities have analyzed the crisis management during the volcanic eruption in Grindavik. Among the learnings for the future are recommendations to plan the whole route when evacuating – not just how to get people away from immediate danger – and to offer support and backup for employees.

In basketball-loving Lithuania, a recent campaign for risk awareness and preparedness used basketball as a theme and succeeded in reaching around 2 million of the total population of 2,8 million.

An ongoing project in Lithuania develops a platform where persons with disabilities will be able to register their emergency needs. This information will be used for developing recommendations based on the needs. The Lithuanian Disability Forum is affiliated with the project.

New technology has led to more ways of accessible crisis communication. In Norway, the new service Nød-SMS (Emergency SMS) gives persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired a safe opportunity to contact the emergency call centers directly via SMS. Another system sends out universally designed emergency alerts, causing the phone to vibrate and play a loud siren-like sound, along with a short text message informing you what is happening and what you should do.

The disability organisations, however, point out that there still is a lot to be done. Their recommendations range from better data collection and risk reduction measures to improving evacuation systems and building more accessible shelters. Another concern is that emergency plans seldom cover life-saving medical devices or assistive tools like wheelchairs.

Inclusion throughout the planning process

Both Nordic and Baltic disability organisations underline the importance of including disability organizations when planning accessible crisis preparedness and crisis communication.

– There is a lack of representation, partnership and inclusion of disability organisations in planning and coordination actions, especially at the municipal level, says Indrė Širvinskaitė from the Lithuanian Disability Forum.

– At the end of the day, it’s a matter of life and death. Our crisis preparedness plans must be inclusive, comprehensive and reflect the diverse needs of our entire population, says Marie Sten from Funktionsrätt Sverige.

Karl Wahlman from Funktionsrätt Åland emphasizes the need for soft security, provided by a robust welfare state and a strong civil society.

– True resilience comes from a population that feels secure, supported, and united, says Wahlman.