Crises affect persons with disabilities harder – more accessible crisis preparedness is needed
Funktionshinder
19 jun 2024
When society faces an emergency, everyone is affected. Everyone has the right to be safe and to know what is going on. However, persons with disabilities face much larger risks in emergencies, disasters and crisis situations.
The Nordic countries highlighted this topic at the COSP17, the United Nations’ Conference of States Parties to the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, CRPD. The side event on 11 June was headlined Accessible crisis preparedness and crisis communication, and brought together international experts, state representatives and Nordic authorities in New York.
Consulting persons with disabilities makes crisis preparedness more inclusive
Persons with disabilities face greater risks and are more affected by disasters, emergencies, conflicts and climate change than the rest of the population. Saowalak Thongkuay, member of the UN Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities says that the negative impact can be sudden or built up over time, and touch on all aspects of daily life.
– The access to food, clean drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, medicines, education, training, adequate housing, access to decent work, lists Saowalak Thongkuay, explaining that the negative impacts can force migration and cause refugees.
She also emphasizes the increased risk of discrimination related to gender, age, indigenous origin or minority.
“Empower persons with disability as agents of change”
To reduce risks, the UN Committee recommends that persons with disabilities are closely consulted at all levels.
– Empower persons with disabilities as agents of change to reduce the harmful impacts of natural and man-made hazards in their day-to-day life, encourages Saowalak Thongkuay.
She underlines that better practices in terms of disability inclusion may often be valuable for the population at large.
Accessibility increases crisis preparedness in the EU
The European Union works for increased accessibility and inclusion among its member states in several ways. Lucie Davoine from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion explains that the accessibility legislation, mainly thought of as providing more accessible products and services, is very important also when it comes to crisis preparedness.
– Persons with disabilities are more likely to be excluded from emergency response measures, and the design and delivery of assistance continues to be insufficiently adapted to their needs, says Lucie Davoine.
There are several examples of exclusion from important ways of staying safe and informed.
– When there is a lack of disability perspective in the emergency planning, it creates situations where persons with disabilities cannot enter shelters, hear alert signals or evacuate buildings, Davoine says.
Goals for resilience need to be accessible
In 2023, the European Commission, together with the ten countries in the EU Civil Protective Mechanism, agreed on the Union’s Disaster Resilience Goals. The aim is to anticipate and withstand the effects of future major emergencies.
– According to the inclusivity principle, the specific needs and drivers of vulnerable people, including persons with disabilities, should be taken into account in the work to strengthen disaster resilience in the area of civil protection, says Lucie Davoine.
A concrete example of one of the Resilience goals is warning systems. Are they accessible? Is it for example possible to reach the emergency number 112 via video or text?
– Member states should ensure that public warning systems are inclusive and adapted to the specific needs of persons with disabilities, says Davoine.
Current projects are working on new technical solutions, giving emergency response centers the possibility to visualise the location and specific needs of persons representing.
– Inclusive humanitarian aid, emergency response and planning are essential parts of creating a society where persons with disabilities can participate on an equal basis, says Lucie Davoine.
Guidelines helping with accessible crisis preparedness
A practical example was presented at the Nordic side event: A roughly 40-page long publication with guidelines for supporting people with disabilities in disruptions and emergencies, made with Finnish authorities, municipalities and healthcare providers in mind.
Päivi Nurmi-Koikkalainen, chief specialist at the Welfare State Research and Reform Unit of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) explains that the work on the guidelines started because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
– But we soon saw that there were many examples of situations where this type of guidelines were needed, like snowstorms, power outages and so on, says Päivi Nurmi-Koikkalainen.
The guidelines build the crisis preparedness on three pillars.
- Accessible communications in disruptions and emergency conditions
- Cooperation between professionals and representatives of disability organizations
- Securing services in disruptions and emergency conditions
The guidelines also include the perspective “What can I do myself?”. Independent preparedness supports the safeguarding of services, as resources can be allocated to people who need the most support.
– This is important, because people must know what they can do themselves, says Päivi Nurmi-Koikkalainen.
“Plan for a future in which persons with disabilities exist”
At the Nordic side event, disability organisations were present to comment on the topic. Ida Hansson, chairperson of The Swedish Association of Hard of Hearing Young People and representant for Youth with Disabilities Federation Sweden, YDFS, says that big changes are needed and that adequate plans must be made long before something disruptive happens.
– The regular crisis preparation work needs to be norm critical. Will everyone be able to take part in the crisis communication? Will everyone be able to access this shelter? Is there someone that we haven’t included? asks Ida Hansson.
All participating disability organisations underlined the need for bringing in the disability perspective in early stages of planning for crisis preparedness.
– In times of crisis, the way we view human life becomes apparent. When we plan for the future, we have to plan for our future in which persons with disabilities exist. We will still be here, says Ida Hansson.
