1. Promoting disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction
Global Frameworks, Challenges & Promising Practices
Promoting disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction
Neil McFarlane
Chief, DRR Coordination
UNISDR, Geneva
19 July 2013, United Nations, New York

2. Global Trends & Issues
[Disaster context, and relevance to the disability agenda]
2012 saw over 905 internationally reported disasters.
Over 9,300 people died, 106 million people were affected, and $138 billion in economic losses was sustained.
Globally trends
Disaster risk is increasing globally
More people and assets located at areas of high risk (over the past 30 years, the proportion of the population living in flood-prone river basins increased by 114 percent and on cyclone-exposed coastlines by 192 percent)
Risk of economic loss is increasing (since 1980, risk of economic loss due to floods has increased by over 160 percent and to tropical cyclones by 265 percent in OECD countries)
Declining mortality risk associated with major weather-related hazards.
There are over one billion persons living with some form of a disability (WHO).
This figure is expected to rise to rise due, in part, to aging populations, increasing traffic accidents, increasing potential for industrial accidents and the predicted increase in climate-change related disasters.

3. Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) : Building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters
Five Priority Areas:
Priority Action 1: Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.
Priority Action 2: Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.
Priority Action 3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels.
Priority Action 4: Reduce the underlying risk factors.
Priority Action 5: Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels.
[Global efforts to address risk – overview of the HFA]
A 10-year plan to make the world safer from natural hazards
Progress has been made, however there are gaps (especially in Priority Action 4)
The HFA does not adequately address disability. Implicit consideration of disability issues, but limited explicit action.
Mention of disability is confined, under Priority for Action 4, to social-safety nets in what is primarily a post-disaster context.
Consequently, with no overall guiding framework DRR practices and policies that address disability are few and far between.

4. The Challenges…
Recent figures from the Great East Japan Earthquake for Miyagi prefecture suggest a general mortality rate of 0.8%. For persons with disabilities the mortality rate was 3.5%. (UNESCAP, 2012)
[The Challenges – reflections on where we are]
Current attitudes are still by and large locked into the charity/medical approaches
Disability is often viewed as being technical, resource intensive and the preserve of specialist organizations
There is a lack of data and evidence on the impacts of disasters on persons with disabilities - persons living with disabilities are often invisible.
The DRR community has not yet engaged with disability, and the disability community has not yet engaged with DRR. 4

5. Recent DRR declarations and strategies including disability
The Chair’s Summary of the 4th session of the Global Platform on DRR includes references to persons living with disabilities and inclusion (ISDR, May 23, 2013). The Yogyakarta Declaration of the 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR includes references to disability and inclusion (ISDR, 2012). The Incheon Strategy to ‘Make the Right Real’ for Persons with Disabilities in the Asia-Pacific: Goal 7: Ensure disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and management (UNESCAP, 2012). The Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of the Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community: Article 16: Mainstream disability issues in disaster management policies and programmes at regional, national and community levels (ASEAN, 2011). 5

6. Developing a successor: HFA2
[HFA2 – addressing the gaps]
Extensive and inclusive consultations are underway at the global, regional, national and community levels
Four elements have emerged from the consultations to date: (i) guiding principles, (ii) governance aspects (iii) financing for disaster resilience, and (iv) measuring impact through targets and indicators.
Disability is one of the many issues being discussed, and one of the stakeholder groups contributing to the consultations.
Disability in the context of DRR is being discussed:
The Chair’s Summary of the 4th Session of the Global Platform on DRR includes for the first time refers to persons living with disabilities and inclusion. (ISDR, May 23, 2013).
The Yogyakarta Declaration of the 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR includes several references to disability and inclusion. (ISDR, 2012).
The Incheon Strategy to ‘Make the Right Real’ for Persons with Disabilities in the Asia-Pacific has a Goal to ‘Ensure disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and management’, with two targets on planning and support measures and a clear set of indicators. (UNESCAP, 2012).
The Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of the Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community: Article 16: Mainstream disability issues in disaster management policies and programmes at regional, national and community levels. (ASEAN, 2011). 6

7. Countries are calling for…
An increase in the visibility, participation and contribution of people with disabilities
Less disproportionate impact for them in relation to disasters and their cross-cutting nature
Usable, accessible and user-friendly resilient infrastructure
Disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction investment

8. HFA2 and Disability
[HFA2 consultations – opportunity for the DRR and Disability communities to engage]
Disability is a cross-cutting issue of concern to all. Disability increases risk across all groups.
It is of the utmost importance that the increased risk that persons with disabilities face is acknowledged within the post-2015 frame work for DRR.
It is therefore essential that persons with disabilities participate in and, are given the opportunity to directly contribute to the post 2015 development agenda as well as the development of DRR policy and frameworks post-2015.
Failure to include the most at-risk, challenges the very foundation of DRR itself.
Emerging perspectives on disability in the HFA to date:
From consultations at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction:
Ensure the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities at all levels within DRR policy and practice at all stages of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Utilize universal accessibility to increase full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of disaster risk reduction.
Recognize that disability inclusion is a cross-cutting issue which decreases risks across all groups who are disproportionally affected in disasters such as women, children, older adults and people who are very poor.
Recognize that reducing vulnerability caused by ‘disabling condition’ contribute to the overall resilience of a community.
The Asia-Pacific regional consultations have called for:
The [successor] framework to recognize and strengthen the significant role of persons with disabilities in all levels of disaster risk management, including decision making, coordination and implementation.
The development of the HFA2 is an open and inclusive process. There are many entry points to engage in the consultation process.

9. Promising Initiatives
Indonesia
Drafting of a national regulation on disaster risk reduction and disability
Yogyakarta Provinces has a regulation on Rights and Protection of Persons with Disability includes specific need for the inclusion of persons with disabilities prior to, during and post disaster
Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management
Promotes a disability-inclusive approach in DRM trainings and strengthens working links between officials in planning and implementation with regional coordination from the Pacific Disability Forum.
[Overview of promising initiatives]
From legislation and regulations, regional frameworks, to guidelines and civil society initiatives… 9

10. Promising Initiatives
Ecuador
National guidance issued for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in situation of emergencies and disasters.
Bangladesh
Persons with disabilities are being supported to join village- level disaster management committees.
Sweden
Persons with disabilities are training government officials and volunteers on how to include persons with disabilities in emergency responses and risk reduction. 10

11. #IDDR www.unisdr.org/2013/iddr/ [IDDR 2013]
The International Day for Disaster Reduction on 13 October is on persons who living with some form of disability and disasters.
The Day is being marked in partnership with the Group of Friends of DRR, UN-ENABLE and many other partners.
The Day intends to switch on and amplify the “Not So Obvious Conversation” (the theme) that must take place on the critical issue of the needs of persons living with disabilities in potential disaster scenarios.
This International Day will invite persons living with disabilities as well as society at large to get involved and join the conversation, by expressing concerns, needs and recommendations that can enhance implementation of the HFA.
The key messages for the day are:
A disaster resilient planet means everyone must be part of the solution.
Decisions and policies to reduce disaster risks must reflect the needs of persons living with disabilities.
Investment in disaster risk reduction must provide for the needs of persons living with disabilities.
A series of events will be held to mark the day – check out the website for more details.
Your engagement and participation in marking the day is encourage.
#IDDR