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Persons with disabilities and disaster risk reduction
In Armenia disabled people constitute 6 % of population. According to official
data, as of January 1, 2015, 19861 people with disabilities were registered in
Armenia out of which 94902 - women, 4.0% -children and 31.3 % - retired
people (over 63).
People with disabilities include those who have long-term physical,
psychological, mental or cognitive impartments that interacting with
environmental barriers hinder their full and efficient participation in social life
on an equal basis with others.
People with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and suffer significantly
from disasters. If during disasters it is possible to provide group assistance, in
case of disabled the assistance should be based on individual needs and
peculiarities.
Persons with disabilities and disaster risk reduction
For this purpose responsible persons, officials, voluntary groups,
representatives of local and international organizations, social and other
workers should be involved in this process. Involvement of disabled people is
essential for responding and preparing to disasters in all the stages starting from
prevention and mitigation up to assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
From viewpoint of social model, disability is defined as functional limitations
that results from the interaction between persons with impairments and the
attitudinal and environmental barriers. Consequently, the policy directed to
solution of disability issues should be focused on elimination of environmental
barriers and creation of equal opportunities, which is especially important
during risk prevention and elimination process.
In order to create possibilities for disabled people for independent life and
participation in social life it is essential to provide access to physical
environment, transport, information and communication, including access to
informational technologies, buildings and structures and other services.The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defined a“general formulation” which means design of the goods, environments, projectand services, which is most useable for all the people without alterations andspecialized design. “General design” should not rule out auxiliary facilities forcertain groups of disabled people if required.
Social model
What is accessible environment?
Social model
What is accessible environment?
Legislative grounds
In 2010, the Republic of Armenia ratified UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, which was enacted on October 22, 2010. The
convention, inter alia, undertakes to ensure the protection and safety of
disabled people in emergencies, including armed conflicts, emergency
humanitarian situations and natural disasters. Articles 11 and 32 of Convention
require inclusive humanitarian responsibility for disabled people.
However, over the last five years the RA laws do not define norms and
obligations relating to disabled people in distaer risk reduction or elimination
processes. Namely in RA laws on “Legal regime of emergency state” (2012),
“Protection of population in emergency situations” (1998), as well as in RA
government resolution number 1180-N of August 18, 2011 on approving the
order for “Evacuation of population from dangerous zones” disabled people are
almost not addressed.
However, it should be mentioned that the Order of the RA Minister of Urban
Development on “Approving building norms for the people with limited
mobility” specifies mandatory standards for ensuring access of the people with
disabilities and limited mobility, as well as in different section envisages
standards for the routes of their evacuation, internal facilities and other
preventive technical facilities.
Legislative grounds
Involvement of disabled people in DRR
Action management plan
Ensuring participation in DRR process
Creation of monitoring and assessment inclusive system
Disabled people have the right to participate in decision-making processes that
influence their life and should be fully involved the DRR policy and project
developments, their application and monitoring processes. Hence, it is
necessary to eliminate all the barriers hindering their active participation and
enlarge capacity building programs.
After ratifying the Convention according to Article 6 of the RA Constitution, it
became an integral part to the RA legal system. Based on this article if the
ratified international treaty specified norms other than the law, the norms of
international treaty shall prevail.
All the counties joining the Convention should review their legislations
making them more inclusive to ensure the participation of persons with
disabilities in all the spheres, including DRR policies.
It is essential to ensure inclusiveness of DRR monitoring and assessment state
system, as well as availability of necessary resources for assessing the needs of
disabled people and appropriate responding during emergencies.
Legislative changes based on UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
Involvement of disabled people in DRR
Action management plan
Ensuring participation in DRR process
Legislative changes based on UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
Creation of monitoring and assessment inclusive system
DRR programs should be developed not only for the persons with different
disabilities but also should consider age, sex, cultural and language peculiarities
and adapt programs to these needs.
During development of programs the risk groups and institutions, such as
special schools, hospitals, care homes and closed institutions should be in the
focus of attention.
In order to provide appropriate assistance during emergencies it is necessary to
have database providing information about the location of people with
disabilities according to type of disability or needs and required assistance
ensuring confidentiality of personal information. In case of possible hazard,
such information will help the crisis centers
Development of target programs
Mapping
make sure if there are disabled
people in the risk zone, their location and provide relevant assistance based on
such information.
i the subject of
. Such trainings should be
carried out by disabled people with participation of policy makers,
implementers and monitoring specialists.
The capacity of rescue team members should be improved, their knowledge on
assisting the people with different disabilities upgraded. The trainings should
include general knowledge about disability, as well as professional skills, for
example development of plans for easy evacuation and testing for realization of
such plans, protection of disabled in emergencies, etc.
Development of DRR specialist capacities
Conduct trainings for the specialists working n DRR sphere on
protecting the rights of people with disabilities
Development of target programs
Mapping
Development of DRR specialist capacities
It should be ensured that the the
by
adapting mass services to the needs of disabled or in certain cases
introducing special services for disabled people,
mfortable shelters,
e e
s be cluded in
These subjects should be equally taught both in general
academic schools for disabled and non-disabled students, as well as in special
educational establishments for the students studying or living there.
promotefor meeting the needs of disabled people in DRR sphere. In case
of necessity technical and economic assistance should be provided for sharingand supporting technologies through international cooperation.
The main activities for protecting disabled people during emergencies should
include:
warning about hazard danger based on universal principle,
provision of shelters, organization of evacuation by creating appropriate
persons with disabilites have equal access to
same quality and volume DR reduction, assistance and rehabilitation services
providing assistance and co
removing all access barriers to the services for all th disabl d people
regardless their problems and age,
promoting development and strengthening of disabled people capacities
and their participation in all the processs includng decision making.
DRR and disability issue should in public education and special
education programs.
The government should accessibility of scientific and technologicalknowledge
accessible
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Improvement of DRR education in formal programs
Scientific and technological assistance
Realization of protection
Exclusion of discrimination
Improvement of DRR education in formal programs
Scientific and technological assistance
Realization of protection
conditions for different groups of disabled people, paying special attention to
women and children with disabilities,
rescue activities, as well as other urgent rehabilitation works based on
universal design principle providing access for all,
provision of medical assistance to disabled people paying special
attention to women and children with disabilities, people chronically needing
pills/medicines.
, as well as protection of interests of
disabled people and human rights.
It is necessary to make studies for timely response to disasters and appropriate
actions for their prevention. One of the main preconditions for efficiency of
such studies is involvement of persons with disabilities. In this case they are not
only respondents but act also as researchers.
Usually disabled people should be prepared for different spheres of life and
emergency situations require specific preparedness. It is necessary to ensure
the education and awareness of disabled people about disaster risk reduction
issues, as well as development of their capacities to respond to emergencies.
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Network cooperation
Development of capacities of disabled persons and organazations
Improve network cooperation and information sharing with organizations
dealing with DRR and disability issues
Promotion of researches about DRR and disability issues
their
Activities for civil society
Network cooperation
Development of capacities of disabled persons and organazations
Promotion of researches about DRR and disability issues
their
This process should include also the cooperation with local self-governing
bodies, international organizations and other stakeholders.
Raising of awareness of the local self-governing bodies and society members
in many societies priority is given to the people without
disabilities and services provided to them. Society members have inadequate
opinion and stereotypes about the capacities and potential of disabled people
and it is therefore they consider them, especially during emergencies, as
helpless, weak people needing protection of the others. The programs
designed for raising the awareness of communities should promote creation of
appropriate attitude towards the rights of disabled people in the society, as well
as the forms of their protection.
Involvement of disabled people in psychological rehabilitation works
Knowledge and experience of persons with disabilities is a good resource for
providing technical and psychological assistance to the people affected by
disasters and emergency situations. They should be involved in social and
psychological rehabilitation works, as well as in the activities envisaged for
adaptation of affected population.
Unfortunately,