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,