84% of People with Disabilities Say They Are Not Prepared: Reducing the Risk of Disaster is Vital

On the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction, observed every October 13, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) highlights how the consequences of climate change exacerbate the risk of humanitarian disasters, affecting millions of people. Cyclones, drought, floods, etc., have a dramatic impact, particularly on people with disabilities, who are up to 4 times more likely to die in the event of a climatic hazard.

Because humanitarian disasters can be avoided or limited, HI supports communities in disaster preparedness and their efforts to build long-term resilience.

Disability and Climate Change, the Double Whammy

At a time when climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent, HI recognizes that the consequences of climate change affect specific populations more severely: various factors of inequality, such as disability, gender, or age, increase vulnerability and reduce the ability to cope with and adapt to shocks. People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climatic hazards, with a greater risk of mortality, particularly in countries where disability is stigmatized. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR):

• 84% of people with disabilities say they are not prepared for disasters,
• 75%2of people with disabilities feel excluded from the humanitarian response,
• 61% say they will have difficulty evacuating even with a prior warning,
• 56% of them do not know where to access accessible information about the risks.

Jennifer M'Vouama, HI's Specialist in Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation to Climate Change. States, "Adapting to climate change also means thinking about inclusion. People with disabilities are particularly hard hit by the effects of climate change. They find it more difficult to evacuate and protect themselves during extreme weather events, which are becoming increasingly frequent.” Jennifer continues, “Meeting their basic needs or recovering economically after a disaster is also much more difficult. Finally, they often suffer from double exclusion - social and environmental - which further accentuates inequalities."

Disasters are the result of inaction and systemic inequalities. Most humanitarian crises related to climatic hazards can be mitigated or even avoided if prevention, preparation, and risk reduction measures are put in place systematically and in advance. Acting upstream means acting to protect lives.

Investing in Building Resilience to Meet the Challenges

While the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters are reaching record levels, so too is their financial impact: the UNDRR estimates that by 2025, their real cost will be close to 2,300 billion dollars.

Valentine Evangelisti, HI's Manager of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation, explains, "Investment in DRR remains too low in international aid funding despite the scale of the challenge, and even though funding resilience today will help to avoid more costly disasters and greater humanitarian needs in the long term."

Climate hazards are therefore a growing threat to economic stability and sustainable development, with underestimated and unsustainable costs for the most exposed countries, whose financial and social situation is often precarious. These costs usually lead to a vicious circle of indebtedness, falling incomes, and repeated humanitarian crises, making populations even more vulnerable. The reduction in international aid makes it even more urgent to invest in DRR initiatives to reduce losses, with the emphasis on reducing vulnerability and building resilience.

Preparing for the Worst and Drawing Inspiration from Nature to Adapt to Change

Because of its geographical location and the dependence of its economy on agriculture, Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by climate change. To prepare and strengthen the resilience of the populations of the Kurigram region, HI places inclusion at the heart of every approach, decision, and concrete action. This includes training community members in inclusive DRR practices, involving people with disabilities in risk management committees, and developing inclusive risk reduction and management plans (accessibility of warning systems and emergency shelters, etc.).

Jennifer M'Vouama adds, “HI has been implementing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation interventions for over 20 years. The organization works to ensure that gaps in inclusion are filled in by empowering the most at-risk populations to cope with risk and adapt to climate change and by ensuring that policies and practices respond to their needs and opportunities."

On the other side of the Pacific, HI is also working in Peru. The country is highly exposed to hazards, particularly drought and cold snaps, especially in the Andean and tropical regions. In the provinces of Loreto and Huánuco, HI is raising awareness of the impact of climate change among teenagers, women, and people with disabilities. By strengthening their knowledge and skills, they will be able to contribute to DRR decisions and actions in their communities.

HI is also working with officials in the provinces concerned to launch a collective dynamic, involving both the population and the authorities in joint adaptation efforts. Secondly, HI will support communities in identifying and implementing nature-based solutions to help them adapt to the effects of climate change. These include, for example, setting up agroforestry systems to safeguard food security or restoring forests to reduce soil erosion and the risk of landslides.