Making the disabled count

Ishara Jayawardane - Pictures by Roshan Pitipana

On the side of the road to Batticaloa sat a little boy deaf and dumb. He survived the Tsunami but lost a mother. Deaf and dumb he could not ask for water or food. He wandered about the nameless earth where he once knew a mothers loving touch. He was one of the many victims of the Tsunami . He died that day because he was alone. He died that day because there was no system in place to help him. He died because he didn't have his mother.

Over the past 34 years, 28 million people have suffered from natural disasters in Sri Lanka, with Batticaloa district being the most affected area with more than 3.6 million people affected

Handicap International organized an international workshop on disability inclusive disaster risk management titled "Strengthening Advocacy for Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Management.

The objective of this workshop was to increase knowledge, understanding and accountability on disability issues in link to disaster risk management and foster a consensus on the best ways how to ensure that persons with disabilities are included in disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation activities.

Persons with disabilities are among the worst affected by disasters. Typically they are excluded from key activities of community based disaster management such as early warning systems, task force trainings or shelter management.

The importance of disability inclusive disaster risk management in South Asia, a region where one fifth of the world's population lives cannot be emphasized enough. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) guesstimates more than 200 million people in the region are persons with some kind of disability.

"We simply cannot speak about Disaster Risk Management or any economic, social, political or development subject or any cross cutting issue whilst excluding disability, as, whether we like it or not, persons with disabilities are also a part of the parcel of our society and our communities. Therefore, the word inclusive or inclusiveness has no limits or parameters when it comes to safeguarding human lives." Said President, Disability Organizations Joint Front, Prasanna Kuruppu

Sri Lanka has come a long way in disaster risk management since the devastation of Tsunami in late 2004. We lost lives, we lost families, we lost our environment, property, livelihoods and many became disabled. We have experienced many similar situations before and after the tsunami. The whole country irrespective of cast, creed, ethnicity, social status or political alliance joined together in providing emergency relief when was most needed. This feature is a common phenomenon not only for Sri Lanka but in all South Asian countries as well.

"This workshop is an unprecedented opportunity for the disability movement and disaster risk management specialists to discuss and agree on how best to work together towards the common goal of insuring the most vulnerable are less affected during disasters," said Handicap International Paris Director Sandrine Chopin

In Sri Lanka, disaster relief was previously dealt with as a subject under the Social Services Ministry. However, in 2005 the Government of Sri Lanka promulgated the Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005 and established the National Council for Disaster Management with HE the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition Ministers representing more than 20 line Ministries, Chief Ministers of all provinces and five Members of Parliament from the opposition.

Among many other aspects, the Council is mandated for the preparation of a National Disaster Management Plan & a National Emergency Operation Plan. The National Disaster Management Centre under the auspices of the Ministry of Disaster Management & Human Rights has separate units including a Preparedness Planning Unit, Training, Education and a Public Awareness Unit.

"So we have a very promising Act, a powerful council in place and a Disaster Management Centre with separate units to handle different thematic areas. What we need now is to have a dialogue, a positive and constructive dialogue to include disability in Disaster Management, include disability in Disaster Risk Reduction, include disability in Disaster Preparedness, include disability in Disaster Mitigation, include disability in training and include disability in public awareness. Besides, Disability inclusive community based disaster risk management is one of the key approaches in succeeding in these efforts," said Kuruppu.

Handicap International is a non governmental organization. It is a federation of national associations. They have national associations in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Canada, US, Switzerland. Handicap international was created in 1982.

"What we are looking at is how we can improve the situation of personal disability in a disaster context. We know because we are practitioners, we know that persons with disabilities are always left aside. If individuals, communities and governments are not prepared 15% of the population will be left aside or their basic needs will not be addressed properly; such as food, drink, shelter access to sanitation. And furthermore this 15% of the world population will not be able to access specialized services. They need specialized services to make sure they can live in normal society. For example you went skiing in the winter in France. You break a leg and become disabled.

It is not permanent. If you do not have crutches they you cannot go anywhere.

You are stuck. If you get a set of crutches you can move around; you can cook your own meal, you can take care of your children, you can even go to work. You have access to society." Said Chopin.

The common message that must be delivered to all segments of society is that people with disability have rights. "We must collectively work together with communities and civil societies. It is not enough to have this in our legal framework. We must put it into action. People with disabilities can contribute. You can be in a wheelchair and take down notes. You can work on a computer and be a real asset."