RI Global: Office of Communications
Contact: Adrian Brune, +1 347-759-9501
A new framework on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was officially adopted on 18 March 2015 at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan.
Rehabilitation International (RI) participated in the Sendai conference and is proud to have been part of ensuring the inclusion of disability in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. There are many references to disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction throughout the framework, which is an improvement on previous versions.
Research indicates that persons with disabilities are two to four times more likely to die during natural disasters than those without disabilities, and specific considerations range from physical infrastructure needs to early warning announcements. The new framework includes a commitment to disaggregated data on disability, as well as an incorporation of the principles of Universal Design. These additions will ensure effective coordination of accessible crisis communication, inclusive evacuation procedures, and more.
Planning for the World Conference began in July 2014, when RI took part in preparatory consultations in Geneva. Since then, the RI Task Force on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction has worked hard to highlight the need for disability perspectives in DRR negotiations around the world, a mission that has been a focus of RI for years.
During the Sendai conference, RI Task Force member Matthew Rodieck presented research at an event organized by UN DESA, analyzing the way forward for disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction.
As with all frameworks, implementation of these inclusive plans is of the utmost importance, and the next steps are crucial to ensuring persons with disabilities will not be left behind in future natural disasters. RI’s work to make this happen will continue in the years to come.
Read more about the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
RI Global: Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI Global) is a worldwide network promoting the rights and inclusions of persons with disabilities (PwDs) through advocacy, habilitation and rehabilitation to achieve an inclusive world in which all people can enjoy full human rights.
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