When natural disasters strike, safety depends on people moving quickly. This becomes especially complicated when people have mobility problems or other disabilities.
When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005, people with disabilities died two to four times more than others, largely due to the lack of access to transportation, shelter, evacuation and rescue. it was high. In an era of increased risk of accidents such as floods, increasing their safety is on the public agenda. Such efforts promise to help a wider population.
why i wrote this
Public transportation is essential when it comes to preparedness and disaster response. Inclusive policies for people with disabilities can save lives.
But it took time to turn the promise into reality. Elham Yousefian, Senior Advisor for Comprehensive Humanitarian Action at the International Disability Alliance, hopes recent commitments from the 2022 Climate Summit will spur governments to action. I hope that the class of people who are considered to be more diverse.
“As people with disabilities, we really want to be part of the solution,” she says. “People with disabilities make up her 15% of the world’s population. It would be a great loss if we didn’t give this 15% of people the chance to save the planet we love.”
When natural disasters strike, safety depends on people moving quickly. This becomes especially complicated when people have mobility problems or other disabilities.
This challenge is becoming more important as global temperatures rise and extreme weather events such as floods and heat waves become more severe. In many parts of the world, residents and governments are ill-prepared for this “accelerating and growing threat,” says Sebastian, founding director of the Climate Behavior Research Program, which includes people with disabilities, at McGill University in Montreal. Jodoin said.
When it comes to preparedness and response, poorly designed and inaccessible policies can exacerbate social inequalities and force some of the most vulnerable to fend for themselves. Inclusive policies, on the other hand, can save lives.
why i wrote this
Public transportation is essential when it comes to preparedness and disaster response. Inclusive policies for people with disabilities can save lives.
What accessibility barriers exist in current disaster risk planning?
When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005, people with disabilities died two to four times more than others, largely due to the lack of access to transportation, shelter, evacuation and rescue. it was high. One of her Katrina survivors, who was diagnosed with a disease that affected her mobility, climbed her two safe flights of stairs with the help of a colleague as the water level rose, according to The Associated Press. told to
“This kind of story is repeated all over the world at different events,” says Dr. Jodoin.
The problem: Countries plan for adaptation and disaster response, but often forget about the specific needs of people with disabilities. One reason may be ignorance.
“Many people do not realize that people with disabilities experience climate change very differently than other people and have far fewer mechanisms and strategies to deal with it. ” at the International Disability Alliance.
What are the benefits of disability –Comprehensive climate policy?
The most obvious beneficiaries are people with disabilities. But Dr. Jodoin, who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, points to the so-called curb effect as evidence of the widespread benefits of accessible planning. Sidewalk ramps are designed for people with disabilities, but curb cuts are also useful for children on bikes, parents with strollers, and delivery workers.
Better accessibility means more people can use public services. The same logic can be applied to climate adaptation. “The more accessible ways we can evacuate people, the more lives we can save,” he says. “With these comprehensive climate solutions, more people can benefit and save lives and participate in the transition to carbon neutrality.”
What measures are being taken around the world?
Almost all countries (except the United States) have ratified the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention requires governments to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including the right to life in emergencies. Furthermore, signatories to the 2015 Paris Agreement (especially the United States) have agreed to respect human rights, including the rights of people with disabilities, when addressing climate change.
Thirty years of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change have been slow to turn commitments into action. However, Dr. Youssefian has praised the “huge achievement” at her 2022 conference she attended. The Action Plan on Climate Empowerment now formally mandates the participation of people with disabilities.
Dr. Youssefian says she hopes this will spur government action and diversify the class of people seen as agents of change.
“As disabled people, we really want to be part of the solution,” she emphasizes. Failure to provide an opportunity to save the planet would be a great loss.”
