Disabled Population and Disaster Preparedness

• 18 Oct 2023

For Prelims: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, Earthquakes, Volcanoes

For Mains: Need for the promoting inclusivity of disabled in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.

Source: DTE

Why in News?

A recent survey by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), released just ahead of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction observed on October 13, reveals a lack of progress in government policies for protecting people with disabilities during natural disasters over the last decade.

What are the Findings of the UNDRR’s Survey ?

• Findings of Survey:
  • The 2023 survey, covering 6,000 respondents from 132 countries, shows that 84% of people with disabilities are not informed about evacuation routes, shelter homes, or personal preparedness plans, compared to 71% in 2013.
  • Only 11% of respondents are aware of disaster management plans in their local areas, down from 17% in 2013, and less than half are aware of accessible disaster risk information.
• Concerns of Disabled:
  • People with disabilities are at greater risk during disasters, with up to 16% of the global population having disabilities and being two-four times more likely to be killed by disasters.
  • Despite increased interest in participating in community-level disaster planning, 86% of respondents still feel excluded, emphasizing the need for inclusion.
• Suggestions of Survey:
  • The report emphasizes the interconnectedness of disasters and inequality, with unequal access to services increasing the vulnerability of the most at-risk groups.
  • The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 calls for disability inclusion, accessible disaster risk information, and inclusive early warning systems.
  • Strengthening early warning systems is crucial, as half of the countries lack these mechanisms, and timely warnings can significantly improve evacuation rates.
  • Immediate action is needed to address these challenges and ensure meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in community disaster risk reduction planning.

What is Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-30 ?

• About:
  • It was adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015 in Sendai, Japan.
  • The present Framework applies to the risk of small-scale and large-scale, frequent and infrequent, sudden and slow-onset disasters caused by natural or man-made hazards, as well as related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks.
  • It aims to guide the multi hazard management of disaster risk in development at all levels as well as within and across all sectors.
  • It is the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.

• Actions to be taken in four Priority Areas:
  • Understanding Disaster Risk:
    • To promote the collection, analysis, management and use of relevant data and practical information and ensure its dissemination.
    • To systematically evaluate, record, share and publicly account for disaster losses and understand the economic, social, health, educational, environmental impacts.
  • Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance to Manage Disaster Risk:
    • To carry out an assessment of the technical, financial and administrative disaster risk management capacity to deal with the identified risks at the local and national levels.
    • To encourage the establishment of necessary mechanisms and incentives to ensure high level of compliance with the existing safety-enhancing provisions of sectoral laws and regulations.
  • Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience:
    • To allocate the necessary resources, including finance and logistics, as appropriate, at all levels of administration for the development and the implementation of disaster risk reduction strategies, policies, plans, laws and regulations in all relevant sectors.
  • Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction:
    • To establish community centres for the promotion of public awareness and the stockpiling of necessary materials to implement rescue and relief activities.
    • To train the existing workforce and voluntary workers in disaster response and strengthen technical and logistical capacities to ensure better response in emergencies.

What are the Initiatives to Empower the Persons with Disabilities (PwD)?

• Global:
  • UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:
    • The UN Convention on the Rights of PwD (UNCRPD), which was adopted in 2006, defines persons with disabilities as those “who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”.
    • India ratified the Convention in 2007.
      • The Indian Parliament enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 with a view to fulfilling the obligations under the UNCRPD.
• Indian Efforts for Persons with Disability:
  • Constitutional Provisions:
    • Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) states that the State shall make effective provision for securing right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.
    • The subject of ‘relief of the disabled and unemployable’ is specified in the state list of the Seventh Schedule of the constitution.
  • Legislation for Disabled - Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016:
    • The Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
    • The types of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21. The Act added mental illness, autism, spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, chronic neurological conditions, speech and language disability, thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, multiple disabilities including deaf blindness, acid attack victims and Parkinson’s disease which were largely ignored in earlier Act.
    • It increases the quantum of reservation for people suffering from disabilities from 3% to 4% in government jobs and from 3% to 5% in higher education institutes.
    • Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
  • Accessible India Campaign (Creation of Accessible Environment for PwDs):
    • A nation-wide flagship campaign for achieving universal accessibility that will enable persons with disabilities to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society.
    • The campaign targets at enhancing the accessibility of the built environment, transport system and Information & communication ecosystem.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Mains:

Q 1. Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach. (2020)

Q 2. Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impacts and its threat to people. How and in what ways can vulnerability to disasters be characterized? Discuss different types of vulnerability with reference to disasters. (2019)

Q 3. Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) before and after signing ‘Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-30)’. How is this framework different from ‘Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005’? (2018)