DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN Highlights from a desk review CONTEXT Around fifteen percent of the world’s population live with some form of disability. This is the largest minority group on earth and it is growing as populations age. In disasters these people suffer loss and injury at a higher rate than the general population. Targeted support to build capability and enable preparation for response and recovery from geophysical-, weather- and climate- related disasters is essential to building resilience. People living with disabilities (PWD) are not a homogenous group. The range of individual capacities, strengths, capabilities and needs is not generally well understood or accommodated in DRM planning. PWD are frequently marginalised and are confronted with a range of barriers that exclude active engagement in disaster risk reduction activities. The CRF is supporting disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Management (DRM) as an essential element in building societal Climate Resilience (CR) in nine Photo: ASphotowed CRF recipient Caribbean countries. In 2020-2021 a desk study was undertaken to: 1. Better understand disability inclusion gaps in DRM and CR in Antigua and Barbuda; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Jamaica; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; and Suriname; n Disability most often coincides with other marginalising 2. Propose a series of recommendations to make disaster characteristics preparedness and recovery strategies more inclusive of PWD n Most disability is acquired and increases with age – both in in Caribbean countries. degree and as a proportion of the population MAIN FINDINGS National governments are committed to disability- inclusive DRM. All have developed policy and There are more than a million PWD across the nine selected countries and a trend towards national standards that support accessibility of numbers and degree of disability increasing as information and public infrastructure for PWD. This, the populations age is clear. A lack of quality and together with newer and emerging technologies, is accessible disaggregated disability data limits a certainly improving accessibility for PWD. However, precise understanding of PWD demographics. poorly enforced laws and regulations allow However, it is clear that: barriers to access to persist. n Internet-based communication devices within-built accessi- n Visual impairment and limited mobility are the most prevalent physical disabilities. bility features are improving the availability of information for PWD. n People living with intellectual, mental and psychological disabilities are poorly accounted for in official statistics n The use of the Common Alerting Protocol for weather warnings n and information greatly supports both their accessibility and Rates of disability across all impairments are generally higher availability. among females RESULTS IN RESILIENCE SERIES Photo: John Birdsall / Alamy Stock Photo n Web content management standards – such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) – are not commonly applied WORKING TOWARDS DISABILITY to content made available on official DRM websites. This means INCLUSIVE DISASTER RISK PWD who rely on accessibility software such as screen readers MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE and translators cannot access the information. RESILIENCE n Building codes and public planning regulations designed Based on the findings the CRF will to enable accessibility for PWD to buildings and public infrastructure are enshrined in public policy but are not well applied or enforced. > Support national governments to address issues around the serious lack of disaggregated PWD are not well engaged in DRM and CR disability data that is available and/or planning processes. Despite policy supporting accessible to the planning and implementation inclusive practices DRM planning tends to be done of preparedness and recovery activities. for rather than with PWD and is based on their limitations rather than their strengths. > Foster rigorous adherence to accessibility n PWD are invited to participate in DRM planning and policy provisions in building codes and land use forums but their active engagement is frequently not well planning. facilitated. n Well established umbrella disability support organisations that > Raise awareness and build capacity for a have a direct working relationship with PWD and respective national governments are under-resourced and under-utilised more meaningful direct engagement of PWD in DRM planning, particularly at the national level. and representatives in DRM “We are the ones n There is little evidence of mainstreaming disability inclusion wearing the boots—we know where they pinch”. across societies or within DRM > Promote a change in societal attitudes towards PWD that are based on acknowledging For more information please contact abilities and building capabilities rather than Ronette Gwendolyn Jordan rjordan1@worldbank.org the predominant existing attitudes of pity and Disaster Risk Management Specialist helplessness.