Disasters vary in types, causes, and consequences, they may result from natural causes.During the last decades, natural disasters caused by different factors pose a serious threat to life, property, and infrastructure in ways of material damage, economic losses, causalities and emotional well-being of humans for many parts of Europe. The natural disasters have disproportionate effects on people with disabilities like blind, deaf, persons with reduced mobility and their family caregivers.Specific reports from 2004 to 2014 showed that persons with disabilities suffered from natural disasters 2-4 times more than non-disabled people (Report on 2011 disaster of Japan). The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in its articles 11 and 322, requires that persons with disabilities benefit from and participate in disaster relief, emergency response and disaster risk reduction strategies. Underlining the legal obligations enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly with regard to Article 11 requesting the States Parties including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, to take all the necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters.Aligned with UNCRPD, European Disability Strategy 2010-2020: a renewed commitment to a barrier-free Europe which is aimed at raising awareness of the needs of persons with disabilities, including accessibility, in the area of emergency and humanitarian aid, as well as promoting the rights of people with disabilities and their families in the external action of the EU and the Member States. Also with the the drafted resolution on EU Disability Strategy post 2020, priorities to be effective in fostering meaningful inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities and their caregivers has been set. However, "Living with Disability and Disasters" global survey conducted by (UNISDR) in 2014 and scattered evidence reveal that PwDs still have no significant representation in building resilience to disasters and only a small percentage of respondents are aware of disaster management programmes in Europe and majority express desire to be included in these programmes. Within the given context, EMPOWER project aims to empower people with disabilities through effective disaster management; raise awareness of persons with disabilities and their caregivers about the increasing risks of disasters; to make PwDs and their caregivers better prepared for natural disasters through training contents and accessible learning materials on the accessible learning hub; support the caregivers in the disaster management processes; increase the knowledge and awareness of authorities and policy makers responsible for disability and disasters, volunteers in civil protection and professionals working with PwDs; to build a culture of disability and disasters in community-at-large; to mainstream disability into disaster management cycle. The target groups of this project are persons with disabilities (35 in online testing) caregivers(140 in pilot trainings), volunteers/professionals working in the field of disability and disasters, NGOs, local/national authorities, first responders. (160 in project activities; focus groups, round-table meetings, validation and valorization workshops) The following project outputs will be developed to achieve the foreseen results by focusing on "earthquakes, fires, floods, and pandemics". IO1 European Reference Framework on Effective Disaster Management for Caregivers IO2 Training Content on Effective Disaster Management For Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities IO3 Accessible Learning Hub with Accessible Learning Materials for Persons with Hearing and Vision Impairments IO4 Disability-Inclusive Disaster Management Reference Handbook In order to empower PwDs through effective disaster management, a participatory and holistic approach has been planned in the development and implementation of the project activities and outputs. That's to say that all interested parties persons with disabilities, formal and informal caregivers, authorities and policy makers will be actively engaged in the project through focus group meetings, round-table meetings, questionnaires, validation and valorization activities, pilot trainings and online testing. EMPOWER will have a direct impact on raising awareness about disasters, better preparedness of caregivers and people with disabilities for disasters, empowerment of people with disabilities through effective disaster management, resilience of PwDs to disasters, mainstreaming disability into disaster management. The envisaged impact will be development of high-quality and disability-inclusive disaster management trainings, developing disability-inclusive strategies and policies, as well as more accessible learning resources in Europe
Our goals to implement this project were empowering people with disabilities through effective disaster management, raising awareness of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers about increasing disaster risks, supporting people with disabilities and caregivers to better prepare for disasters, empowering caregivers in the disaster management cycle, increasing the knowledge and awareness of authorities, policy makers and professionals working with people with disabilities, creating a culture of disaster preparedness throughout the society and including people with disabilities in the disaster management cycle. The project's outputs were crucial in helping it to accomplish these goals. Partners carried out a national benchmarking analysis to see the current situation in disaster management policies and plans Partners conducted an online questionnaire 719 (127 informal caregivers and 592 professional caregivers) respondents in order to define their needs in disaster management. Based on these analysis and needs, European Reference Framework on Effective Disaster Management for Caregivers was created. Based on this framework, partners created Training Content on Effective Disaster Management For Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities which consists of 3 units with 12 subunits and an introduction part. This content is available in project platform. Short term staff training activity was held with 17 participants. These participants organized pilot trainings in partner countries with 83 participants in total. The training has contributed significant knowledge and skills on disaster preparedness. Partners held focus group meetings with 44 experts in disability and disasters to define the features of the learning hub and materials. 4 vodcasts, 3 podcasts and 3 presentations were created by partners and tested by disabled people to see the usability and accessibility. Materials were updated according to their suggestions. A valorisation workshop was organized during multiplier events with 48 experts, caregivers, social workers, managers and disabled people. The materials and hub were found useful and accessible. It was said that they help to achieve better and more efficient management of natural disasters for the disabled. Partners applied questionnaires with 190 respondents in order to identify the perception of disability, disaster and inclusive disaster management. Partners organized focus group meetings with 56 participants to identify the needs of disabled people regarding inclusive disaster management. Based on the inputs from questionnaires and focus group meetings, inclusive disaster management handbook was created. A valorisation workshop was organized during multiplier events with 48 experts, caregivers, social workers, managers and disabled people. The handbook was found guiding, useful for the target groups.
We applied for this project because we recognized the urgent need to address the disproportionate impact of natural disasters on persons with disabilities and their caregivers. The background information provided in the project proposal highlighted the significant vulnerabilities and challenges faced by this particular group during disasters. Persons with disabilities were found to be suffering from natural disasters at a higher rate compared to non-disabled individuals, often due to misconceptions, lack of inclusion, and limited representation in disaster management efforts. This project aims to address these issues by focusing on the empowerment, awareness, and preparedness of persons with disabilities and their caregivers. By participating in this project, we sought to contribute to reducing the vulnerability and enhancing the resilience of this marginalized group during natural disasters.