People with disabilities are at the forefront of natural disasters, warns the UN

First at risk, last saved. People with disabilities are the least protected during natural disasters, according to Gertrude Fefoamenew chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

A lack of data that excludes them from rescue operations

How to explain that, during an earthquake or a flood, the disabled are the great forgotten rescuers? ” This is due to lack of available datacomplains Gertrude Fefoame to our colleagues of Keeper. In many places there are no figures on who lives where and with what disability. This has direct effects when it comes to searching for the missing after a natural disaster. ” Without information about these people, why look for them? We don’t know who is missing, because we haven’t counted them, then they were excluded from the start. »

In addition to being poorly counted in regional demographic data, people with disabilities and associations working for their rights are not taken into account in disaster management or risk assessment programmes. As with climate policies, they are not consulted when it comes to designing prevention strategies adapted to populations.

The pandemic has exacerbated inequalities

Again according to Gertrude Fefoame, Covid-19 has marked a real step backwards for the rights of people with disabilities. ” A gap widened and never filled when schools switched to distance learning [une méthode d’apprentissage inadaptée pour certaines personnes en situation de handicap, ndlr]. Business-wise, it’s the same story. Many people lost their jobs and incomes and never recovered. »

In a precarious situation, these people are all the more vulnerable and exposed to potential abuse: “ many women with disabilities find themselves begging or depending on people who “do them a favor” Indeed, women and girls with disabilities are overexposed to sexual violence, as well as being at the forefront of climate disasters, geopolitical conflicts and health crises…