Inclusive Emergency Response Unit (ERU)
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© CBM/Hayduk
Seeds being checked before distribution - disability-inclusive response to 2016 Ethiopia food crisis
CBM working with local partners to ensure that people with disabilities are included at all levels of disaster preparedness and response.
Impact of conflict or disaster is greater for people living with a disability
The impact of a disaster or conflict is greater for those living with a disability because:
- They may be unable to escape the situation: For example, a person in a wheelchair may be unable to flee a tsunami or gunfire.
- They may be dependent on assistive devices or care-givers: For example, a person with an intellectual impairment may be unable to negotiate his/her community without assistance.
- They may have difficulty adjusting to their temporary environments: For example, a person with a visual impairment may not be able to find food and water distribution sites in a refugee camp.
- They may be unable to access basic health services: For example, a person with diabetes may be unable to get the medicine they need to manage their condition.
Disability is often the result of conflict or disaster
Statistics:
- There are 42 million refugees / internally displaced people around the world (UNHCR, 2009)
- An estimated 1 billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, have a disability (WHO, 2011)
- Each year for past 20 years, 200 million people have been affected by disaster (UNISDR, 2005)
- It is estimated that for every child killed as a result of violent conflict, three are injured and permanently impaired (IFRC Disasters Report 2007)
- 10% of an affected population [by disaster] will develop serious psychological trauma (WHO)
People are at risk of sustaining a disability during a disaster/conflict because of:
- The type of injuries associated with warfare, such as amputations, burns and blindness.
- Mental health problems associated with trauma and violence, such as post traumatic stress disorder.
- Poor nutrition as a result of children being displaced from their families.
- Poor health as a result of a breakdown in health, water and sanitation infrastructure.
How CBM responds
When disasters/conflicts happen, CBM, with our partners, can identify people living with disabilities among the affected population and meet their immediate needs of food, water, shelter and healthcare.
After the initial emergency response, CBM remains in the affected area to support, plan and develop long-term programmes that promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities into all aspects of community life such as:
- Access to health care and rehabilitative services.
- Access to livelihood programs.
- Access to education and vocational training.
- Advocacy to ensure the voices of persons living with disabilities are heard and their needs are acted upon in planning and reconstruction.
Inclusive emergency response is an important aspect of the way CBM strives to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Emergency Response links
- http://news.trust.org/humanitarian - The humanitarian news section of Thomson Reuters Foundation, which is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information provider.
- http://reliefweb.int - ReliefWeb is administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and provides information on humanitarian emergencies and disasters.
- www.ifrc.org/en/publications-and-reports/code-of-conduct - the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief was developed and agreed upon by eight of the world's largest disaster response agencies in 1994. It is used by the International Federation to monitor its own standards of relief delivery and to encourage other agencies to set similar standards.
Humanitarian Inclusion Standards part of Humanitarian Standards Partnership 
Humanitarian Inclusion Standards 
Hurricane Matthew - One year later 
Hurricane Matthew - Six months on 
Hurricane Matthew - After three months 
World Humanitarian Day 2016 
Ecuador Earthquake 
Active Participation: Key to Inclusion 
Ethiopia food crisis 
Disability charter endorsed at World Humanitarian Summit 
Nepal 2015 earthquake - Impact assessment 
Nepal earthquake - one year on 
Disability-inclusive Sendai implementation 
Disability-inclusive shelter training in Nepal 
Nepal earthquake - six months on 
Nepal earthquake - three months of inclusive response 
Nepal earthquake - one month on 
Inclusive Humanitarian Action 
Nepal earthquake 
Importance of inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction 
Post-2015 DRR framework is disability-inclusive 
DRR - Inclusion key to resilience 
Tropical Storm Chedza in Madagascar 
Severe flooding in Malawi 
Haiti - five years on 
Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) 
Accessible technology in humanitarian action 
Cyclone Hudhud – Relief supplies for most at risk 
International Day for Disaster Reduction 2014 
CBM and partners' response to the Gaza crisis 
Disability included positively in DRR conference outcome 
Innovative DRR - Pacific Disability Forum wins new award 
Post-2015 Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 
Launch of Aging and Disability Task Force in Philippines 
Typhoon Haiyan - six months on 
Contributing to Haiyan recovery 
Haiyan - disability inclusive recovery 
Philippines - typhoon Haiyan 
Syria crisis - CBM supporting refugees with disabilities 
WHO & CBM launch publication on inclusive health 
Day for Disaster Reduction - Inclusion saves lives! 
Disaster Reduction - Meet Kazol, 'disaster prepared' 
Disaster Reduction - Flood-proofing essentials 
Disaster Reduction - Five inclusive NGOs in action 
Disaster Reduction - meet Rashedul from Bangladesh 
World Humanitarian Day - the world needs more inclusion 
ASEAN Regional Forum Disaster Relief Exercise 2013 
GP DRR outcome statement includes disability 
Publication on Inclusive Disaster Risk Management 
CBM participates in global DRR conference 
Disaster risk - CBM working to build more resilience 
Typhoon Bopha - CBM providing access to basic needs 
CBM supports persons with disabilities in DRC 
CBM film wins award at Disaster Risk Reduction conference 
Food crisis in Niger - support to pastoralist communities 
Philippines: 640,000 people affected by tropical storm 
Floods in Southeast Asia and Central America 
Horn of Africa food crisis 
Pakistan flood relief – Rebuilding 
Homes and livelihoods washed away 
Haiti Earthquake - CBM in Port-au-Prince 
