Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Training Curriculum
Background
Disasters do not affect all people equally. Persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups are often forgotten and left behind when disaster strikes. There is also increasing evidence that persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the negative implications of climate change. Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown an enormous detrimental impact on the lives of many persons with disabilities as most governments failed to make their COVID-19 response and recovery efforts inclusive for persons with disabilities.
Often, persons with disabilities are exclusively perceived as victims of disasters and hence seen as passive recipients of humanitarian aid. In consequence, their capacities to support and strengthen DRR measures are often overlooked. According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 16% of the world’s population, or one billion people around the world, are living with disabilities (WHO, 2023). Excluding the needs of such an important part of the world’s population, will inevitably lead to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures and structures which insufficiently address the needs of any given community.
The Sendai Framework promotes an ‘all of society’ approach and identifies persons with disabilities as key stakeholders that must be included and empowered to participate and take leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) strategies. It also promotes DRR as a key element to support sustainable and inclusive development, with emphasis on disability inclusion, accessibility, and the application of Universal Design principles.
Yet, latest research has shown that lack of practical knowledge and capacities on “how-to” implement Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) is one of the key challenges to better involve persons with disabilities in the relevant processes and to address their specific needs in concrete implementation of DRR related activities.
The Process
The training modules are an outcome of the consortium projecttitled "Putting Persons with Disabilities at the Centre of Humanitarian Preparedness and Response.", aiming at building and strengthening capacity in inclusive humanitarian action and disaster preparedness by actively involving persons with disabilities. It is implemented by a consortium comprising Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), Malteser International (MI), Christoffel-Blindenmission – Christian Blind Mission (CBM), the Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), and the International Disability Alliance (IDA).
Implemented across eight countries in Asia, Africa, and Central & South America—Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Niger, Nicaragua, and Colombia—the project spans a 32-month duration, from May 2021 to December 2023, with a total budget of approximately 3.2 million Euro. The project is financially supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Over the past years, our organisations have been delivering DiDRR trainings to a variety of stakeholders including OPDs, UN agencies, INGOs, governments and authorities. The experience of the involved organisations in implementing DiDRR activities at community level combined with the strong expertise on influencing relevant DRR policy processes at national and international level, sets the groundwork for this comprehensive training. Along the way, there have been many challenges, but also numerous moments for internal and external consultation, reflection, and analysis, to adapt and improve the training approaches as we moved forward.
The consortium is delighted to share the results from this unique collaboration hoping that it can contribute to the continuous learning of the DRR and humanitarian sector to ensure that persons with disabilities are equally involved and addressed in all relevant DRR processes.
The Training Modules
To address the capacity building needs of different stakeholders, a set of four different modules has been designed:
Training Package 1: OPD DiDRR Training Curriculum
Addressing Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and their members. This package seeks to strengthen the leadership and capacities of persons with disabilities in the process of disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction such as planning, advocacy, collaboration and partnerships, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
Download the OPD DiDRR Training Curriculum
Training Package 2: Government DiDRR training Curriculum
For government stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction (DRR) work in their respective countries, and are seeking to transform their DRR policies, plans, budgets, and programs into becoming more inclusive to persons with disabilities.
Download the Government DiDRR training Curriculum
Training Package 3: CSO DiDRR Training Curriculum
Addresses civil society organizations (CSOs) involved in the implementation of DRR programs in their respective area of operations, and those that are advocating for the fulfilment of the rights of the most at-risk groups in disaster situations. Those include international and national non-government organizations (NGOs), mainstream development organizations, community-based organizations, foundations, volunteer groups, and other not-for-profit associations, who want to strengthen disability inclusion in their organizations, by proactively opening up their DRR programs to persons with disabilities, collaborating with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and facilitating referrals for the specific needs of persons with disabilities, as necessary.
Download the CSO DiDRR Training Curriculum
Training Package 4: Joint DiDRR Module
As a complementary session guide to the Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) training curricula designed for government, CSOs, and OPDs, this module seeks to facilitate an open dialogue between relevant stakeholders in the field of development, particularly those who are involved in disaster risk reduction and/or disability inclusion, through which they can jointly prioritize issues and recommendations on DIDRR at country levels, and raise each of the stakeholder’s commitment to take genuine actions within their agencies, organizations, and in their work, to advance partnership and collaboration towards DIDRR.
Download the Joint DiDRR Module
Each of the four training packages consists of a comprehensive training facilitation guide, PowerPoint slides to accompany the facilitation each session, and a variety of tools for various (group) exercises and to enhance an interactive and inclusive workshop environment. The materials can be used for face-to-face workshops as well as for virtual trainings.
All packages and included materials are open-source documents that can be reproduced and used for non-commercial and not-for-profit purposes but referencing the publishing organizations.