Sensitisation of Disaster Relief Operations Towards Persons with Disabilities
Authors: Gunarathna Ishari , Premarathne Priyadarshani 
Published: August 2024

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) often face societal exclusion, particularly during disasters when communities become more vulnerable and reliant on external assistance. PWDs, who are already at higher risk, experience heightened challenges. They usually rely on caregivers, such as family, neighbours, or government support, for daily assistance. However, even these support networks become vulnerable when disasters strike, increasing dependence on government and external relief. During times of disasters, the process of evacuating individuals to relief camps establishes reciprocal relationships between PWDs and relief providers. In the realm of disaster management, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) go beyond being passive recipients; they actively contribute to rescue missions alongside their families. Particularly in Sri Lanka, where advanced tools for those with mobility impairments are scarce, PWDs take on a hands-on role. They guide support providers lacking specific rescue training, offering instructions on how to assist and meet their support expectations. This active participation exemplifies what we term ‘reciprocal relationships between PWDs and relief providers.’ This mutual support is of paramount importance since the entire population is deemed at risk, and collaborative efforts significantly boost the efficiency of evacuation endeavours and the provision of support services. However, it is essential to acknowledge the distinctive vulnerabilities and interdependencies present within the disability community. This recognition emphasises the critical necessity for inclusive disaster preparedness measures. While prior studies have addressed the vulnerabilities of PWDs during and after disasters, a critical knowledge gap exists in understanding these issues in Sri Lanka. This chapter investigates the challenges of PWDs during and after disasters, explores the difficulties of service providers in assisting PWDs, and emphasises the need for inclusive disaster preparedness, highlighting the significance and role of social workers in emergencies in Sri Lanka. The study utilised a qualitative research design, conducting twenty in-depth interviews in two disaster-prone districts in Sri Lanka, Kandy, and Kegalle. The findings reveal that PWDs face a range of challenges, such as limited access to information, inaccessible shelters, transportation barriers, loss of assistive devices, and insufficient healthcare access. The Framework for Integrating Rights and Equality (FIRE) offers crucial recommendations to comprehensively address these issues. Service providers, confronted with resource constraints, accessibility problems, communication barriers, inadequate training, low trust levels, and policy gaps, must integrate these principles for improved disaster preparedness and response. This involves prioritising resource allocation, enhancing accessibility, improving communication, investing in training, fostering trust, and addressing policy gaps, aiming to create a more inclusive and resilient system that better serves the needs of PWDs during emergencies and identifies the importance and role of social workers in emergencies in Sri Lanka.