Take up disaster management programme for people with disabilities: Bangladesh
Speakers at a dialogue yesterday called on the government to take disaster management programme for the people with disabilities in a bid to mitigate their untold sufferings during and after any natural disaster.
Titled 'Disability inclusive disaster management programme,' the national dialogue was organised by Action on Disability and Development (ADD) at the Brac Centre Inn auditorium in the city.
Nayeem Wahra of Disaster Forum moderated the programme, while Assistant Prof Hasan Shafie of the department of Anthropology at Dhaka University placed a keynote paper.
The speakers said Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to flood, cyclone, tornado, drought, salinity, river bank erosion and some other natural disasters. Persons with disabilities suffer most due to high degree of vulnerabilities and over exposure of hazards.
In addition, cultural beliefs or community attitudes towards the persons with disabilities also contribute to an increase in the risk of disaster, they added.
The speakers further said that persons with disabilities, women and children face 85 percent of deaths during disasters. They urged the government to formulate a disaster management programme and provide proper facilities for the vulnerable people.
People with disabilities are the most vulnerable group. So, all development–based programmes should be made disabled people–friendly, they added.
Established in 1985, ADD works in 13 countries in Asia and Africa regions. The organisation has network in 23 districts in Bangladesh
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net
Back to News