VOICES of 1.7 million Pacific Islander persons with disabilities seek partnership and inclusion in shaping the 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
“Persons with disabilities must not be viewed as beneficiaries only. They must be recognised as agents of resilience, helping design, deliver and monitor disaster and climate actions,’’ said Sainimili Tawake, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF), who represented these voices in the DRM meeting in Palau.
“This vision is possible if equity and inclusion are embedded at every level, political, institutional and community.
“Focus on the substance, legal, policy, and budgetary frameworks for disaster risk management and reduction, and on the structure, building capacity and resourcing key institutions.
“Importantly, on culture capturing the realities faced by persons with disabilities both in peacetime and in humanitarian situations in their own communities,” she said.
Tawake said the 2050 Implementation Plan is strong as it focuses on climate change and disasters, which is clear.
“Policy alone is not enough. Equity and inclusion must be intentional.
“This involves mainstreaming disability inclusion in national DRM and climate frameworks, updating accessibility and universal design in early warning systems, shelters, and recovery programs, and ensuring data is disaggregated by disability, gender, and age for planning and resourcing,” she said.
Key challenges for organisations include poor coordination and consultation on DRR policies, a lack of decentralised data and funding, the absence of targeted social protection, and gaps in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
The organisations encounter several significant challenges at the national level. One of the primary issues is the lack of coordination and consultation among stakeholders and these organisations regarding disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies.
There is a shortage of decentralised data and national budgets dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities during disasters, and the absence of targeted social protection programs for persons with disabilities, as well as for those living in vulnerable situations, complicates disaster preparedness, response, and recovery processes.
“PDF is already acting through our network of organisations of persons with disabilities, partnering with national DRM offices, SBC and its various divisions such as geoscience, Public Health, Human Rights and Social Division Statistics for Development, Climate and Ocean Support Program, Pacific Meteorological Council, SPREC and other humanitarian partners,’ she said.
Examples include disability inclusion in Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands; financial resilience literacy for persons with disabilities in Kiribati, Tuvalu, Samoa; Pacific Disaster Training in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Guinea, Timor Leste; building safety and resilience in Samoa, Kiribati; the Kiribati Inclusive Early Warning System Pilot for Fiji; and the National Organization of Persons with Disabilities with the national Met Office Disability Access.
Tawake added,” Resilience must be measured by equity and inclusion. A valid blue Pacific is one where persons with disabilities have an equal voice in governance.
“National plans and legal and policy frameworks reflect values of equity and inclusion. Our collective resilience protects those most at risk.”
“The Pacific Disability Forum reaffirms its commitment to work with you and your respective governments, regional agencies such as the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, SPREP, and UN agencies such as UNDRR, to partner and ensure that disability, equity, and inclusion are the foundation of Pacific resilience.
“Let us ensure that the Blue Pacific strength is measured not only by resources and capacity, but by the dignity, inclusion and solidarity we uphold for all our peoples.”