New Delhi: The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), organized “National Conference on Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Pathways for Inclusion and Action for Resilience” here today. The one-day conference was organized in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), as a run up to National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) in May 2020. The event was focused to bring together the stakeholders from Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and disability inclusion to deliberate on actions and strategies for mainstreaming disability-inclusion in DRR process.
Presiding over the function, Shri Kamal Kishore, the Member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), highlighted the need for development of a holistic approach for disability-inclusion in DRR. He emphasized on the empowerment of the persons with disabilities for inclusion in disaster risk reduction. He also emphasized on mainstreaming of disability inclusion in local level actions.
Presenting the Special Address, Shri S.N. Pradhan, Director General, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) emphasized on the need of training of the first responders of disaster management to achieve disability-inclusion. He explained the challenges faced in rescuing disabled victims during disaster scenarios.
Delivering the welcome address, Major General Manoj Kumar Bindal, Executive Director, National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), highlighted the present gaps in disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and he also prioritized the need of capacity building programs for mainstreaming disability inclusion at all levels.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. K.V.S. Rao, Director, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Government of India (GoI), also emphasized on the involvement of all the stakeholders in the decision-making process. He highlighted the scope of development of assistive devices and technologies with an aim to empower the persons with disabilities.
The inaugural session was followed by three technical sessions: “Disability inclusion in DRR: Need for a Holistic Approach”; “Mainstreaming Action in Local level Action” and “Participation of PwD’s in Disaster Risk Reduction Process”. Several eminent speakers from the field of DRR and disability-inclusion like Shri Mihir Bhat and Dr. Asha Hans among others shared their views and experience to pave the way forward for building disability-inclusive resilient development. Senior officials and representatives from various departments of various states and NGOs participated the conference. The valedictory for the conference was addressed by Smt. Shakuntala Gamlin, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), and Shri G.V.V Sarma, the Member Secretary, NDMA.
