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Mobility tools pre-positioned in designated relief camps

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Humanitarian response is helping people during and after the disaster.

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If a designated camp which is also an existing institution building such as school is not designed to be inclusive, the same lacks any inclusivity while being used as camps

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In states, both are the same (within Government) but the challenge lies in bringing diverse stakeholders (Government, Private, Academic etc) together and agree on a common modus operandi to address needs and gaps

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While community-led activities such as use of locally available materials to come up with innovative assistive devices (e.g., bamboo), community-based support systems in emergencies (such as peer groups) etc. The extent of impact, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, makes it challenging for the limited number of OPD to reach directly or influence others to address the needs of persons with disabilities

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Communication to persons with intellectual disabilities is left out of planning, search and rescue, evacuation protocols

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There are systems present, but there is lack of awareness. There is no inter-departmental communication. Involvement of persons with disabilities not happening at a regular basis.

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OPDs should be a source for getting data on persons with disabilities

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Need for training and awareness raising of front line evacuation team

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emergency relief kit now has assistive devices for persons with devices. But the challenge is repairing of the devices and also access to the devices.

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An effective way is to provide basic psychosocial intervention training to both sets of actors and provide linkages to further specialised services. Listing an example here in the link

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Despite evidence of the impact that disasters have on mental health, disaster response approaches traditionally have not included mental health services. Disaster preparedness and response activities focus solely on immediate humanitarian needs such as protection, water, sanitation, shelter, food and health. Consequently, although disaster-related distress is highly prevalent in affected communities, those experiencing such distress usually have no recourse.Having decades of experience implementing community-based mental health programs in some of the disaster-affected districts of Odisha, MHI-partner BNI planned a psychosocial intervention in six of the most affected blocks of Odisha.

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Community-Driven Practices & Innovations in India

Inclusive Shelter Design:

Odisha’s Cyclone Shelters (Post-Phailin & Fani):

Some newly built multipurpose cyclone shelters now include ramps, handrails, and accessible toilets after advocacy by DPOs and NGOs like Swabhiman and Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre.

Community-based monitoring by Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) helped identify gaps and advocate improvements.

Inclusive Village Resource Centres (Tamil Nadu):

Post-Tsunami, some coastal villages integrated disability-accessible safe spaces supported by NGOs like Equitas Development Initiative Trust, including braille signboards and visual cues for deaf persons.

Assistive Technology (AT) Continuity:

Community Device Banks in Assam and Maharashtra:

NGOs like Chetana Vikas (Wardha) and Shishu Sarothi (Guwahati) have created local AT banks for rapid deployment during floods or displacement.

Local volunteers are trained to repair and distribute low-cost AT (e.g., crutches, walkers, communication boards).

Pre-positioning of Aids and Appliances (Bihar Flood Zones):

Collaboration between Gyanjyoti Samaj Kalyan Sansthan and health departments allowed for basic AT kits to be stored at PHCs in high-risk zones.

Inclusive MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support):

Community-Based Peer Counselling in Kerala (Post-2018 Floods):

With support from the Kerala Federation of the Blind, peer volunteers were trained to provide mental health first aid, especially for those with vision and multiple disabilities.

Children’s Resilience Circles (Jharkhand & Odisha):

Special schools and community volunteers used art, storytelling, and theatre for psychosocial support of children with disabilities post-COVID-19 and disasters.

Volunteer Mobilization:

Youth Champions and Inclusive First Responders (Odisha & Tamil Nadu):

Organizations like Swabhiman and ActionAid India have trained youth and women with disabilities to become first responders in floods and heatwaves.

These responders help identify needs, evacuate peers, and disseminate early warning messages.

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Village Disability Committees:

In states like Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, SHGs have been empowered to maintain community-level inclusion checklists for disaster preparedness.

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first responders need to be trained before the disasters on how to take care of person with disasters, especially the ones with intellectual disability.

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Coordination example in Odisha

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Despite evidence of the impact that disasters have on mental health, disaster response approaches traditionally have not included mental health services. Disaster preparedness and response activities focus solely on immediate humanitarian needs such as protection, water, sanitation, shelter, food and health. Consequently, although disaster-related distress is highly prevalent in affected communities, those experiencing such distress usually have no recourse.Having decades of experience implementing community-based mental health programs in some of the disaster-affected districts of Odisha, MHI-partner BNI planned a psychosocial intervention in six of the most affected blocks of Odisha.

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3 key barriers and 3 ecosystem gaps in community-driven disability-inclusive preparedness and response in India, focusing on areas like inclusive shelter design, AT continuity, inclusive MHPSS, and volunteer mobilization during emergencies:

Three Barriers:

1. Lack of Accessible Infrastructure in Community Shelters

Most disaster relief shelters and public buildings lack ramps, tactile signage, or accessible toilets, making them unusable for persons with physical, visual, or intellectual disabilities.

2. Limited Awareness and Training of Local Responders and Volunteers

Local emergency responders, volunteers, and even community leaders are often unaware of the specific needs of people with disabilities during evacuation or relief operations.

3. Invisibility and Social Exclusion of People with Disabilities

Community-based preparedness programs often overlook people with disabilities due to stigma, inadequate data, or lack of targeted outreach, making them invisible in planning and response efforts.

Three Ecosystem Gaps:

1. Absence of Disability-Inclusive DRR Protocols at the Local Level

Most gram panchayat, urban ward, or community disaster plans do not include disability-specific action points, standard operating procedures (SOPs), or inclusion checklists.

2. Lack of Continuity Mechanisms for Assistive Technology (AT)

There are no formal systems for inventorying, maintaining, or replacing assistive devices during and after a disaster, which interrupts mobility, communication, and independence.

3. Weak Integration of DPOs and Disability Advocates in Community DRR Platforms

Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) and disability leaders are rarely involved in local disaster management committees, resulting in top-down plans that fail to reflect lived realities.

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Here’s a comprehensive list of stakeholders who should be involved:

1. Persons with Disabilities and Their Representatives

Persons with different disabilities (physical, sensory, intellectual, psychosocial, multiple)

Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs)

Self-help groups and peer leaders

Parents/caregivers of children with disabilities

Elderly persons with disabilities

They bring essential lived experience and can identify context-specific risks and barriers.

2. Community-Based Actors

Community volunteers

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / Urban Local Bodies

Anganwadi and ASHA workers

Youth groups and women’s collectives

Faith-based groups and local influencers

They ensure local ownership, rapid response, and inclusive implementation at grassroots level.

3. Government Authorities

Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA, SDMA, DDMA)

Departments of Social Justice, Women & Child Development, Health, Education, and Urban Development

State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities

District Magistrates and Block Officers

Police, Fire, and Civil Defence departments

They ensure policy alignment, resource allocation, and integration with formal DRR frameworks.

4. Humanitarian and Development Agencies

UN Agencies (e.g., UNICEF, UNDRR, UNDP)

International NGOs (e.g., CBM, Handicap International)

National NGOs working on disability or DRR

Red Cross Societies

They bring technical expertise, global best practices, and scalable models.

5. Service Providers

Health and rehabilitation centers

Special educators, therapists, and mental health professionals

WASH and Shelter infrastructure providers

Transport providers and communication system designers

They ensure critical services are adapted and accessible before, during, and after emergencies.

6. Academics, Researchers & Technologists

Universities and research centers working on DRR or disability

Experts in inclusive technology and assistive devices

Monitoring & Evaluation experts

GIS/mapping and data analysts

They support evidence generation, monitoring, and innovation.

7. Media and Communication Experts

Accessible communication designers

Disability-aware journalists

Content creators for mass and digital media

They promote awareness, counter stigma, and support inclusive early warning and public messaging.

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We we had our discussions many and I think the past two groups also highlighted few points which we antole discussed. I'll be focusing only what what we had specific in terms of let us say first what would we say that data is of crucial importance at the at the bottom of pyramid. It may be it will be we discussed the rural India part as well as well as the other places the urban urban settings as well. But in the rural areas, we also need to look into not not typically. The Gram Panchayat is there. So we we need to go with the database at that level because that is a big gap and there the disabled people organisations or the other agencies who are who are there to help people disable people themselves who can actively participate in this whole process, it's it's of crucial importance. So we need to have a cross disability database clearly because senses and all other agencies do that but that's not being done properly. That that is the first thing. Second is the convergence part, where with the mutual departments, which is at the panchayat level, they are talking about the convergence, but it is not happening actually where disability risk reduction, Disaster Risk Reduction, things also has to be collaborated there and. of the disasters when we talk, the pre disaster that is specifically for the preparedness part, and there are very disaster in the during that disaster also many things can be taken care of and the post disaster. In that state, because disaster is a state subject and I think the one earlier also highlighted that disaster, national national disaster management guideline will be there, but Ultima State is going to do it. So how the state responds so that advocacy and negotiation is also important with the multi skilled stakeholder engagement, it may be the media, it may be the university student, it may be the community, it may be the self groups, it may be the other people who are working at elected leaders. The Community level and there are best practises to cross learning is also very much required. It may be the Interstate, not necessarily within the state but Interstate as well, but we have such a diverse country so geographically and population diversity language. So there are there are many things which has to be designed disaster risk. Reduction or any anything we what we are doing through the personal disability looking into across disability and the seasonal profile or kind of you know working towards the annual Disaster Risk Reduction programmes that has to be at the place for to make it more effective.

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we have also discussed about the channels that where the government agencies are directly working with the OPDS and the stakeholders like the district level Committees on Disabilities or the state level seating committees for disabilities and so on. So these committees has the representatives from the all the departments. Where the rate utilisation of the like network can be utilised for preparing the district, like prepared plans and also taking the support of institutions and the universities particularly from the department of architecture where we can also look from the design aspect of the shelters and the rehabilitation centres.

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there is a distinct disaster management plans. But unfortunately in my I work very closely with as a convener for the District Intelligence Group as well. Experience is those plans are just uploaded even without changing the year. I have seen that you know on many websites. So if that is taken into consideration and nowadays we are talking of AI, we are talking of technology enablement link that to the Gramme panchayat directly because that will help in terms of cross disability data as well as anything can be done around that. We and we have tried that. We have created a small model and we are working on it but that could be making the disaster.

District Group, also functional and district disaster management plans, also very useful as per the NDMA. Envision it or any state government would like to do that.