In Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh , people with disabilities are not only equipped with skills to adapt to natural disasters and climate change, but also directly participate in developing plans and solutions for natural disaster prevention from the smallest scale in villages, communes and districts.
Disabled since childhood with difficulty walking, Ms. Dinh Thi Yen (Muong ethnic in Nga 2 village, Cuc Phuong commune, Nho Quan district) has tried hard to learn sewing and repair clothes at home, but life still faces many difficulties. The place where she lives is often affected by natural disasters, but the local government has only assessed the level of risk at the district to commune level; there has not been a specific, detailed assessment of residential areas.
Meanwhile, according to research by experts, when natural disasters and climate change occur, people with disabilities like Ms. Yen often suffer double losses. Because they have not had access to information, experience, training courses to cope, have plans to relocate, evacuate, and respond. This means that people with disabilities lose the opportunity to take control and protect themselves when natural disasters occur; do not have the opportunity to actively and comprehensively participate in disaster prevention and climate change activities.
The project "Promoting the inclusive development of people with disabilities and building communities that are resilient to natural disasters and climate change" has supported and provided livelihoods for thousands of people with disabilities and their families. (Photo: ActionAid International in Vietnam)
In 2018, receiving support from the project "Promoting the inclusive development of people with disabilities and building communities that are resilient to natural disasters and climate change" supported by ActionAid International in Vietnam (AAV) and the Vietnam Social Security Program and Project Support Fund (AFV), Ms. Yen was able to participate in vocational training courses and open a garment workshop. After 3 years of construction and operation, the garment workshop developed into Cuc Phuong Garment Cooperative. In addition, Ms. Yen was also equipped with skills in natural disaster prevention and climate change; participating in developing plans and solutions for natural disaster prevention from the smallest scale in villages, communes and districts.
“Thanks to the project, I and other disabled people no longer feel self-conscious or inferior when going out into society. We enthusiastically participate and contribute ideas at meetings and community activities. From there, we understand and know the risks of natural disasters that may occur in the locality and how to prevent them, proactively prepare ways to respond, safe shelters that the project has instructed, and know how to contact individuals and responsible units when natural disasters occur. Along with that, garment and beekeeping cooperatives also help us increase our income, stabilize our lives and become more independent" - Ms. Yen shared.
After 4 years of project implementation, by 2023, Nho Quan district has 41 villages and 3 communes (Cuc Phuong, Ky Phu and Thach Binh) that have completed the Disaster Prevention Command Committee with members being people with disabilities. Along with that, the models of Disaster Shelters are also designed to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities such as having ramps for people with disabilities using wheelchairs; having directional signs, exit signs, equipment signs for the visually impaired; having signal lights and sirens to indicate locations for people with hearing impairments.
The disaster shelter model in Nho Quan was built to ensure accessibility for people with all types of disabilities. (Photo: ActionAid International in Vietnam)
The project not only turns communes in Nho Quan district into places with disability-friendly public works, providing livelihoods for thousands of disabled people and their families, but also contributes to fundamentally changing a deeply ingrained perception of prejudice that "Disabled people cannot do anything in natural disasters".
The models developed by the project have completely changed the perspective of the community and the government on the role of people with disabilities in disaster prevention and climate change, helping them see that people with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, can manage their own livelihoods in a sustainable way and adapt to climate change. People with disabilities can actively participate in planning for disaster prevention and climate change at the local level, implementing and monitoring the implementation of those plans.
Assessing the Project "Promoting the integrated development of people with disabilities and building communities that are resilient to natural disasters and climate change", Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi affirmed: "People with disabilities can participate very effectively in planning for natural disaster prevention and climate change adaptation. If localities integrate this plan into their local socio-economic development plans, people with disabilities can participate in implementing and monitoring the implementation of these plans in a harmonious and sustainable manner".
Ngoc Chau
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