CBM's Elizabeth Lockwood reports from Guayaquil, Ecuador, at the Fourth Session of the Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) of the Americas.
27 May 2014
"Margareta Wahlström, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction mentioned the importance of including persons with disabilities in DRR in her opening speech at the Regional Platform in Guayaquil. Also, Dr. Alex Camacho Vásconez, Technical Secretary of Disabilities in Ecuador, was introduced in the opening panel.
"Later in the morning, Dr. Camacho Vásconez presented on a case study of a community of persons with disabilities in the area of Tunguraha that has volcanic activity and is prone to natural disasters. He explained how the government in Ecuador created a plan to identify persons with disabilities and create evacuation plans. Among many disability awareness trainings, emergency workers learned some basic signs in Ecuadorian Sign Language to provide communication and information access to Deaf persons in emergencies.
"As a wonderful example of inclusive policy, sign language interpreters have been included in every panel presentation in the platform. It has been a positive start for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Regional Platform for the Americas! Oh, and the coffee and chocolate are fantastic too."
28 May 2014
Latin American government officials and Pan American Health Organization representatives attended a side event with the Pan American Health Organization over persons with disabilities and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
30 May 2014
We were quite active on the third and final day of the Regional Platform of the Americas in Guayaquil. Silvia Quan delivered a dynamic presentation on the UN CRPD and the importance of the perspectives of persons with disabilities and Disabled People's Organisations in all stages of DRR planning and implementation.
Our advocacy efforts paid off and persons with disabilities were included in the final document of the Regional Platform of the Americas! In addition, references to disability were mentioned in official statements. Panama and Jamaica included the importance of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in DRR in their official statements, and the children and youth representative highlighted children with disabilities twice in their official statement. ¡Gracias a todos y todas!
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