Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDDR) in South Asia: Status, Prospects, and Challenges

The need for disaster risk management efforts to be inclusive is more pronounced than ever before. Persons with disabilities remain on the of most disproportionately affected groups during disasters. The concept of Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) has therefore received increased attention in the existing scholarship and practical measures related to disability and disaster. This chapter focuses specifically on South Asia, with particular attention to Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. These South Asian countries share common challenges in disaster risk reduction measures, especially concerning persons with disabilities. This chapter prioritizes understanding regional dynamics for effective solutions and advancements applicable in settings globally. It examines how each South Asian country approaches disability-inclusive disaster policies, programs, and capabilities, considering their shared issues in this area. Looking at the DRR programs in South Asia broadly, this chapter finds that deficient policy frameworks and insufficient data availability hinder the implementation of DiDRR strategies. Additionally, the inadequate involvement of disability communities in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) programming and planning further hinders the goal of helping people with disabilities during disasters. Several factors contribute to the difficulty of collecting accurate disability statistics, including inadequate data collection tools, challenges in obtaining disability registration information, and the lack of prioritization for collecting such data, all further compounded by social stigma surrounding disability. The book chapter attempts to highlight some of the factors that facilitate or impede the involvement of persons with disabilities by demographic categories of women, men, adolescents, and children. This chapter also offers scholarly and practical implications for researchers and practitioners by encouraging them to thoroughly investigate and revisit the existing measures and interventions to advance disability inclusion within disaster risk reduction planning and implementation efforts in emergency management.