“We need platforms like the one created by CI to discuss creative deliberations and develop detailed plans on how we can equip ourselves for future disasters” – Shri. Hibi Eden, Member of Parliament.

Taking cue from this year’s IDDRR theme ‘Disaster Risk Governance’, CI Kerala hosted a state-level webinar cum training on 11^th November 2020 titled “Integrated Disaster Risk Management for Better Disaster Risk Governance”. The webinar cum training was also intended to mainstream ‘Disaster Clinics’ (disaster risk information & communication resource centres) implemented under the programme Navjeevan – “Building Resilience Communities in Flood and Landslide Prone Regions, Kerala” via its 31 DSSS partners in the State.

Ms. Babita Alick, Operations Managers – South Zone, CI welcomed the speakers and the attendees of the meeting. This was followed by a sharing by Fr. Jolly, Asst. Executive Director – CI on the role played by CI in disaster risk governance. Fr. Paul Moonjely, Executive Director – CI shared a short but crisp message of the day. Through his message he reiterated the importance & relevance of the webinar cum training in the context of CI’s implementation of Disaster Clinics in Kerala and wished for all participants to imbibe new learnings. Shri. Hibi Eden, MP declared the webinar as inaugurated and congratulated all who were part of this webinar.

Dr. Sekhar Lukose Kuriakose, Member Secretary – KSDMA gave the keynote address on the topic ‘Integrated Disaster Risk Management for better Disaster Risk Governance’. He began his speech by reflecting on the word ‘disaster’ and sharing how the word by itself is integrated in nature as it refers to phenomena, nature, humans, intangible units and many more. Reiterating that CI’s initiatives through Disaster Clinics should be in line with the DM plan of local self-governments, he concluded by suggesting that civil bodies and NGOs should work hand in hand to:

• Change the common behaviour of the general public towards disasters
• To defend free education and healthcare and
• Strengthen the performance of local self-government

Dr. Mary Anitha, Chairman – CEFEE imparted the next session on ‘Importance of Differently-Abled Inclusive DRC’. She began her session by explaining that the process of disability can be looked at 3 ways – when in the mother’s womb (before birth); during birth and after birth. Then she went on to list the 22 categories that are defined as disabilities followed by her experience of managing children from special schools in Kerala during the 2018 floods. Her key suggestions to bridge the gap between the general community and persons with disabilities in order to improve disability inclusion in disaster management are:

• Promotion of socializing and buddy assistance among the general community
• Empowerment of PWDSs to face emergencies wherein the trainings should be specific to each of 4 categories that PWDs can be broadly classified into – Visually impaired, Physically impaired, Intellectually impaired and speech & hearing impaired
• Minimization of communication barriers via developing DRR & emergency communication messages using sign languages for the speech & hearing impaired & digital talking books or daisy books for the visually impaired.

Dr. Anitha’s session was followed by an experience sharing by two persons with disabilities – Ms. Aradhana P and Mr. Anil A G. Both of them reiterated the need to focus on implementing washrooms with ramps in all panchayats, establishing pre-positioned stock of emergency kits for the disabled and conducting trainings for sensitizing the general community and first responders on DiDRR.

This was followed by the session ‘Differently-Abled Inclusive DRC for DRR: Best Practices from the Field’ which was imparted by Mr. Joe George, State Project Officer – KSDMA. Key areas where organisations like CI can work with the State government in mainstreaming DiDRR as suggested by him are:

• Printing of disabled-friendly IEC materials on DRR & Emergency training and awareness
• Geo-tagging of PWDs in project areas so they can be easily located during emergencies
• Training of 1^st responders/task forces involved in Search & Rescue on needs of special categories

Mr. Abeesh Antony concluded the meeting by sharing a brief overview of the CI Navajeevan -Disaster Clinics programme and by expressing the vote of thanks on behalf of Caritas India to all the speakers & participants of the webinar cum training. Following the webinar, some of the key action points proposed to be taken forward to ensure DiDRR via Disaster Clinics are as follows:

1) Discussions with KSDMA to collaborate with CI on developing the Disaster Risk Communication application wherein the disabled-friendly materials & audio and video clips developed by KSDMA can be made available

2) Explore the possibility of ensuring the Disaster Risk Communication application is user-friendly for persons with disabilities

3) Establish 31 Disability Forums across Kerala via 31 DSSS partners and conduct disability survey in all revenue villages covered under the project Disaster Clinics

4) Geo-tagging of PWDs identified during the Disability Survey

5) Initiate further discussions with State Disability Forums for access to social welfare schemes for persons with disabilities and

6) Selection of Disability-Friendly spaces for establishing Disaster Clinics