4Plus

An estimated 15% of the world’s population live with some form of disability, yet they are among the most vulnerable and neglected in any type of emergency. Evidence gathered from previous events shows that people with disabilities are disproportionately affected and experience particularly high rates of mortality and morbidity1. While the term access and functional needs (AFN) applies to people with physical, sensory, mental health, cognitive, and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/D) that affect their ability to function without assistance, it also is used to describe people with temporary conditions, such as women in late stages of pregnancy or individuals with injuries, etc.

In the wake of a crisis or disaster, the notion of rights may appear to vanish behind the reality of the immediate needs of all survivors. However, it is the issue of rights that lies at the root of humanitarian efforts following disasters and emergencies, rights that should be equally available to all. The continued exclusion of persons with disabilities and older persons with reduced mobility from the exercise of fundamental human rights - both in the wake of disasters and more generally is a vital issue that needs to be addressed. Though disaster prevention is gaining increased importance in the Regulation of Greece-Albania and in the priorities of the local authorities in the region, strategic guidance on how to carry out the relevant priority setting and how to support hazard prevention and reaction measures for citizens with reduced mobility and autonomy, such as persons with disability and the elderly is lacking.

As part of its activities under the 4PLUS project, the Urban Research Institute (URI) conducted a Telephone based Survey’, from September to December 2019, to assess the level of inclusion of PWDs on the civil protection and disaster risk reduction processes in the regions covered by the Program Interreg IPA CBC Greece-Albania 2014-2020; as well as to assess the level of awareness among PWD and within the society at large of the needs, actual risks, and types of exclusion faced by PWDs in periods of hazards, etc. As specified in the budget line of the activity, a total of over 1000 individuals were interviewed by phone for the purpose of this survey, of which 300 were PWDs and/or persons with reduced mobility.

Of the 1000 respondents, 126 are identified as a person with a disability responding on their own and 174 respondents identified as a family member or caregiver answering on behalf of a person with a disability; while 700 were among the general population living in the program covered area.