The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), has been hailed for leading the charge in addressing the vulnerability of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the face of disasters.
Pruksapong Mutarika a Programme Management Officer at the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) commended KCCA for integrating disability inclusion into disaster risk reduction strategies.
She said this during a three-day urban resilience workshop conducted by UNDRR, focusing on disaster resilience discussions and providing essential skills to mainstream disability inclusion.
Mutarika revealed that a lot of progress has been made to ensure inclusive practices in risk disaster management but there are still a lot of gaps that need to be addressed by member states.
KCCA is now pioneering efforts to integrate disability inclusion into disaster risk reduction strategies, making it the first city in Africa to take on this critical endeavor.
The initiative aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which emphasizes the principles of accessibility and inclusion while recognizing the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities as catalysts for positive change.
During the opening of the urban resilience workshop, Her Worship Doreen Nyanjura, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala, expressed her commitment to the cause.
“We, the policymakers, need to urgently incorporate persons with disabilities, and they should be consulted about their needs. We tend to ignore them during planning,” she emphasized.
The workshop was held from Wednesday to Friday at Skyz Protea Hotel in Kampala.
Nyanjura stressed the importance of harmonizing disaster management and including PWDs in consultations to better understand and address their specific issues.
She also highlighted the need for awareness-raising among PWDs, providing counseling, empowerment, and strengthening the capacity of communities to handle disasters effectively.
The Deputy Director, Gender and Community Services Daniel Kaseregenyi, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of understanding the needs of PWDs to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty. He noted that disability inclusion programs, policies, and services would be prioritized in the context of Kampala city.
Susan Aciro a representative of National Union of Women with Disability, thanked KCCA for the training and urged the Authority to take into consideration the action points to better the service delivery for PWDs .
“Organizations of people with disabilities are willing to work on policies with KCCA because disability-inclusive policies are helpful to everyone and anyone can become disabled at any point. This will make a better Kampala.” Aciro said
Persons with disabilities are frequently and disproportionately impacted by disasters, often facing unique challenges in terms of resilience and recovery.
During the workshop there was the unveiling of the Score Card annex, set to become an integral part of local policies and strategies, which is expected to strengthen the capacity of cities to address barriers and support the full and equal participation of PWDs.
