Disaster risk reduction: “A new global strategy must cover
indigenous persons with disabilities” – UN experts
GENEVA (17 Mars 2015) – Two United Nations human rights
experts today called on all participants at a key UN meeting on disaster risk
reduction in Sendai, Japan, to firmly include in their new global strategy
initiatives that take into account disability and allow full participation of
indigenous persons with disabilities.
“Indigenous persons with disabilities are particularly
vulnerable to natural disasters as they often live in areas of risk related to
climate change,” the UN Special Rapporteurs on persons with disabilities,
Catalina Devandas-Aguilar, and on indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli Corpuz,
reminded Government representatives and international experts who gather this
week for the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
“They often lack access to the mainstream disaster risk
reduction services that are available to the general population,” they said,
while stressing that “indigenous persons with disabilities are also
overrepresented among the poor, which increases their likelihood to be affected
by these emergencies.”
The experts urged States around the world to include in
their disaster risk reduction plans initiatives that are inclusive of
disability, fully participatory throughout all stages from prevention and
planning to response and which ultimately build indigenous peoples’ resilience
to such challenges.
“All emergency and disaster risk reduction efforts should
address the situation of indigenous persons with disabilities,” the UN Special
Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities emphasized.
In addition, future protocols need to encompass actions
targeting and involving indigenous persons with disabilities. “The information
should incorporate relevant traditional and indigenous knowledge and cultural
heritage and be tailored to different target audiences, taking into account
cultural and social factors,” the UN Special Rapporteur on indigenous peoples
added.
ENDS
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples,
Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (Philippines), is a human rights activist working on
indigenous peoples’ rights. Her work for more than three decades has been
focused on movement building among indigenous peoples and also among women, and
she has worked as an educator-trainer on human rights, development and
indigenous peoples in various contexts. She is a member of the Kankana-ey,
Igorot indigenous peoples in the Cordillera Region in the Philippines. As
Special Rapporteur, she is independent from any government or organization and
serves in his individual capacity. Learn more, log on to:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/SRIndigenousPeoples/Pages/SRIPeoplesIndex.aspx
Ms. Catalina Devandas Aguilar (Costa Rica) was designated as
the first Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in
December 2014 by the UN Human Rights Council. Ms. Devandas Aguilar has worked
extensively on disability issues at the national, regional and international
level with the Strategic Partnerships with the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund,
the UN unit responsible for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and the World Bank. Her work has focused on the rights of women
with disabilities and the rights of indigenous peoples with disabilities. Learn
more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Disability/SRDisabilities/Pages/SRDisabilitiesIndex.aspx
Check the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/ConventionRightsPersonsWithDisabilities.aspx
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
For further information and media requests, please contact
Ms. Krista Orama (+41 22 928 9286 / korama@ohchr.org) or write to
sr.disability@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 /xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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