Persons with disabilities need inclusive supports during disasters

By Xaverine Cyiza.

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Rwanda have highlighted the challenges they face in the wake of natural disasters, underscoring the necessity for tailored assistance due to the disproportionate impact on their lives, including loss of life.

The call was made on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in a meeting organized by the National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda (NUDOR), bringing together different groups that support people with disabilities.

They talked about how to make sure that people with different disabilities don’t suffer during disasters, and what the government should do to help.

During the talk, they looked at the laws about disasters and whether they need to change to better help people with disabilities. People with disabilities say that when disasters happen, they are in big danger because of climate change.

Honorine Tuyishimire talked about how people with mobility issues struggle a lot during heavy rains. She said, “We want the government to make clear rules about how to help people with disabilities quickly during disasters.” She said.

Jean Claude Ngabonziza who has vision impairment, talked about how hard it is for people with disabilities during disasters. He said, “We worry that we might die or get hurt worse while trying to escape.”

Jean Damascene Nsengiyumva, NUDOR’s Executive Secretary, said that everyone should know that people with disabilities need special help during disasters. He said, “People need to know how to help them, even if they don’t know much about it.”

Egide Mugwiza, Director General of Response and Recovery Operations at MINEMA said that it’s tough for disabled people to leave when disasters happen because of their disabilities.

NUDOR reminds everyone about the significance of Article 11 of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which outlines the obligations of signatories to the Convention, calling for its implementation by government agencies and partners.

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