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.

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/special-procedures/sr-indigenous-peoples

Check the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: http://www.ohchr.org/en/indigenous-peoples/un-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples

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/special-procedures/sr-disability

Check the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: http://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities

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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