Meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in humanitarian emergencies

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32IC pledges:  Update July 2019

JOINT PLEDGES – NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS/NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT

Pledge – Meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in humanitarian emergencies

The Government and National Society of New Zealand jointly pledge:

• Within their respective mandates, to work for greater awareness and inclusion of people living with disabilities during humanitarian crises, to take into account the specific vulnerabilities they face, and to promote their protection under the relevant bodies of law; and
• To take active measures to seek to ensure that their needs are addressed in the planning, delivery and monitoring of humanitarian assistance activities, so that they can effectively participate in and access support services, including by engagement with the disability community in our programme design and implementation, and by promoting inclusive programming in risk preparedness, relief and recovery.

Proposed evaluation criteria

a. promotion of IHL and other legal protections for persons with disabilities at relevant international meetings and fora, internationally and domestically, to uphold their rights as an integral part of effective humanitarian assistance;

Actions to date (NZRC):

• NZRC supported and contributed to the NZ Government-sponsored resolution on Article 11 at the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the Human Rights Commission (HRC), March 2016.
• NZ Government made a statement at 34th Session of the Human Rights Council and hosted a side event in March 2017.
• NZ Government made statements at the CRPD Conference of States Parties, June 2016 and June 2017.
• NZ Government advocated to strengthen disability inclusion language in UN General Assembly and UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolutions during the 71st General Assembly.

Actions to date (NZ Government):

• NZ Government advocated for strengthening disability inclusion language, including access to humanitarian assistance and increased decision-making of persons with disabilities at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2019.
• NZ Government is in the final stages of revising their humanitarian policy, which includes specific reference to the protection and rights of persons with disabilities.
• NZ Government engages actively to support regional initiatives to implement obligations of the Convention on the Rights of Peoples with Disabilities, including at the Pacific Islands Forum.
• NZ Government supports core functions of the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) to build disability-inclusive disaster readiness and response in the Pacific.
• NZ Government funded Pacific Island Disability People’s Organisations POs to attend the Regional Consultation Workshop on the Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action in early 2018.
• NZ Government also supported the Pacific Disability Forum’s work in Tonga through a partnership with cbm New Zealand following Tropical Cyclone Gita in February 2018.

Proposed evaluation criteria

b. Internationally and domestically, programming for humanitarian assistance that acknowledges that people with disabilities may be disproportionately affected by disaster or other emergency, and that engages with the disability community and supports as appropriate existing disability support structures, working to ensure their continued resilience and service continuity in times of emergency.

Actions to date (NZRC)

• NZRC has incorporated persons with a disability into programme planning guidance and training for community-led emergency resilience planning, a Recovery Matters handbook and Psychological First Aid programme.
• The NZ Government has endorsed a Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
• NZ Government is developing a Monitoring & Evaluation framework for international responses.
• NZRC and NZ Government attended 6th Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Cancun, Mexico, May 2017.
• The NZ Government continues to provide support to the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific adopted at the 2016 Pacific Islands Forum.
• & c. The Recovery team has a Preparedness and Resilience programme in Christchurch aimed at the Disability sector and is working directly with the Earthquake Disability Leaders Group on Workshops
• NZRC is part of the Pacific Gender and Diversity Network, working to mainstream gender and diversity into the programmes and activities of 12 participating national societies. A NZRC delegate was network Chair for a year up to July 2017.
• NZRC supported the development of Minimum Standards for PGI inclusion in emergencies at Pacific Gender and Diversity Network meeting.
• NZRC co-funded the Annual Pacific Gender and Diversity network meeting and workshops in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
• NZRC working in partnership with IFRC Suva, ARC and Government has supported Pacific National Societies to review their operating procedures and tools to be more inclusive to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in humanitarian emergencies. This includes integration of PGI principles into Emergency Response Team training. Activities range from mapping of people with disabilities homes in the community mapping, making evacuation centres more accessible, installation of disability accessible latrines and WASH facilities, to special training of persons with disability on how they respond to an emergency.
• NZRC funded the Asia-Pacific Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergencies – PGI surge training in Kuala Lumpur in May 2019.
• NZRC is co-funding a Protection, Gender and Inclusion role in IFRC Kuala Lumpur to support the integration of PGI policies and procedures into National Society programmes and emergency response and help implement and operationalise various PGI tools and processes.
• NZRC has identified PGI delegates and continues to support their capacity building with attendance at PGI meetings and workshops – such as the Annual Pacific Gender and Diversity network meeting and workshops in 2016, 2017, and 2019.
• NZRC has incorporated PGI awareness into IMPACT training courses for delegates since 2018.
• NZRC remains committed to promoting the IFRC Strategic Framework on Gender and Diversity issues 2013 – 2020, and the IFRC Minimum Standard Commitments to Gender and Diversity in Emergency Programming.
• NZRC delivered a Dignity, Access, Participation and Safety (DAPS) framework presentation to Tuvalu National Society staff and volunteers in March 2019.

Actions to date (NZ Government):

• The NZ Government has endorsed a Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
• NZ Government has developed and adopted, in partnership with Australian Government, a Monitoring & Evaluation framework for international responses, which makes specific reference to disability inclusion in an emergency.
• The NZ Government continues to provide support to the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific adopted at the 2016 Pacific Islands Forum.

Key upcoming opportunities

• Pacific Platform, 24-26 October 2016
• Consultation with NZRC on draft MFAT humanitarian M&E framework
• Monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the current Preparedness & Resilience recovery programmes in Greater Christchurch due to be completed by the 1st quarter 2018/19.
• NZRC funding upcoming Protection, Gender and Inclusion role at IFRC Suva. To support the integration of PGI policies and procedures into National Society programmes and emergency response, it has been identified that a dedicated Pasifika focal point is needed.  This role would be to help implement and operationalise various PGI tool and processes.
• NZRC to participate in the Asia-Pacific Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergencies – PGI surge training in Kuala Lumpur end of May 2019.
• NZRC to finalise and implement PGI Action Plan developed at the 2019 Annual Pacific Gender and Diversity Network meeting.

Proposed evaluation criteria

c. New Zealand Red Cross publication of a best practice guide or resource materials to help inform disaster response and recovery related to disability sector, based in part on lessons learnt from the Canterbury earthquakes response.

Actions to date (NZRC):

• A major evaluation of the NZRC Canterbury Earthquake Appeal and Recovery Programme has been completed and a process is underway to take the lessons learned and embed them in the organisation.
• In 2018, NZRC is developing disability inclusive preparedness projects at the national level.

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