Women's Weather Watch (5)Access for the Elderly, Disabled

April 3, 2012

FemLINKPacific reiterates that the protection of elderly, people with disabilities, sick & injured people, among other vulnerable groups is identified in the affected communities, especially accounting for the damage to local infrastructure.

The importance of having access to a small bridge can be a matter of life and death.

That is what the members of the Ba Seniors Centre are living through today following the death of one of their members.

68 year old Sushila Prahlad, who has been a member of the Ba Seniors Centre since 2002 complained of chest pains yesterday. However she was unable to go to the Ba Mission Hospital because the main access bridge, the Waileqe Bridge had been washed away.

A distressed Coordinator, Dorothy Bali advised FemLINKPacific that the loss of Sushila is a reminder of how access for the elderly to health and evacuation centres should not be forgotten during natural disasters.

A reality also emphasized by Angeline Chand of the Pacific Disability Forum: "Access needs and supplies for women and people with disabilities and the need to locate them in such times requires improved coordination at the national and local level."

It is critical also that caregivers of people with injuries/disabilities have the extra help they need.

We urge government & non-government humanitarian actors, evacuation centre managers, first-responder staff & volunteers, service-providers and carers to ensure the following:

- Elderly, sick and injured people, and people with disabilities will need particular care and attention during and after the emergency

- Ensure that elderly, people who are sick or injured and people with disabilities are included in all vulnerability assessments and that their specific needs are identified, monitored & addressed.

- Encourage their participation in decision-making.
- Make special efforts to identify, locate, register and follow up people with injuries/disabilities/serious illness and other vulnerable groups. They may be harder to find or make contact with but they have the same needs and rights as everyone else.

We also call on the media to raise awareness and talk about the specific and basic needs of elderly, sick and injured people, and people with disabilities when discussing protection issues with government officials, religious leaders and humanitarian workers

Recognise that people with disabilities are not all the same.
Girls, boys, men and women will have different needs. Within these groups, needs will also vary depending on the different disabilities they have. Adapt your approach accordingly.

Loss of a caregiver can have significant impacts for elderly and people with disabilities.
Prioritise these groups in assistance, support and protection efforts.

Women, men, girls and boys with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else.

Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Executive Director, FemLINKPacific (www.femlinkpacific.org.fj)

ENDS

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