From Vulnerability to Empowerment: Elevating Women with Disabilities in Disaster Preparedness

This session aims to promote the inclusion of women with disabilities in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), addressing the barriers they face and recognizing their potential to contribute to resilience-building. Marginalized groups such as single mothers, ethnic minority, and geographically disadvantaged women often experience compounded challenges, including economic instability, limited access to essential services, language barriers, and physical inaccessibility during disasters. These challenges hinder their ability to prepare for and recover from disasters and exclude them from disaster management strategies.

Despite the Sendai Framework’s emphasis on inclusive approaches, the needs of women with disabilities are often overlooked. This session seeks to bridge this gap by promoting interventions that ensure their participation in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. By amplifying their voices in decision-making, the event aligns with the Framework’s call for equitable governance and inclusive disaster risk management.

Empowering women with disabilities through tools, resources, and platforms is key to overcoming barriers and enhancing community resilience. The session will include a documentary showcasing the realities faced by women with disabilities in remote parts of Nepal, followed by breakout sessions encouraging dialogue and co-creating solutions. The outcomes will be compiled into the “Geneva Call to Action: Advancing DRR for Women with Disabilities,” advocating for increased global investments in inclusive practices.

Creative activities like a slogan creation challenge and empowerment-focused sessions will inspire innovative, collaborative approaches to DRR. This session aims to enhance understanding, spark action, and ensure DRR strategies are inclusive, equitable, and effective for all, ensuring that no one is left behind in disaster preparedness and response.

Session objectives

This session aims to:

• Shed light on the specific barriers and vulnerabilities faced by women with disabilities, particularly those from marginalized communities, geographically disadvantaged areas, facing multiple discrimination (gender, marital status and ethnicity), in disaster preparedness and response.
• Promote inclusive strategies by sharing real-life experiences, case studies, and innovative solutions to address the intersectional needs of women with disabilities in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
• Foster collective action and global advocacy to amplify the voices of resilience and inclusion for marginalized women with disabilities in disaster contexts.

Moderator:

• Jenisha Maharjan

Speakers:

• Ms. Ichhya KC, Founder and Executive DIrector, Pahichan Nepal
• Mr. Sugam Bhattarai, General Secretary, NFDN
• Mr. Devi Datta Acharya, President, NFDN

Learn more

• Pahichan Nepal
• National Federation of the Disabled Nepal (NFDN)

Organized by

• Pahichan Nepal
• National Federation of Disabled Nepal (NFDN)

Agenda

05 Jun 2025

12:45 - 14:15 (UTC +2 Geneva)

Location

Room 12
CICG