A Crisis Within a Crisis: The Disproportionate Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the vulnerability of persons with disabilities, who faced higher risks of infection and death but were not prioritized in the national response. With disability inclusion falling through the cracks, years of advocacy were threatened. It became clear that every guideline and protective measure for persons with disabilities would only emerge as a response to active and relentless advocacy efforts.
Our Rapid Response: Connecting a Community
Recognizing the urgent need for real-time communication, Samarthyam, under a UNESCAP partnership, established a WhatsApp group connecting 327 Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) across India. As the pandemic unfolded, this group became a vital lifeline for sharing verified information on guidelines and vaccinations, and for identifying day-to-day challenges at the grassroots level. It became a real-time connection between community leaders and accessibility experts when it was needed most.
From Grassroots Discussion to National Policy
A direct outcome of this network was the creation of a draft National Advisory for Persons with Disabilities. In a remarkably short period, Samarthyam compiled the shared concerns and technical advice from the group—covering everything from accessible information to home-based vaccination—into a comprehensive document. This final version was sent to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India, for national notification, turning community-led discussions into high-level policy action.
Key Lessons for Inclusive Disaster Preparedness
This experience provided invaluable lessons for all future crisis response, reinforcing our core beliefs:
- Bottom-Up & Top-Down Approaches are Essential: True inclusion requires both grassroots advocacy to identify needs and high-level policy implementation to enforce solutions.
- Accessible Communication is Lifesaving: Easily accessible platforms and information in multiple formats are critical for sharing life-saving instructions during a crisis.
- Empower Local Leaders: Women with disabilities and local OPDs proved to be crucial first responders and the most effective agents of change within their communities.