On Wednesday 26 February, The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Ciamis district, West Java held the inauguration of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Forum of Ciamis district. The inauguration was conducted by the Vice Regent of Ciamis.
The Forum will serve as a partner of government in planning, implementing, and monitoring disaster risk reduction activities in Ciamis.
This inauguration was attended by representatives of all DRR stakeholders in the district from government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations. Representatives also included women’s group representatives and persons with disabilities.
Mr Dodo Zakaria (37), one of the representatives of disabled people’s organisations, was appointed as one of the 11 committee members. Mr Zakaria is the Chair of the DRR Forum’s Empowerment and Vulnerable Group Section. This initiative well demonstrates the positive contribution of persons with disabilities to DRR activities. The instituionalisation of inclusion in DRR programming in Ciamis is a highly important initiative.
Dodo, as he is familiarly called, has a physical disability and is the Chairman of the Indonesian Association of People with Disabilities (PPCI) in Ciamis. Dodo told ASB that his active role in the DRR Forum is recognition that persons with disabilities in Ciamis should not be seen as objects of charity, but rather as active contributers to society:
“I feel, this representation of people with disability in the DRR forum is very important. We really hope to get more information related to DRR, so that we can also participate in DRR activities. As we are perfectly able to. And personally, I am ready to be deployed anywhere after this event, for any DRR activities, especially disseminating information”, said Mr Dodo in response to his role in the DRR forum.
Dodo is a Disability Disaster Response Cadre (KDTB) participating in trainings within the “Promoting the Inclusion of People with Disability in Disaster Management in Indonesia” programme (MANDIRI BISA). This programme is a collaboration between ASB and the Centre for Disability Research and Policy at the University of Sydney and is supported by Australian Aid.
Dodo has been active in the dissemination of DRR information and in providing counseling for persons with disabilities at 3 special school (SLB) in Ciamis. Dodo also provides DRR outreach to the general public in West Java through Early Childhood Education centres (PAUD) and 3 community Health Clinics (Posyandu) in Ciamis.
This inclusion of Dodo in the DRR Forum further confirms that persons with disabilities can, and should, actively contribute to DRR programming. We hope that Dodo’s positive contribution to the DRR Forum will be an inspiration for more inclusive-DRR in Indonesia.
Further information related to the ADRAS programme.
