ASB Indonesia and the Philippines had completed training series to introduce policies, standards, and guidelines on disability inclusion in disaster management. On October 7, 12, and 14, the online training involved representatives of persons with disabilities at the national level, Lampung Province, and South Lampung District. The participants represented various organisations, including the Indonesian Women with Disabilities Association (HWDI), Indonesian Persons with Disabilities Association (PPDI), Welfare Movement of the Deaf Persons in Indonesia (Gerkatin), Indonesian Blind Association (Pertuni), and Social Welfare Institution for Persons with Disabilities.
Throughout the training, participants had the opportunity to strengthen their capacity regarding the disaster concepts, the correlation of disability concepts and disaster issues, and reflections on the policies, standards, and guidelines of disability inclusion in disaster management. Trainers from ASB facilitated the training in collaboration with other facilitators from the Working Group of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) Central Sulawesi, the Christian Disability Association of NTT Province, and the Disability Inclusion Service Unit of Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Central Java Province.
The training series aims to be the foundation of ensuring active and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in implementing the PASTI Project (Implementing Humanitarian Inclusion Standards and Guidelines in Disaster Preparedness through Institutional Capacity Building). Initiated by ASB, PASTI Project aims to strengthen the capacity of local government and communities to reduce disaster risk. This project will promote the roles and leadership of persons with disabilities in disaster risk reduction mechanisms and humanitarian response. Commenced in May 2021 – April 2023, this project will reach various relevant stakeholders at the national and local levels, including the South Lampung district. PASTI Project is a part of a global project organised by the Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) consortium.
One of the training facilitators, Serafina Bete, explained her method of preparing and delivering training materials. “I approached the participants as resource persons. When I facilitated the training, I took more chance to ask participants to share their experiences in their respective organisations,” said Serafina. Another facilitator, Kasihan, also appreciated the participants’ enthusiasm in joining all sessions. From his perspective, all facilitators managed to convey the learning medium and methods creatively.
“These training activities have been useful to all organisations of persons with disabilities,” said Rachmita, a participant with a disability representing PPDI at the national level. Rachmita continued, “the participants and facilitators are qualified and able to give real impact to the community, including persons with disabilities.”
As an output of the training, participants better understand the basic concepts of disaster management and disability inclusion. They also showed an increased understanding of the policies, standards, and guidelines of disability inclusion in disaster management, including the global humanitarian guidelines such as the Sphere, Humanitarian Inclusion Standards (HIS) for Older People and Persons with Disabilities, and Inter-Agency Steering Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.
Written by: Husna Yuni Wulansari (Communication and Information Coordinator) & Deni Aulia (DiDRRN Project/Training Officer).
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