Climate change has led to numerous environmental changes, causing the world’s ecosystems and millions of people even more vulnerable to the increasing impacts of natural disasters and hazards. Based on our on-site experience in disaster risk reduction programmes, we realise that climate change has imposed multiple threats on the most at-risk populations, including people with disabilities. The more frequent and larger scale of drought, heavy rainfalls, floodings, and other natural hazards have made their livelihood more vulnerable due to food insecurity, income loss, and worsened marginalisation. ASB sees this condition as a need to build the resilience and empowerment of the at-risk groups.

ASB has been integrating our disaster risk reduction efforts into climate change adaptation since 2015. In 2019, we established a climate change adaptation programme, combined with disaster risk reduction, through a partnership with ACCORD in the Philippines and Bintari Foundation in Indonesia. This partnership aims to improve the climate resilience of 21 communities in 6 municipalities/districts in the Philippines and Indonesia that are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. In 2020, we commenced another partnership with Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) in Bangladesh, Farmer Initiatives for Ecological Livelihoods and Democracy (FIELD) in Indonesia, and People’s Initiative for Learning and Community Development (PILCD) in the Philippines. Together, we work to improve the socio-economic development and resilience of disaster-prone communities in South and Southeast Asia through climate-smart and risk-sensitive livelihoods and greater involvement and leadership of women and people with disabilities.