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The needs of people with disabilities are not met in disasters

Order of Malta participates in UN survey

Cologne, 17 October 2013

A rescue exercise for disabled in Vietnam

The Order of Malta has conducted a survey in Vietnam as part of a United Nations data collection. Findings reveal that people with disabilities often lack vital information and support to protect themselves from disasters – the preliminary result of a survey conducted by the Order of Malta’s relief agency, Malteser International, in Vietnam for International Day for Disaster Reduction.

The Vietnam survey is part of a worldwide effort by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to collect data from over 120 countries until the end of 2013. “This is the first survey conducted on a global scale on how the disabled cope with disasters,” said Sae Kani, Malteser International Disaster Risk Reduction specialist.

Malteser International, has been active in disaster risk reduction in Vietnam since 2009 and is a member of the Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Network (DiDRRN) in Asia-Pacific. The preliminary results of the global survey are available at: www.unisdr.org A rescue exercise for disabled in Vietnam