We believe that it is important that people with disability need to be included from the beginning in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of emergency planning and response.

We believe in a human rights-based approach that acknowledges Australia’s responsibility under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) (2015-2030) (UNISDR, 2015) to find ways to ensure everyone is well prepared for disasters.

We know that people with disability face additional risks, barriers and impacts in emergency planning and response. It is important that there are nationally consistent standards to ensure access and inclusion of people with disability, clear frameworks that give a roadmap for everyone to know how we can work together, and tailored resources for people with disability so they can have person-centred planning conversations to make their own individual plan for disaster or emergency based upon disability functional based supports.

Submissions and papers

Ensuring people with disability have a voice on issues that affect them is at the heart of what we do.

Our members experience a range of challenges during natural disasters or emergencies including the current COVID-19 pandemic. We know that people with disability must be part of the solution. They should be actively involved in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of the systems that are in place.

Some of our work in ensuring disability inclusive disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery includes:

A group of people around a table with one woman in focus facing talking into a microphone.

“I’ve learned that there’s so much I can do, as a person with disability, to help myself prepare for emergencies. There’s so much strength within myself and within my community.”
QDN DIDRR Peer Leader Nadia

QDN resources