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Inclusive preparedness, response and recovery

Inclusive Humanitarian Response

Emergencies deepen physical, communicative, attitudinal, and institutional barriers, and increase the risk of exclusion for girls, boys, and adolescents with disabilities and their families. Incorporating inclusion from the preparedness stage is not an add-on: it is a condition for a timely, equitable, and rights-based response.

Base framework for inclusive humanitarian action

Four essential actions

Reference: Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines and UNICEF essential actions.

  • 01

    Promote real participation

    Link organizations of persons with disabilities in coordination, decision-making, and needs assessment. Nothing about them without them.

  • 02

    Eliminate barriers

    Ensure physical access to shelters, routes, and services; information in accessible formats; and dignified treatment against attitudinal barriers.

  • 03

    Strengthen capacities

    Train response personnel and communities, and reinforce organizations of persons with disabilities as front-line actors.

  • 04

    Disaggregate data

    Use the Washington Group set of questions and UNICEF's Child Functioning Module to identify who is being left behind, by sex and age.

Key verification indicators

Twelve verifications for territorial planning

These indicators are proposed as compliance checks (complies / does not comply) to guide territorial planning. Each entity can convert them into quantitative targets based on their baseline and risk management plan.

Inclusive emergency response

  • Verification: Needs assessments and registries with data disaggregated by disability, sex, and age.
  • Verification: Organizations of persons with disabilities participating in humanitarian coordination tables.
  • Verification: Emergency information available in sign language, easy read, pictograms, and audio.
  • Verification: Physically accessible shelters, distribution points, and evacuation routes.
  • Verification: Continuity of supports: technical aids, medications, and personal assistance without interruption.
  • Verification: Response personnel trained in inclusive care and accessible communication.

Inclusive recovery

  • Verification: Education, health, and protection services restored with accessibility and reasonable accommodations.
  • Verification: Reconstruction of homes, schools, and public infrastructure with universal design.
  • Verification: Recovery plans and budgets with resources tagged for inclusion and accessibility.
  • Verification: Active referral and counter-referral routes for families with children with disabilities.
  • Verification: Feedback and accountability mechanisms accessible to the community.
  • Verification: Persons with disabilities participating in the evaluation and adjustment of recovery.

References: Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action; UNICEF list of essential actions; Article 11 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Guides and tools

UNICEF guides and tools

Recommended starting point for institutions and territories.

Where to start? The toolkit and the list of essential actions are the best entry points to diagnose gaps and structure an inclusive territorial plan.

  • Language: English (EN)

    Inclusive humanitarian action toolkit

    General guidance for disability-inclusive preparedness, response, and recovery.

    Open resource(opens in a new tab)
  • Language: English (EN)

    Essential actions checklist: verification

    Basic actions to ensure inclusive preparedness and response in level 1 to 3 crises.

    Open resource(opens in a new tab)
  • Language: English (EN)

    Guide: inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene

    Sectoral guidance to include children with disabilities in water and sanitation services.

    Open resource(opens in a new tab)
  • Language: English (EN)

    Guidance on menstrual health and hygiene

    Accessibility considerations for adolescents with disabilities in emergency contexts.

    Open resource(opens in a new tab)

Courses and training

Courses and training

To strengthen the capacities of teams and organizations.

  • Language: Spanish (ES)

    Inclusive emergency management and humanitarian action with a disability approach

    Self-paced course in Spanish on UNICEF's Agora platform.

    Go to course(opens in a new tab)
  • Language: English (EN)

    Inclusive water and sanitation

    Self-paced course on UNICEF's Agora platform.

    Go to course(opens in a new tab)
  • Language: English (EN)Internal access

    Training module: children with disabilities in humanitarian action

    Slides and facilitator's guide. UNICEF internal access.

  • Language: English (EN)

    Video: inclusive humanitarian water and sanitation

    Supporting audiovisual material for awareness and training sessions.

    Watch material(opens in a new tab)

Disaster risk reduction and climate

Disaster risk reduction and climate

For territories exposed to climate and seismic hazards.

Content based on UNICEF resources on disability-inclusive humanitarian action, presented in the webinar \"How to ensure an inclusive humanitarian response?\" from the Inclusive Management Orientation Cycle, School of Governors. Organizers: Saldarriaga Concha Foundation, Colombia Líder and UNICEF. Several materials are available in English.