Disability-Inclusive Disaster-Resilient Village

Climate change-induced disasters, directly and indirectly, impact the lives and livelihoods of persons with disabilities. Koyra, Dacope, Paikgacha (Khulna), and Mongla (Bagerhat) are highly climate-vulnerable areas of Bangladesh. Eleven thousand six hundred ninety-three persons occupy it with disabilities. The study was conducted in this area to understand the current climate change scenario and the vulnerability of climate-induced disasters on persons with disability. The best pathway is to ensure a disability-inclusive resilient society through review and analysis of strategy and policies. It further comprised field data collection by Household questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment, Remote Sensing, and GIS. The study reveals that Disability-Inclusive DIsaster-Resilient Communities, Climate-smart livelihoods, and disasterresilient infrastructure (coomunication, housing, drinking water facilities, and disability-friendly cyclone center) should be established. There should be access to the social safety net, a resilient health delivery system responsive to local government, and access to market and investment. To make a disability-inclusive resilient society, there should also be the promotion of buffer zone (green belts) and, strengthening of the embankment, activation of the disaster management committee at the union ward level.