Eleventh International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Natural disasters are becoming both more frequent and severe around the world, necessitating short- and long-term mitigation planning and preparedness. Often this planning process does not take in account of people with disabilities (PWD). There is an estimated 1 billion people (15% of the world’s population) with disabilities and within this group are deaf and hard of hearing people. Deaf people’s information access and participation in disaster mitigation and preparedness is limited due to attitudinal, communication, and educational barriers warranting research into Deaf people’s disaster adaptation and resilience. Preliminary research indicates that Deaf organizations are at the forefront of disaster response and recovery, leveraged via established organizational and social media networks. We will present case studies from Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and Việt Nam to guide discussion on how deaf communities are empowering themselves to undertake disaster mitigation efforts. Drawing insights from the ways these cases might inform community-based advocacy, capacity-building, research and training activities around the world, discussion will focus on best practices for mitigation planning, preparedness, and advocacy.