GDRC project helps disabled people have voice in Indonesia disaster planning

Disabled people in Indonesia are being given the chance to contribute to disaster risk reduction efforts thanks to a project being led by researchers from the University of Huddersfield.

Professors Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haigh, from the University’s Global Disaster Resilience Centre (GDRC) at the School of Applied Sciences, are leading the project “Disability inclusive higher education for disaster risk reduction in Indonesia."

Funded by Going Global Partnerships: UK-Indonesia Disability Inclusion Partnerships Grant, the project’s overarching objective is to facilitate a partnership between UK and Indonesia universities to design and deliver projects. This project will strengthen disability inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) by promoting equal access and opportunity for learners with disabilities in Indonesian higher education. It aims to help people with disabilities to become active participants in disaster preparedness, relief and response actions.

Harnessing potential

People with disabilities in Indonesia have lower educational attainment, worse health, fewer economic opportunities and poor access to public services compared to people without disabilities. They are also disproportionally impacted by natural and anthropological hazards, including those exacerbated by climate change. By not harnessing the perspectives, resilience and abilities of people with disabilities before, during and after a disaster, risk reduction, recovery efforts and re-building the economy can be hampered.

“There will be case studies on persons with disabilities before, during and after disaster, inclusive assessment exercises and a training module on evacuation planning for persons with disabilities,” adds Professor Haigh.

“Dr Harkunti Rahayu from the Institute of Technology in Bandung (ITB) is our main Indonesia partner, and the GDRC has a long-standing research partnership with her. Our associated partners are two key Indonesian agencies, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG).”

The project will also enhance the international partnership between Huddersfield and ITB to reduce inequalities and provide a higher quality, more inclusive education for persons with disabilities on DRR related taught and research based higher education programmes. 

Ultimately, the project will contribute to climate action and more sustainable cities and communities by increasing the participation and attainment of persons with disabilities so that their experiences and needs are better reflected and can contribute to DRR strategies.

The funding allows the GDRC team to continue the University of Huddersfield’s long-standing work with ITB, Indonesia, with whom GDRC won the 2019 Newton Prize. 

Previous collaborative projects include:

•    Integrating pandemic preparedness and disaster risk reduction to protect economic assets and people in the 'new normal' for the Greater Bandung Metropolitan area of Indonesia , 2021-2023 :  Newton Fund Impact Scheme 
•    Newton Prize grant, Developing and harmonising local capacities for tsunami early warning in Indonesia : 2020-2021 : Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
•    Mitigating hydro meteorological hazard impacts through transboundary river management in the Ciliwong River basin , 2018-2021  : NERC/ESRC/RISKTEKDIKTI
•    Mainstreaming Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption Strategies into Coastal Urban Agglomeration Policy , 2017-2019 : UK Newton Fund
•    CABARET (Capacity Building in Asia for Resilience EducaTion), European Commission  Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education,  2016-2019 : European Commission 
•    Developing resilient, connected communities to tackle coastal hazards, 2015 :  British Council Newton Fund