An undignified disaster reality for Australians with disability

Abstract

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Management establish the importance of ensuring the equitable protection of human rights in disaster planning, relief, and recovery. However, internationally and within Australia, the reality is one of indignity, human rights violations, and corruption. Australia is living in a perpetual state of crisis, following 3years of environmental and health disaster events. Vulnerable Australian citizens, especially people with disability, are at a great risk of human rights violations and may have restricted access to resilience-building resources that would enable them to recover. Embedding dignity into disaster management and recovery can safeguard human rights and improve outcomes for people with disability.

A qualitative study assessing allied health provider perceptions of telepractice functionality in therapy delivery for people with disability

“…As clinicians hold a significant level of influence, they require support for capacity building and positive telepractice experiences ( help choosing their shoes , Section 3.5 ), a sentiment echoed across respondents in South Asia, Kuwait and Europe in the article by Oommen et al 41 Good service design principles as outlined by Downe, 42 describe the need for a service which requires no prerequisites to access, linking to the need for telepractice delivery services to include support and upskilling for clients within the design. As outlined in the first theme ( a shoe for every foot , Section 3.1 ) individuals in different contexts will have varying requirements to remove barriers to equitable access, and as argued by Chapman et al 43 the onus of competency and resilience should not be the responsibility of the individual, potentially exacerbating levels of inequality.…”