UNICEF Boosts Emergency Readiness for Children with Disabilities: A Lifeline in Crisis
In a groundbreaking initiative titled ‘Earthquake Preparedness Education for Children with Disabilities’, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has teamed up with several partners to create educational resources tailored for children with disabilities in Iran. This program aims to equip parents, teachers, and policymakers with vital information on disaster management, focusing on children with various disabilities, ensuring they are prepared for earthquakes.
On January 19, UNICEF announced the launch of three specialized books designed to provide guidelines on disaster management, including essential aspects such as mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These resources specifically address the needs of children with:
- Hearing impairments
- Mobility impairments
- Autism spectrum disorder
The development of these books involved comprehensive consultations with various stakeholders, including:
- Children with disabilities and their families
- Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs)
- Teachers from the Special Education Organization
- Social workers from the State Welfare Organization
- Aid workers from the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS)
To enhance the effectiveness of these materials, four consultative training workshops were conducted. During these sessions, teachers, social workers, and aid workers learned innovative strategies to support children with disabilities before, during, and after earthquakes. The feedback gathered from these workshops was invaluable in refining the educational resources.
UNICEF Iran has exciting plans to further integrate these resources into the annual earthquake and safety drills conducted in schools. A key initiative is the organization of an inclusive earthquake and safety drill at a special school for children with mobility disabilities. This event aims to:
- Advocate for inclusive drills
- Strengthen earthquake preparedness among children
- Gather feedback on the developed guidelines
Looking ahead, the program plans to expand its scope by updating the guidebooks to include guidelines for children with vision impairments and addressing various other disabilities. This initiative marks a significant stride towards inclusive earthquake preparedness, fostering a safer and more resilient future for every child in Iran, regardless of their abilities.
Training for Disability Inclusion
In addition to the earthquake preparedness initiative, the IRCS recently conducted a Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop based on UNICEF’s training package about ‘Disability Inclusion for Frontline Workers’. This two-day workshop took place at the IRCS physical rehabilitation center in Tehran on September 8-9, 2024, and was organized in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The workshop aligns with the UNICEF Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022-2030, which is informed by key international conventions such as:
- The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS)
This strategy seeks to foster a more inclusive world by 2030, ensuring that all children, including those with disabilities, can thrive in barrier-free communities.
The training session aimed to equip professionals from the IRCS in three provinces—Khorasan Razavi, Sistan-Baluchestan, and Tehran—with best practices for the early identification and referral of persons with disabilities. Key components of the session included:
- Raising awareness about appropriate attitudes towards persons with disabilities and their caregivers
- Familiarizing participants with the concept of ‘Disability Inclusion’ and the significance of participation
The overarching goal of this training program is to ensure timely identification and referral of people with disabilities, especially those in remote areas, to access rehabilitation services through IRCS Primary Rehabilitation Centers across the nation. Notably, individuals with disabilities and their families were encouraged to share their experiences during the workshop, providing valuable insights into the challenges they encounter. This participatory approach reinforces the principle of “Nothing about us without us.”
Subsequent to the workshop, IRCS participants will conduct training sessions in their respective cities for selected volunteers in Helal Houses (IRCS community-based centers). This pilot initiative will serve as a foundation for designing a comprehensive TOT program for all provinces in Quarter 1 of 2025.
The DIPAS outlines six strategic priorities aimed at enhancing disability inclusion:
- Preventing stigma and discrimination
- Improving disability-inclusive services, programs, and workplaces
- Ensuring access to comprehensive community care and support services
- Facilitating access to assistive technology
- Promoting disability-inclusive action in humanitarian, emergency, and fragile contexts
- Encouraging full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities
Through these initiatives, UNICEF and its partners are paving the way for a more inclusive society where children with disabilities can thrive, particularly in the face of environmental challenges such as earthquakes.
