Researchers
Dr Georgia van Toorn, Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW
Danielle Santos
Associate Professor Marilu Melo Zurita, Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW
Dr Badal Pokharel, Engineering, UNSW.
Dr Konstantina Vasilakopoulou, Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW
Professor Karen Fisher, Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW
Professor Helen DIckinson, Business, UNSW Canberra
Professor Deborah Blackman, Business, UNSW Canberra
Abner Manlapaz
Ranita Castro
Funding
This project was part of the Australian Human Rights Institute’s 2024 joint seed funding round with the UNSW Disability Innovation Institute, receiving $20,000.
Summary
Australia and the Philippines have an important strategic partnership that is significantly invested in community response and recovery to climate change and climate disasters. This research project contributes to this partnership by examining the capacity of local municipalities, particularly those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, to ensure an inclusive disaster response for people with disabilities.
This project will generate practical solutions to improve evacuation centre accessibility; reduce local barriers to the implementation of disability-inclusive disaster policy, and; develop tools to support disability-led peer support interventions in local disaster response.
The study aims to explore the social, legal, geospatial and built infrastructure needed to improve the evacuation experiences and outcomes for disabled Filipinos in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, using the case study of Dinagat Local Government Area.
Research questions that this study seeks to address are:
- What low-resource material adaptations could assist in improving evacuation transport and centre accessibility?
- What self-advocacy and peer support resources would assist the disabled community in Dinagat to sustain future disaster response advocacy?
- What barriers do Dinagat's local government face in responding to disasters with disability inclusion at their centre?