« Disability groups find Pranab's budget heartening-India | Main | Tidings from Lilian-Chile »
March 08, 2010
Urgent request from Carlos-Chile
Dear friends from all over the world,
I humble need to make an important request related to the earthquake and tsunami in Chile. Is a different one, is not about any kind of resources but your expertise and knolwdge.
We are now facing as a country is the first stage: the emergency. this part is about finding people, restablish order, services and so on
but we need to rebuild a country for everyone, to re build universaly and full inclusive. we also need to help many chilean PwD's they lost even wheelchairs and other important elements.
So, we in the Universidad Austral de Chile (Austral University) are working in a full plan for the authorities, we need all support from all of you, your knwoledge, we need you to check our papers correcting adding or anything you thing may be of use. We will full disclose a new methodology we are working on called " Calculation Matrix of Social Inclusion Index " is a new tool for knowing how inclusive a project is for PwDs. Any person or institution that want to help us, please send an e- mail to:
kaiser.carlos@gmail.com or rsuaustral@uach.cl
*Working Plan*
Background.
1) Chile is facing a great earthquake of 8.8 Righter and a tsunami.
2) Communications are not in good shape.
3) People with disabilities have been ignored until now.
4) Deaf people have no access to public emergency communications and news
It is a difficult scenario but it shows we are no equals. PwDs are always last in government agenda even in disasters. The contingency plan we are creating for Chile, my country is not only meant for Chilean PwDs sake it could serve as a new standard and exigency that our community have to issue worldwide, if we have the same rights we have to be protected and attended in the same time not when everything is lost.
The following is just a measurements to be proposed to authorities.
Stage 1: Mitigation
Problems detected
Homeless persons with disabilities (1).
(1) This category refers to all people with disabilities who, along with having lost their home due to total or partial damage, their technical aids (apparatus or devices essential for daily life activities) are damaged or lost.
Proposed solutions
a) to adapt emergency housing (first stage) for PwD’s necessities to give them as much autonomy, safety and dignity as possible. Delivery must be as fast as possible.
b) Make emergency information and communications fully accessible (interpreters in sign language a first rate necessity due to the fact that 80% of deaf people are illiterate, websites of the media in formats readable for reading programs for blind and visual impaired).
c) to replace lost technical aids (wheelchairs, special lenses, rods, adapters, medicines, etc.). To this end, the National Disability Service may reallocate part of the technical aid budget favoring institutional arrangements with the mayors, governors and local authorities so they can expedite the delivery of more generic technical assistance.
d) Give attention to those needing specialized treatments (physical therapy, pharmacological, psychiatric, etc.).
The networks of universities and professional institutes are ready to support the work contained in this phase.
Stage 2: Inclusive rebuilding
Problems detected
Persons with disabilities cannot fully enjoy their human and constitutional rights due to the characteristics of the physical environment (construction, use) of the Information and Communication Technology, .
Proposed solutions
a) to Comply with the law and ordinances regarding accessibility.
b) to Use all recommendations of experts in accessibility such as Accessible City Fundation.
c) Application of the "Calculation Matrix of Social Inclusion Index" it is a new tool for knowing how inclusive a project of any kind is for PwDs' to evaluate how inclusive a physical space, a technology or procedure is.
d) Implementation Mideplan (National Ministry of Planning) power to grant or denay public funds for construction projects if the project does not meet accessibility in its design.
--
Carlos Kaiser Mansilla
JICA participant of Leaders' Course 2003
Social researcher and advicer on Disabilities Issues, Universidad Austral de Chile
Posted by jicafriends at March 8, 2010 03:20 PM