Causes Of Persons With Disabilities Vulnerability to Disaster: Lessons for Disaster Management and Reduction Planners

Today, through several international and national legal instruments the participation of persons with disabilities in the socio-economic and political development of their respective societies with limited impediments has become a fundamental human rights principle. Therefore, there cannot be any genuine justification for the relaxation of this human right especially when disasters strike. Unfortunately, in most nations, the policies and legislations thrust of disaster prevention, reduction, and management in many instances are framed towards abled-bodied persons. Of recent, the world has witnessed increasing intensity and frequency of weather-associated calamities mainly caused by unprecedented climate changes. There is some scientific evidence that suggest that persons with disabilities are two to four times more likely to be injured or die when disaster strikes compare to the rest. The rationale for the systematic literature review is to interrogate causes of the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to disaster, share knowledge to spark and inspire processes that will usher rapid growth from all directions. A systematic review of the literatures using information collected from different sources was actuated. Google search engine and others were used to search for articles. Only peer-reviewed articles published after 1999 were selected except extracts of fundamental mileage. However, articles published by staunch international organizations working in the area for years and produced indefatigable knowledge were stealthily appraised. The study revealed that the causes of the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to disaster are multidimensional and include: lack of participation in programming, inaccessible transportation system, poor housing conditions, lack of education, high poverty rate, lack of access to resources, inaccessible built environment, lack of preparation, lack of inclusive systems, lack of inclusive policies, lack of inclusive service delivery, stigma and discriminatory cultural practices, elevated risk exposure, inaccessible evacuation routes, lack of comprehending impending dangers, inability to accurately communicate needs, inability to swiftly respond to rescue calls, lack of scientific data, structural exclusion, planners negative attitudes towards PWDs, lack of access to proper information, governments not recognizing disability as development issue, lack of information and knowledge about disabilities, living in poor communities; and lack of standard definition for disability.