CBM Global’s Disaster Risk Reduction
Disability‑inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR) recognises that people with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by disasters, not because of disability itself, but because of barriers that exclude them from preparedness, early warning, decision‑making, and response efforts.
Disability‑inclusive DRR promotes approaches that actively identify and remove these barriers, ensuring people with disabilities can participate meaningfully in DRR efforts. By including people with disabilities and their representative organisations from the outset, DRR efforts become more effective, equitable and resilient for everyone.
Disasters affect different people in different ways. When DRR is not inclusive, people with disabilities are unable to access early warnings, evacuate safely, or to participate in preparedness activities such as disaster simulations or community disaster meetings. People with disabilities are up to 4x as likely to be killed during a disaster, in comparison to people without disabilities. Inclusive DRR helps address these risks by ensuring systems, processes and decisions reflect the diversity needs of people in at‑risk communities.
CBM Global works alongside people with disabilities, their representative organisations (OPDs), and local partners to strengthen disability‑inclusive DRR at community, national and global levels. Our approach focuses on reducing barriers to participation and building DRR systems that are accessible, responsive and accountable.
Our DRR work includes:
- Identifying and addressing social, physical, communication and policy barriers that limit the participation of people with disabilities in DRR
- Supporting inclusive community risk assessments (CRAs) that reflect diverse risks, capacities and priorities
- Strengthening accessible multi‑hazard early warning systems and early action efforts
- Supporting the development and implementation of disability‑inclusive disaster preparedness plans at individual and community levels
- Strengthening the capacity of OPDs and mainstream DRR actors to influence inclusive DRR policies, plans and practices.
Across countries such as Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, Zimbabwe and Indonesia, our projects have supported people with disabilities to participate in community risk assessments, disaster preparedness training, disability self-help groups, and inclusive mock drills that account for disability‑related access and communication needs. This has led to practical changes, such as revised local risk reduction plans that commit to disability‑inclusive measures, more accessible evacuation practices, and the inclusion of people with disabilities and OPD representatives in local and regional disaster management committees.
Related resources
- Tips on engaging OPDs in DRR, tips on how to undertake a disability-inclusive community risk assessment (scrolldown half-way on this site): Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025
- Funding for disability inclusion in DRR: Why Funding Disability Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction Matters
- Our Lessons: Disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction report: Our Lessons: Disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction Asia Pacific
- Video: The Importance of Disability-inclusive Disaster Preparedness – Asia
- Kaya Connect e-Learning Course: Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) e-Learning Course
- iDRR tool
- IFRC: From Pilot to Practice: How CBM Global supported the Nepal Red Cross Society Strengthen Disability Inclusive Disaster Preparedness
CBM Global’s Humanitarian Action
In CBM Global, we define Humanitarian Action as the work we do both to prepare for a humanitarian response and the work we do to respond to humanitarian emergencies.
CBM Global responds to humanitarian emergencies in the following countries where there are CBM Country teams, namely Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
The main emergency support is inclusive multipurpose cash assistance, inclusive mental health and psychosocial support (iMHPSS) and advocacy for disability inclusive response within and beyond CBM Global. CBM Global works with partners and Organisations of People with Disabilities who are well established in the affected communities and experienced in humanitarian response.
Humanitarian Action, as defined within CBM Global’s DRM framework, consists of two key components: humanitarian preparedness and humanitarian response.
Humanitarian Preparedness includes strengthening the capacity of both the CBM Global Country team and national and local partners, including Organisations of People with Disabilities, to deliver inclusive responses. We also work to influence other humanitarians to be disability inclusive.
Humanitarian Response includes action during medium to large-scale crises. We prioritise those most at risk in the affected communities, including people with disabilities, older people and pregnant women.
CBM Global’s inclusive humanitarian response centres around cash assistance as this gives people, especially those with disabilities, flexibility and dignity to use it as they need. Inclusive mental health and psychosocial support is also a key element to support people’s psychosocial needs in the immediate aftermath of humanitarian emergencies.
CBM Global’s approach is to work with local and national partners and Organisations of People with Disabilities to ensure that all humanitarian activities answer the actual needs of those most at risk in the affected communities.
All actions emphasize inclusion, collaboration, and alignment with international standards and human rights principles.
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