Building Inclusive Disaster Resilience for Persons with Disabilities in India

Partenaire de mise en œuvre: Build Change

Project name:Building inclusive disaster resilience for persons with disabilities in India

This project enhances disaster management by integrating Persons with Disabilities into preparedness, response, and recovery processes.

Existing systems often lack accessibility, limiting resilience-building for this marginalized group. By addressing gaps in early warning, evacuation, and relief efforts, the initiative fosters inclusivity, ensuring equitable safety and adaptive support.

Strengthening accessibility empowers communities, enabling Persons with Disabilities to navigate disasters effectively while promoting long-term resilience through inclusive planning and policy implementation.

Disaster shelters
accessible to PwDs
0 %
PwDs excluded from
DRR planning
0 %

Impact and Key Findings

1

The study provided targeted recommendations for vulnerable groups and developed comprehensive disaster management strategies, ensuring inclusivity across all phases. These approaches address the specific needs of marginalized communities, particularly Persons with Disabilities, fostering equitable resilience and adaptive preparedness. 

2

Using a universally adaptable methodology, the project develops context-specific disaster risk reduction strategies, ensuring meaningful participation of vulnerable groups, especially individuals with disabilities, across all disaster management phases, fostering inclusivity, resilience, and equitable emergency preparedness. 

3

The project identifies weaknesses in early warning, evacuation, and relief systems. It offers practical, inclusive solutions to help at-risk communities, especially people with disabilities, become more resilient and better prepared for future disasters. 

Ressources

Aishwarya Pillai

Lead Specialist

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes. 

Alpana Saha

Director, Partnerships, Governance, and Resource Mobilisation 

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes.