Int’l conference on disability ends with 9-point Dhaka Declaration
The three-day 2nd international conference on DiDRM (Disability and Disaster Risk Management) ended on Thursday with adoption of a nine-point Dhaka Declaration emphasizing on inclusion of disabled people, establishment of a focal point and GO-NGO collaboration in disaster risk management.
The declaration also put emphasis on knowledge sharing on disability and disaster risk management in the international arena, data collection and increasing research and boosting investment in the private sector and creating congenial atmosphere for the disabled people after any disaster.
It said twenty countries around the world will work for creating congenial atmosphere for the disabled people by 2021 in line with the Dhaka Declaration.
Earlier, at a session on Thursday, chairperson of the national advisory committee on Autism Saima Wazed Hossain laid emphasis on more international cooperation in addressing the displaced disabled people especially during the humanitarian crisis.
"Our action towards disabled people should be inclusive and affordable for them. We all have to come forward to support the disabled people during disaster," Saima, WHO's goodwill ambassador for Autism in South East Asia Region, said.
Speaker of national parliament Shirin Sharmin Choudhury spoke as the chief guest at the concluding ceremony while disaster management and relief minister Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya present as the special guest with disaster management and relief secretary Md Shah Kamal in the chair.
The speaker suggested for institutionalising the efforts of care givers so that disabled people will get support during or after disaster in certain way rather depending on kindness of others.
She said this international conference has brought together international experts and policy makers to promote a greater dialogue and find out innovative way and practice as well as identifying gaps in the policy.
Maya urged all to stand behind the physically challenged people with positive mindset for including them into the main stream of development.
Nearly 3,000 representatives, including 110 world renowned experts from 33 countries, took part in the three-day long conference that is designed with five plenary sessions, 14 sideline events and two special events under the theme of 'Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Management - Today and Tomorrow'.
The main objective of the conference was to share knowledge and experience and identify future actions for inclusive implementation of the Sendai Framework, its regional plans and the Dhaka Declaration 2015.