Building Resilience through Disability-inclusive Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management in the Baltic Region

forthcoming

This project aims to enhance disability-inclusive civil protection and disaster risk management (CP/DRM) in the Baltic states, contributing to greater resilience across the region. While centred on persons with disabilities, it positions disability inclusion as a foundation for inclusive crisis preparedness that also benefits other at-risk groups. It addresses gaps in current policies and practices by supporting both CP/DRM stakeholders and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) through targeted resources and capacity building. OPDs will be strengthened through training, support for evidence-based advocacy, and structured engagement with CP/DRM authorities. A tailored training module will be developed for this purpose, with the European Disability Forum (EDF) supporting its continued use across its network. A separate module for CP/DRM stakeholders will be designed and piloted for integration into national curricula or professional development schemes. The project will also seek to embed this module in the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network over time. In collaboration with UNDRR and municipalities, the project will introduce the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities – Annex on Disability Inclusion, including city-level audits and action planning to improve urban resilience. At the individual level, the project will increase risk awareness and preparedness among persons with disabilities by disseminating accessible information and tailored guidance for different disability groups, including those most at risk. Local disability organisations will be engaged through awareness-raising and training in collaboration with national CP authorities, the Lithuanian Red Cross Society, and the Samaritan Association of Latvia. Finally, the project will foster cross-country collaboration, mutual learning, and Nordic-Baltic cooperation through regular sharing of results, supported by the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the Nordic Welfare Centre.