In the light of the COVID19 pandemic and with the aim to support a disability-inclusive response to the crisis, International Disability Alliance (IDA) has launched this webpage to share the most recent updates and resources as they become available.
If you have any updates on how COVID 19 is affecting persons with disabilities in your area of work, or want to share any good practices or lessons learnt, contact IDA's inclusive humanitarian adviser, Elham Youssefian via eyoussefian [at] ida-secretariat.org.
On this page:
International Disability Alliance Key Recommendations toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID19 Response
Our key recommendations include:
- Persons with disabilities must receive information about infection mitigating tips, public restriction plans, and the services offered, in a diversity of accessible formats with use of accessible technologies
- Additional protective measures must be taken for people with certain types of impairment
- Rapid awareness raising and training of personnel involved in the response are essential
- All preparedness and response plans must be inclusive of and accessible to women with disabilities
- No disability-based institutionalization and abandonment is acceptable
- During quarantine, support services, personal assistance, physical and communication accessibility must be ensured
- Measures of public restrictions must consider persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others
- Persons with disabilities in need of health services due to COVID19 cannot be deprioritized on the ground of their disability
- OPDs can and should play a key role in raising awareness of persons with disabilities and their families.
- OPDs can and should play a key role in advocating for disability-inclusive response to the COVID19 crisis
Useful Resources
Find below some useful resources and links related to COVID-19 and the disability movement. We have organised the resources by:
- Webinars
- Multimedia Resources
- IDA Members
- Easy Read
- United Nations System
- For Families
- By Region / Country
- From our Partners
- Others
- The Sphere Community: Webinar on Community engagement vs. the Coronavirus. Scheduled for 28 March 9am CET
- UNDRR and WHO: Practical Experiences from P.R. China and the Republic of Korea with COVID-19. Scheduled for 26 March, 9am Seoul time.
- Disability-Inclusive and Accessible Urban Development Network, World Enabled, and our Cities for All will host a webinar series on Cities for All: Equity & Access in Times of Pandemic. The first webinar is scheduled for 25 March at 9am PDT.
- United Nations World Data Forum (UNWDF): Data Stewardship - A solution for Official Statistics' Predicament? Scheduled for 31 March at 3:00 pm EDT
- Introductory video - Persons with disability and COVID-19 (Sign Language included): English | Spanish | Portuguese
- Inclusion International: Resources from members to help reach persons with intellectual disabilities
- International Federation of Hard of Hearing People: Accessibility during the Coronavirus (Word version here)
- European Disability Forum: Comprehensive update from Europe
- World Federation of the Deaf: Informational Newsletter on the Corona Virus (Edition 2 here)
- Down Syndrome International: Supporting the global community during the Coronavirus crisis
- World Federation of the Deadblind: Letter and Tips
- European Disability Forum: Open letter to leaders from the European Union and EU member states
World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, together with ENUSP, PANPD, TCI AP, CHRUSP & RLDP
- Statement by regional and international organizations of people with psychosocial disabilities with recommendations in the context of COVID-19 pandemic (word version here)
- Declaración de organizaciones regionales e internacionales de personas con discapacidades psicosociales con recomendaciones en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19 (word version here)
- People First of Canada: Information sheet
- Surrey Place: Information sheet (Easy Read)
- Canadian Association for Community Living: Easy Read
- Inclusion Europe: Easy-to-read information about Coronavirus in many languages
- UNICEF: COVID-19 response: Considerations for Children and Adults with Disabilities
- Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Opinion paper
- International Labor Organisation (ILO): COVID-19 and the World of Work
- World Health Organisation (WHO): Resources on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
- United Nations: Preventing discrimination against people with disabilities in COVID-19 response
- International Labor Organisation (ILO): Five key issues regarding persons with disabilities in the COVID19 response
- World Health Organisation: Disability Considerations during the COVID19 outbreak
- United Nations: Launch of Humanitarian Appeal
- UNICEF: COVID19 Portal
- Canadian Association for Community Living: Disability-Related Resources for Families
- New York City Health (USA): Guidance for people who may have increased risk
- New York City Health (USA): General coronavirus resources
- Centre for Disease Control (USA): People at risk for serious illness
- Center for Independence of the Disabled New York (USA): Coronavirus updates
- Center of Research Excellence in Disability and Health (Australia): COVID19 and people with disabilities
- National Confederation of Disabled People - NCDP (Greece): Briefing paper
- Addressing and Including Diversity in Emergency Response: DIDRR in India
- Indian Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Guidelines prepared for safety during lockdown period
- Center for Disability Rights: Action steps for attendant service users
- Relief Web: COVID19 - How to include marginalized and vulnerable people in risk communication and community engagement
- Disability Rights Fund: Response to COVID19 Response
- Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Dimensions of COVID-19 Response
- Dimensions: Coronavirus: Legislate in haste, repent at leisure?
- Action on Disability and Development (ADD) International: An update from ADD International's Work
- Core Humanitarian Standard Alliance: How to meet our CHS commitments in the coronavirus pandemic
- BOND Group: COVID19 Guidance
- Save the Children: Safeguarding in Emergencies Toolkit
- Human Rights: Article - Protect Rights of People with Disabilities During COVID-19
- CBM: COVID19 Resource - Key advocacy messages, questions to ask on inclusion and signpost to resources to learn more (word version here)
- NPR: Podcast: Disability Groups File Federal Complaint About COVID-19 Care Rationing Plans
- Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses (AMPHL): Resource list for deaf and hard of hearing individuals
- National Organisation for Rare Diseases: Prevention and risk for rare community
- Shepherd Centre: Coronavirus Q&A
- Peter Fremlin: Overview and Update on the Coronavirus and disability
- Nuffield Council on Bioethics: Ethical considerations in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
We are constantly updating this webpage, so please feel free to send in your resources for inclusion on the web page. Please send your resources directly to eyoussefian [at] ida-secretariat.org.