BNPB partners with strategic partners to expand Disability Service Units
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is partnering with strategic partners to expand the formation of Disability Service Units (ULD) for disaster management in various regions.
“In the future, we will invite partners; we certainly have a partnership with Madani Berkelanjutan to work together in promoting this, such as in West Kalimantan, regarding the existence of ULD for people with disabilities in Kalimantan,” said BNPB Director of Preparedness, Pangarso Suryotomo, during an online discussion in Jakarta on Thursday.
Furthermore, Pangarso explained that this collaborative step with strategic partners is being undertaken to address the limited number of regions that possess specialised services for persons with disabilities affected by disasters.
He noted that from 2014 to the present, only five provinces have implemented the formation of service units for persons with disabilities. These provinces are East Java, Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and Bali.
According to Pangarso, the mainstreaming of gender and inclusive services can be initiated and built collaboratively by all parties, ranging from the central government and local governments to various institutions and disability organisations themselves.
The primary focus of these service units, he stated, covers aspects of handling, participation, and protection for persons with disabilities in every disaster planning activity.
“This can be built by all parties, namely the government, local governments, institutions, as well as friends from these disability organisations themselves. What is being done? It starts from the handling, participation, and protection of persons with disabilities in disaster management,” he said.
Previously, during the same event, the Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, Nadia Hadad, reminded the government of the importance of protecting vulnerable groups during forest and land fire (karhutla) management.
According to Nadia, protecting vulnerable groups is crucial given that these populations face greater risks due to exposure to fire smoke.