4PLUS

It is the issue of rights that lies at the root of humanitarian efforts following disasters and emergencies, rights that should be equally available to all. Disaster preparedness and emergency response systems are typically designed for people without reduced mobility, for whom escape or rescue involves walking, running, driving, seeing, hearing, and quickly responding to instructions. Until today, the needs of PwD/older persons are not studied nor addressed by todays civil protection (CV) plans of the CB area.

Following the provisions of Article 11, of the UN Convention on the Rights of PwD (UNCRPD) and relevant European Regulations (see section B.8.2), the 4Plus Project aims at improving CB preparedness for effective management of disasters for PwD/older persons based on an all-hazard, all-inclusive approach.

In this direction inside the CB area, 4Plus is aimed to:

• Review, exchange and promote relevant ‘best practices’ (know-how enhancement)
• Identify and communicate existing gaps and limitations in todays’ CV plans and mechanism in order to protect PwD/older persons against natural and manmade disasters (issues & needs specification)
• Elaborate and promote a coordinated, long term integrated approach to inclusive prevention and management (joint roadmap)
• Integrate a strong prevention and disaster management dimension for PwD/older persons into the existing CV plans and mechanisms (new plans & mechanisms)
• Improve and elaborate relevant knowledge, tools and systems for prevention and CV for all (guidelines & toolkits)
• Improve the capacity of involved stakeholders (municipalities and communities, local authorities, service providers, volunteers, etc.) in disaster prevention, response and recovery (training)
• Improve the interaction and linkages between the areas of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery specialized on PwD/older persons (coordination & networking)
• Design effective awareness raising campaigns and provide information and support both for stakeholders and citizens with reduced mobility (awareness raising, information and systems)
• Encourage and promote effective volunteerism development (NGOs activation)
• Monitor capacities progress vs. growing needs(risk reduction observatory)
• Design table-top simulations and pilot field exercises, with focus on operational issues and on pilot development of personalised plans, and record the experience gained through them (pilot demonstration projects & lessons learned)
• Prepare plans for ensuring the sustainability and transferability beyond the CB area of the project outcomes and lessons learned (sustainability & transferability).

The Project endorses a modern human rights-based, bottom-up approach (originality of the Project), which seeks to analyse the inequalities as well as to redress discriminatory practices and ultimately to have a strong impact on social inclusion, sustainable development and quality of life in the Programme area (added-value).

Kick-off meeting