As our grantees work hard to advocate for rights and full inclusion of persons with disabilities during COVID-19 relief efforts, it is important to hear their stories to better understand the full effect of this pandemic. To read a series of stories featuring our grantees, click here.
Below you will find information about recent achievements by DRF/DRAF grantees promoting inclusive responses to the pandemic.
GLOBAL
- A Joint Statement and Some Recommendations — From Mad in the Asia Pacific
- Information on social protection and persons with disabilities during COVID-19 –A joint brief by various UN agencies and organizations including IDA, developed through e-consultations involving many DRF/DRAF grantees
If you would like to make a donation to support the work of DRF/DRAF’s grantees during COVID-19, click here.
ASIA-PACIFIC
INDONESIA
- The Forgotten People — A video campaign created by The Indonesian Mental Health Association (IMHA) to raise awareness of the COVID-19 implications for persons with psychosocial disabilities confined to institutions
- Indonesian Social Care Institutions: Potential Death Chambers in the Midst of COVID-19 — Article by IMHA on the situation of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities during the pandemic
- An Open Letter to President Joko Widodo — The state’s Disregard of the right to obtain information for the Indonesian Deaf Community regarding the COVID-19 outbreak; sign language was provided in response
- Easy-Read Guide with COVID-19 health and handwashing information — Created by Yayasan Peduli Sindroma Down Indonesia (YAPESDI)
- SAPDA Yogyakarta Introduces COVID-19 Guidelines for Persons with Disabilities –Coverage of efforts by the Advocacy Center for Women and Children with Disabilities (SAPDA), and a summary of the DRF project is here.
PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES
- Information from the Samoan Government on COVID-19 — Provided with sign language interpretation as a result of advocacy from Nuanua o le Alofa (NOLA)
- Information from the Government of the Solomon Islands on COVID-19 — Provided with sign language interpretation as a result of advocacy by Solomon Island Deaf Association (SIDA) and People with Disabilities Solomon Islands (PWDSI)
- COVID- 19 and Cyclone Harold Crises Highlight Disability Accessibility in the Pacific — ABC Radio Australia segment featuring DRF/DRAF grantees in Fiji and Vanuatu
BANGLADESH
- COVID-19: Access Bangladesh Stands for Persons with Disabilities –Dedicated Facebook page on DRF Commonwealth grantee Access Bangladesh’s (ABF) activities related to COVID-19
- An Update — From ABF on work done to date in response to COVID-19 that DRF is supporting through repurposed funds
AFRICA
NIGERIA
- A Music Video — To raise COVID-19 awareness by Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) of Nigeria
- Coronavirus: Take Measures to Protect Yourself, CCD Advises PWDs, Laments Exclusion of PWDs in the Campaign — Article from Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) of Nigeria on proactive measures in light of COVID-19
- COVID-19: Impact on People with Disabilities — By TVC News Nigeria, featuring an interview with David Anyaele of Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
- COVID-19: The Right of Deaf People to Access Information — By the Association of Lawyers with Disability (ALDIN)
- A Practical Guide to Disability Inclusion in Nigeria’s COVID-19 Response— Published by the Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC)
- Lockdown: Lawyers with Disabilities Demand Justice Over Police Brutality of a Visually Impaired Lawyer in Abuja
MALAWI
- VIHEMA Rolls Out Intervention To Protect People With Deafblindness from COVID- 19 — An article discussing interventions to take to place for the protection of people with DeafBlindness
- COVID-19 Containment Measures Not Inclusive — An article from the African Federation of the DeafBlind (AFDB) of Malawi expressing concern over lack of guidance and support for Persons with Disabilities during #COVID19
RWANDA
- Announcement on Enhanced COVID-19 Prevention Measures — One of many sign language videos released by the Rwanda National Union of the Deaf (RNUD) in partnership with local authorities
UGANDA
- Know Your Rights Spark TV Segment Calling for Action to Leave Noone Behind — A video from Uganda National Action on Physical Disability (UNAPD) calling the government to act to issue guidelines for Persons with Disabilities
- Impact of COVID-19 on Gender and Disability in Uganda — A talk show featuring the National Union of Women with Disabilities Uganda (NUWODU)
- Inclusion of People with Disabilities in COVID-19 interventions — From Good Morning Uganda segment, featuring the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU)
- Stringent Lockdown Restrictions in Uganda Harm People with Disabilities — BBC The World interviews Robinah Alambuya of Triumph Uganda
- COVID-19 is Affecting the Hard of Hearing Community — An IDA briefing featuring Betty Achana of the National Union of Women with Disabilities Uganda (NUWODU)
CARIBBEAN (HAITI)
- The Awareness Messages Around the Coronavirus Must be Adapted to the Needs of Deaf People — Bureau du Secrétaire d’État à l’Intégration des Personnes Handicapées (BSEIPH), Haiti. Note: Soinette Desir, who has been appointed as Haiti’s new Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, is the former coordinator of a grantee DPO
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Blind and Elderly in Haiti in a Video Interview— Particularly in areas of heightened violence, from 2019 DRF grantee Organisation pour le Progrès et le Développement de l’Homme Aveugle et des Vieillards (OPDHAV)
For information from DRF/DRAF on COVID-19 and persons with disabilities, click here.