Work and Proposals By the National Federation of the Physically Disabled and their Parents Associations
National Federation of the Physically Disabled and their Parents Associations
1. Opinion based on overall damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake
Even before the Great East Japan Earthquake, efforts were undertaken to make use of the lessons learned from various natural disasters, including the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and to promote the creation of a system to support the emergency evacuation and life as an evacuee of people requiring aid during disasters. In fact, however, there have been delays in the development of such systems by municipalities, and it has come to light that government organizations responsible for supporting people affected by disasters fail to function when large disasters that cause damage to an extensive area, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, hit.
There are many situations when arrangements for evacuating people requiring aid during disasters is entrusted to the local community (neighborhood association, etc.), and this is an opportunity to rethink the importance of connections with not only facilities, hospitals, and related organizations but also local residents.
In addition, there are many difficulties related to meticulously meeting the numerous individual needs solely through support from government entities, and there is an urgent need to construct a support system for persons affected by disasters through collaboration with related organizations, volunteer organizations, corporations, etc.
In Japan, which is prone to disasters, there is a need to build a system for providing support to persons requiring aid during disasters for evacuation, life at emergency shelters, and the rebuilding of their lives after the disaster. This is an issue that affects their lives. Parents associations, which are closely tied to local communities and the driving force behind grassroots activities, probably have an important role to play, such as collaborating with local residents and the various types of organizations and negotiating with the government.
Other possible roles these associations could play include conducting educational activities related to various issues such as the need not only for persons with disabilities and their families to prepare for disasters but also for self-help and mutual assistance during regular life in the local community.
2. Efforts by the National Federation of the Physically Disabled and their Parents Associations
In addition to working with related organizations to launch the Disaster Measures Liaison Council of Organizations for Children with Disabilities, Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the National Federation of the Physically Disabled and their Parents Associations (Zenshiren) cooperated and collaborated with the government, brought together information on conditions and needs in the disaster area ascertained by various organizations, and developed support activities in the disaster area.
Zenshiren also confirmed conditions at facilities and special-needs schools in Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima while working with the various branch offices and giving priority to confirming the safety of members. Zenshiren undertook several other measures, such as providing material support and distributing donations. Donations were distributed after conducting a survey in all prefectures affected by the disaster, including the three main ones.
Turning to activities to support reconstruction in the Tohoku region, Zenshiren held the Barrier-free Festival in Tokyo on September 3, 2011, and in Sendai-shi, Miyagi, on September 8 and 9, 2012, along with the National Zenshiren Conference. In addition to establishing a Tohoku reconstruction support desk and providing support through efforts such as discussion sessions, fundraising, and sales of Tohoku products, Zenshiren held a citizen forum, the theme of which was “living an enjoyable life after surviving a disaster - reconfirming one's bonds.”
Zenshiren also took part in various other activities, including participating in emergency hearings held by the various political parties, providing urgently needed support, and giving the following advice related to various issues such as support that will continue to be required in the medium and long term.
(1) Ensure a venue for daytime activities to prevent people becoming isolated, including persons with disabilities living at home.
(2) Guarantee information accessibility for persons with disabilities.
This includes ensuring sign-language, captioning, and audio description for TV broadcasting, and providing information through print media.
A system to ensure the provision of information to persons with disabilities living at home should also be constructed.
(3) Provide counseling as a form of mental health care.
This includes support for special needs schools and classes and home counseling for persons with disabilities living at home.
(4) Provide support to facilities and workshops whose management has become more precarious on account of a decline in the number of members for various reasons such as evacuations.
(5) Reinforce mediation services with corporations and support for workshops, etc. to ensure places for people to work.
(6) Rewrite the support and reconstruction manual and initial response manual for promptly responding to disasters.
(7) Construct a relief support system for children with disabilities during disasters that is based on the Saigaiji Youengosha No Hinanshien Gaidorain (Guidelines on Evacuation Support for People Requiring Aid During a Disaster) set by the government.
(8) Ensure medical care for short-term stay facilities during disasters and emergencies and reinforce related systems.
(9) Request a budget so that special needs schools can serve as fukushi (welfare) emergency shelters (emergency shelters for vulnerable citizens) during emergencies.
Furthermore, the central government established guidelines related to various issues such as emergency evacuation of persons requiring aid during disasters following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. However, since the various municipalities have made varying degrees of progress in developing these systems, many persons with disabilities and their families do not know the details of evacuation support plans concerning them or even that there are such plans. Therefore, 1,897 municipalities throughout Japan (including the wards of ordinance-designated cities) are being surveyed regarding not only the current state of support systems for the evacuation of persons requiring aid during disasters, particularly children with disabilities, and at emergency shelters but also activities to inform children with disabilities and their families of these systems. After the survey is completed, we would like to compile it into a report and use it to build support systems in local areas.
3. Issues that came to light through support activities
Issues during earthquake
(1) Ascertaining the condition of children with disabilities following the disaster and providing material and personnel support
(2) Preparations for handling children with disabilities during disasters (including related facilities) and life in emergency shelters and where people evacuate to
(3) Support for children with disabilities who require medical care
(4) Collaboration with the central government, local governments, and disability organizations during disasters
Issues during recovery and reconstruction
(1) Systems and financial measures
(2) Response to changes in needs
(3) Maintaining and reviving welfare services and support hubs during disasters
Other
(1) Providing psychological support to children with disabilities, their families, and welfare-related parties during disasters
(2) Working with systems to provide support for and accept people who need to evacuate for extended periods of time
4. Proposals for the future
In recent years, Japan has been hit by various types of natural disasters, including major ones, and they can occur at any time. It is important for people to regularly prepare for disasters in a way that is appropriate for their condition, and the central and local governments and related organizations must work together on various fronts, including resolving problems with systems, etc. during non-emergency times.
A lesson learned from previous disasters is that ascertaining and verifying problems faced by children with disabilities and the ideal form of support and using that information to develop future support measures for children with disabilities are urgent issues. It is necessary to make revisions to the guidelines that are based on verified data, not empty theories, and to provide financial and man-power support for municipalities to construct actual support systems.
While of course it is important to strengthen efforts to provide the government with proposals and requests, it is also vital to extensively collect and release information on leading activities by and measures that could become standards in local communities and to get children with disabilities and their families to become psychologically and materially prepared for disasters.