“There are two main components that needs to be focused on in the early warning of the disaster system, which are trust and reach everyone.
Across Southeast Asia and globally, many persons with disabilities are still excluded from warning systems.
According to the UNDRR Global Survey:
- 56% of persons with disabilities do not receive warnings in accessible formats
- 84% do not have a personal preparedness plan
- Only 11% know their community disaster plan
- 17% would face extreme difficulty evacuating even with warning
- 6% say they cannot evacuate independently at all
Why Early Warnings Fail
- Inaccessible Formats
- Audio-only megaphones
- Text-only alerts
- No symbols, captions, or sign language
- System Design Gaps
- Disaster systems are often built without consulting persons with disabilities
- Limited training on accessible communication
- Budget constraints for assistive approaches
- Policies Exist, But Implementation Is Weak
- Many countries already have strong disability laws
- But enforcement during emergencies is still inconsistent
When warnings fail,
the hazard becomes a disaster—not because of nature, but because of system design.


