09/10/2026
LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND: IS BOTSWANA’S DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INCLUSIVE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES?
On 8 October 2026, representatives from SAFOD participated in a dialogue convened by the Office of the Ombudsman in Botswana under the theme “Inclusivity Crisis: Evaluating Botswana’s Legal Preparedness for Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction.”
The dialogue brought together representatives from government institutions, including the Department of Social Protection Services and the National Disaster Management Office; disability organizations, including the Botswana Federation of the Disabled (BOFOD), Botswana Council of the Disabled (BCD) and Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (BABPS); the Botswana Red Cross Society; and other civil society organizations, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), persons with disabilities. The dialogue examined whether Botswana’s legal framework, institutional arrangements and emergency response systems adequately protect persons with disabilities before, during and after disasters.
A central concern emerged: the existence of laws, policies and disaster management plans does not automatically guarantee protection. Persons with disabilities can remain at risk when legal obligations are unclear, emergency information is inaccessible, evacuation arrangements fail to accommodate their needs, or institutions lack effective coordination to deliver appropriate support.
What gaps need to be addressed?
⚖️ Legal protection and institutional accountability
Botswana’s Persons with Disabilities Act does not explicitly address the protection of persons with disabilities during disasters and emergencies or fully reflect the obligations set out in Article 11 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Meanwhile, the national disaster management plan and related strategies are outdated and under review, presenting an opportunity to strengthen disability inclusion. Discussions highlighted the need to consider stronger disaster management legislation, clearer institutional responsibilities and effective accountability mechanisms to translate commitments into enforceable protections and practical action.
📢 Accessible early warning and emergency information
Early warnings are only effective when people can receive, understand and act on them. Persons with disabilities may miss critical alerts or evacuation instructions when communication systems do not accommodate different access needs. Emergency information must therefore be available in accessible formats, including sign language, Braille, plain language and accessible digital platforms, using multiple channels to reach different communities.
🚨 Safe evacuation and access to emergency assistance
Inaccessible evacuation arrangements, inadequate transportation and limited information about evacuation centres, relief distribution points and healthcare services can prevent persons with disabilities from reaching safety or receiving timely assistance. Disaster plans must anticipate these barriers, identify people who may require additional support and establish practical arrangements for accessible transport, evacuation and assistance at emergency centres.
📊 Better data for effective preparedness
Botswana currently lacks comprehensive data on persons with disabilities affected by disasters, making it difficult to identify those at risk, understand their support needs and ensure that emergency plans and resources respond to their circumstances. The dialogue highlighted the need to strengthen disability-disaggregated data collection and ensure that information on persons with disabilities is incorporated into disaster risk assessments, preparedness planning, emergency response and recovery. Reliable data is essential to making disaster management more inclusive, targeted and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.
🏘️ Stronger community preparedness and coordination
Botswana’s national and district disaster management structures, alongside village leadership, community committees and humanitarian networks, provide important foundations for preparedness. However, their effectiveness depends on whether disability inclusion is integrated into local risk assessments and response plans. Stronger coordination among disaster management authorities, disability institutions, local government, OPDs and humanitarian organizations is essential to ensuring that preparedness measures respond to the realities of communities.
🛡️ Continuity of essential services and social protection
Disasters can deepen existing inequalities when healthcare, disability-related allowances and other social protection services are interrupted. The discussions highlighted the importance of preparing for continuity of essential services, strengthening referral systems between social protection, health and disaster management institutions, and supporting rehabilitation and livelihood restoration during recovery. Protection must extend beyond immediate emergency assistance to help persons with disabilities maintain their well-being and rebuild their lives.
From identified gaps to practical action
Addressing these challenges requires a shift from reactive disaster response towards prevention, preparedness and anticipatory action. This includes strengthening the legal framework, clarifying institutional responsibilities, improving accessible early warning systems, investing in resilient infrastructure and ensuring that evacuation and emergency assistance arrangements are inclusive.
The dialogue also highlighted the importance of building on existing government structures, community networks and social protection programmes while addressing gaps in implementation and coordination. Improved disability-disaggregated data and stronger monitoring mechanisms are needed to assess risks, guide resource allocation and hold institutions accountable for their responsibilities.
Crucially, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations must be meaningfully involved in risk assessments, preparedness planning, the design of warning systems, evacuation arrangements and the monitoring of emergency responses. Guided by the principle “Nothing for us without us,” their participation is essential to ensuring that disaster management measures reflect lived experiences and address barriers that might otherwise be overlooked. The Office of the Ombudsman also has an important role in promoting law reform, investigating administrative failures and human rights concerns, advancing public education and strengthening accountability where people's rights and access to services are compromised.
Turning international commitments into meaningful protection
As a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Botswana has obligations under Article 11 to take appropriate measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 similarly promotes inclusive, accessible and people-centred approaches to disaster risk reduction, recognizing the importance of involving persons with disabilities in efforts to build resilience.
The dialogue reinforced the need to translate these commitments into stronger laws, effective institutional arrangements and practical protection on the ground. In her closing remarks, Ms. Dudu V. Leinaeng, Deputy Ombudsman–Administrative Justice, emphasized the importance of collective action, prevention, preparedness and coordinated response and recovery in building resilient systems that protect everyone.
For SAFOD, the discussions reaffirm a critical regional priority: disability inclusion must be embedded in disaster risk reduction from the outset, not treated as an afterthought when an emergency occurs.
Effective preparedness is measured not simply by the existence of policies and plans, but by whether persons with disabilities can receive warnings, reach safety, access essential services and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives.
Disaster risk reduction is a human rights issue. Closing the gaps between legal commitments and practical implementation is essential to protecting lives, strengthening resilience and ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind when disaster strikes.