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Adjust and Respond The experience of organisations working with people with disabilities in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Credits © International Disability and Development Consortium, 2021 Lead author: Dr. Amita Bhakta Supported by: Elisabeth Bruce Editors: Ruth Faber, Elaine Green, Angélique Hardy and Dominic Haslam Design and accessibility by: staffordtilley.co.uk Partners The present report has been developed in partnership with UN-Women Disability Inclusion and Intersectionality Portfolio (DIIP) and in the context of the Global Programme Supporting Disability Inclusive COVID-19 Response and Recovery at National Level supported by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) Multi Partner Trust Fund. Disclaimer This work may be freely disseminated or reproduced with attribution to the International Disability and Development Consortium (I DDC). The authors, editors and members of the International Disability and Development Consortium accept no liability in any form arising from the contents of this publication.
Contents
Acronyms 1
Executive summary 3
Overview of the report 5
Conclusions and recommendations 6
Recommendations 6
Part 1 – Introduction 8
Part 2 – Methodology 9
Part 3 – Overview of the organisations 10
3.1 Types of organisations and geographical focus 10
3.2 Programme focus 11
Part 4 – Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic 14
4.1 Organisational adaptations to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns 14
4.1.1 Working from home 14
4.1.2 Working around lockdowns 14
4.2 Adapting programmes to the COVID-19 pandemic 15
4.2.1 New areas of work within programmes 15
4.2.2 Shifting programmatic focus to the COVID-19 response 17
4.2.3 Focusing more directly on under-represented groups
of people with disabilities 19
4.2.4 Programmes continued with social distancing measures 21
4.2.5 Programmes moved online 21
4.2.6 Adapting existing education programmes 22
4.2.7 Disaster risk reduction measures in response to the needs
of people with disabilities and wider natural hazards 22
4.3 Delays to programmes 25
4.4 Anticipated changes to programmes in relation to COVID-19 25
Part 5 – Support provided to people with disabilities through
programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic 27
5.1 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of
beneficiaries supported 27
5.2 Accessible and innovative COVID-19 messaging 28
5.3 Support after COVID-19 infections 29
Contents
5.4 Support at home and in home care settings 30
5.5 Online platforms and mobile technologies 32
5.6 Disability-specific health support 33
5.7 Support for older people with disabilities 36
5.8 Support for women and girls with disabilities 37
5.9 Support for people with intellectual and psycho-social disabilities 37
5.10 Psycho-social support for vulnerable groups 37
5.11 Working with organisations of people with disabilities 40
5.12 Entrepreneurial, employment and income support
through organisations 45
5.13 Education 47
5.14 Dietary needs 48
5.15 WASH 49
5.16 Support for political participation during the COVID-19 pandemic 51
Part 6 – Engagement with national governments and
local authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic 52
6.1 Partnerships 52
6.2 National clusters 54
6.3 Training 54
6.4 Meetings 54
6.5 Community engagement 55
6.6 Advocacy and communication 55
6.7 Implementing social protection measures 58
6.8 Employment and financial support 58
6.9 Adaptive management 58
Part 7 – Engagement with UN organisations during
the COVID-19 pandemic 60
7.1 Global level engagement 60
7.2 Advocacy 61
7.3 Sharing information, data collection and analysis 61
7.4 Training 62
Concluding remarks 63
Contents
List of tables List of figures
Table 1: Types of organisations who Figure 1: Focus areas and geographical
responded to the survey 10 scope of respondents 13
Table 2: Locations of national and Figure 2: CBM’s COVID-19 Disability
regional organisations 11 Inclusive Community Action Matrix 20
Table 3: Programme focus of the respondents 12
Table 4 The extent to which programmes
were adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic 15 List of pictures
Table 5: New tasks organisations have engaged Picture 1: Ambrose (L) and Robert (R) discuss
in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic 16 common myths around COVID-19 in Uganda 28
Table 6: Under-represented groups engaged Picture 2: Logistic support provided by
in programmes 19 FAIR MED to establish quarantine space 29
Table 7: Expected COVID-19 related activities Picture 3: Gonçalves Armando 34
in future responses 26
Picture 4: Elicete Miqueias 50
Table 8: Impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on the number of beneficiaries Picture 5: Screenshot of a voter education
supported by organisations 27 video produced by the Malawi Election
Commission ahead of the June 2020 elections
Table 9: The extent to which respondents which included sign language interpretation 51
were able to engage with national
governments and local authorities in
their COVID-19 response to make them
disability inclusive 52
Table 10: Extent to which respondents
could engage with UN organisations during
the COVID-19 pandemic 60
Acronyms
Acronym Stands for
ASHA Accredited Social Health Activist
CB O Community Based Organisation
CBR Community Based Rehabilitation
CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women
COSP Conference of State Parties
CRPD Convention on the Rights of people with disabilities
CSO Civil Society Organisation
DRR A Disabled Rehabilitation and Research Association
EU European Union
EMB Election management body
FAMOD Forum das Associaçöes dos deficientes
de Moçambique
FCDO Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
FOAL Fundacion ONCE América Latina
G7 Group of 7
GRETNALTES Greater Tenali Leprosy Treatment and
Education Scheme Society
HI Humanity and Inclusion
HLPF High Level Political Forum
ICT Information and communication technology
I DA International Disability Alliance
I DDC International Disability and Development Consortium
I FE S International Foundation for Electoral Systems
IL E P International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations
INGO International Non-Governmental Organisation
ITV Independent Television
MDT Multi-drug therapy
1 IDDC Adjust and Respond
Acronyms
Acronym Stands for
MNCHN Maternal, Newborn, Child Health & Nutrition
MO H Ministry of Health
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
NHR until No Leprosy Remains Brazil
NLR until No Leprosy Remains
OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
OPD Organisation of people with disabilities
PCR Polymerase chain reaction
PPE Personal protective equipment
SDG Sustainable Development Goals
SHIP School Health Integrated Programme
SHN School Health and Nutrition
UK United Kingdom
UN United Nations
UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic
and Social Affairs
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UN OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs
UNPRPD United Nations Partnership on the Rights
of people with disabilities
WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
W HO World Health Organisation
2 IDDC Adjust and Respond
Executive summary
This report has one central purpose: To provide guidance
to support United Nations (UN) agencies and government
structures to ensure disability inclusion and abide by the
Convention on the Rights of people with disabilities (CRPD)
even in challenging and disruptive contexts such as the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The report draws lessons from analysing the on access to health insurance have had direct
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative impacts, and the discriminatory
related emergency measures implemented by laws and stigma in many countries have
authorities to curb its spread on civil society proved to be life threatening for many people
organisations, with a particular focus on with disabilities.
projects and programmes and the continuation
Supporting the rights of people with disabilities
of service provision for people with disabilities
during the COVID-19 pandemic has required
run by IDDC members and its partners in the
adaptations within organisations for the
Global South.
working patterns of staff, and the ways in which
Supported by the United Nations Partnership programmes are run. Experiences from IDDC
on the Rights of people with disabilities members and their partners revealed that
(UNPRPD) through its global programme on the majority of programmes tailored towards
COVID-19 inclusive response and recovery, the people with disabilities have been adapted,
report records IDDC members’ experiences and have focused on direct responses to the
of how they adapted and are still adapting to COVID-19 pandemic and the needs of people
challenges posed by the pandemic. with disabilities, incorporating social distancing
measures, moving programmes online and
While the COVID-19 pandemic tested Civil
providing telehealth, adapting education
Society Organisations (CSOs) in a huge variety
programmes, adopting an immediate risk
of ways, it has shone a clear and harsh light
mitigation and reduction response to the needs
on the realities of discrimination and human
of people with disabilities and taking a disaster
rights abuses that people with disabilities
risk reduction approach due to unforeseen
experience on a daily basis across the globe.
events such as Cyclone Amphan, which struck
Data and testimonies collected, through
as the pandemic developed.
surveys such as the COVID-19 Disability Rights
Monitor, indicate that the pandemic has had a
devastating impact on the rights of people with
disabilities. Everyday barriers such as physical
accessibility, barriers to implementing basic
hygiene measures, affordability of healthcare,
inaccessible health communications, limitations
3 IDDC Adjust and Respond
Executive summary
Support provided to people with disabilities COVID-19 by providing accessible information
through programmes has included: and data collection on the needs of people with
• Support provisions at home and in health disabilities. Making sure that OPDs are heard
helps to ensure services and programmes are
care settings;
inclusive and addresses the needs of people
• Enabling the use of mobile platforms with disabilities.
and telehealth;
Working with national and local governments
• Specialised support for health needs has been an important factor in ensuring
tailored towards specific groups; that organisations can continue to meet the
• Supporting access to employment and needs of people with disabilities through
programmes. National clusters, regular
income and education;
• Dietary support; meetings, and training with the support of
ministries has helped responses to be effective
• Provision of WASH services; during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Support for participation in political Community programmes with effective
activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. advocacy and communication strategies run in
Building on existing partnerships, IDDC collaboration with local authorities have enabled
members have worked with organisations social protection and financial support measures
of people with disabilities (OPDs), which to be put in place for people with disabilities.
facilitated awareness raising activities on
4 IDDC Adjust and Respond
Executive summary
Overview of the report
The report is organised around four themes, which emerged during the
process of analysing responses received to the survey. These themes are:
1. Organisations’ experiences of adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
2. Type of support provided to beneficiaries through programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Engagement with national and local governments
4. Engagement with UN organisations
Part One and Two present the background Part Five focuses on the support provided to
of this report, and in particular the approach people with disabilities through programmes
taken in designing and disseminating the during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents
survey it is based on. The survey aimed to reported that the pandemic affected the
collect quantitative and qualitative data, with a number of people with disabilities supported
mixture of ‘closed’ and ‘open ended’ questions. by their programmes, some negatively but
Organisations were also invited to share any others positively: 44% of them indeed reached
case studies on their experience illustrating fewer people with disabilities while 32%
good and innovative practice on inclusive reached more. Implemented in collaboration
pandemic response and recovery plans. with OPDs, COVID-19 related activities included
inter alia the development and dissemination of
Part Three provides a detailed description
accessible information, the provision of services
of the 41 organisations that responded to
such as medicines and hygiene products,
the survey and submitted case studies,
support for women and girls with disabilities,
looking inter alia at their organisation type,
and data collection.
geographical scope and focus areas.
Part Six discusses experiences of engaging
Part Four explores the ways in which
with national governments and local authorities
respondents adapted to the pandemic at
during the COVID-19 pandemic. 88% of
an organisational and programme level.
organisations declared that they have been
Gathered data highlighted that organisations
able to engage to a certain extent with national
changed their working patterns in order to
governments and local authorities during the
adapt their work around local lockdowns.
COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents highlighted
48% of organisations adapted their
that partnerships with authorities and the
programmes during the crisis phases of the
private sector supported their responses to
COVID-19 pandemic, whilst 38% delayed their
COVID-19, especially at the community-level.
programmes. The majority of respondents
underlined that they engaged in new areas of Part Seven discusses organisations’
work as a result of the pandemic. engagement with UN organisations. This
engagement was mainly occurring at a global
level for advocacy purposes, information
sharing, and data collection and analysis.
5 IDDC Adjust and RespondExecutive summary
Recommendations
Conclusions and 1. Ensure that COVID-19 vaccinations are
recommendations available in free or low-cost targeted
If nothing else, this past year has been programmes to all people including people
a stark reminder that there is still a long with disabilities and support networks of
way to go to ensure the full and effective their choice. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination
enjoyment of human rights by all persons must be based on free and informed consent
with disabilities, including those living in of persons with disabilities.
economically poor communities in lower 2. Provide accessible information. Persons
and middle-income countries. Being realistic, with disabilities have been unable to access
the COVID-19 pandemic is going to remain a vital information about COVID-19 on an
part of our existence for some time to come equal basis with others. Government and
and will continue to affect CSOs and their UN agencies should publish and share
beneficiaries. their information in accessible formats,
Although countries are at different stages all the more when people’s safety is at
in their fight against COVID-19, recovery stake. Accessible formats mean that
is on everyone’s lips and the concept of shared materials are accessible online for
‘Build Back Better’ is trending. However, persons using screen reader software, and
recovery efforts will only be effective where presentation materials are accessible using
they are genuinely inclusive and grounded universal design elemental and additional
in human rights. formats, such as the use of sign languages,
Easy Read, plain language, captioned media,
Only by including all communities, and
Braille, augmentative and alternative
in particular the most marginalised,
communication, and other accessible means.
can recovery plans successfully help
countries recovering from the COVID-19 3. Engage meaningfully with the civil
triggered crises but most importantly build society at all levels. Where engagement
sustainable resilience to any future shocks. with national and local authorities and
international organisations took place,
The findings of this report provide
activities aimed at supporting people
several recommendations, based on the
with disabilities have been facilitated and
experience of IDDC members and their
helped, at least to a certain extent, mitigate
partners, that should be taken forward by
the pandemic impact on their daily life.
national, regional and local authorities as
Engagement with the civil society should
well as international organisations in their
be further reinforced and capacity building
responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and
provided to grassroots OPDs to support
beyond, in order to be inclusive of people
their participation.
with disabilities.
4. Guarantee full participation, meaningful
Although the present report has a strong
involvement, and leadership of people
focus on the Global South, we consider the
with disabilities and their representative
recommendations relevant to any country,
organisations at every stage of planning
independent of its geographical localisation.
and decision-making processes in
COVID-19 responses, including recovery.
6 IDDC Adjust and RespondExecutive summary
More generally, people with disabilities 6. Allocate adequate financial and human
and OPDs should be meaningfully involved resources to ensure that persons with
in the design and implementation of any disabilities are not left behind in the
public policies and programmes, not just COVID-19 recovery process and beyond.
those targeting specifically disability. Donors should provide some level of
Intersectionality between disability, flexibility to enable the redirection of
gender, race, poverty, etc. are indeed often allocated unused financial resources to allow
overlooked leading to non-inclusive policies. CSOs and OPDs to respond to emergencies
such as pandemics and provide immediate
5. Evaluate the implementation of the COVID-19
support to people with disabilities.
responses, their shortcomings and successes
in terms of inclusion, in order to set 7. Support and carry out global, regional and
guidelines for future emergency action plans. national data collection, capacity building
The lack of preparedness to face a pandemic and disaggregation of data by disability in
such as COVID-19 led to major disruptions all relevant sectors, including but not limited
in services, discrimination, human rights to the sectors of healthcare, education,
abuses and reversed hard won progress for employment. Ensuring that no one is
people with disabilities. The pandemic has being left behind, especially in times of
highlighted the need for disability inclusive crisis such as a pandemic, requires having
disaster risk reduction (DDR) strategies an exact picture of the existing gaps and
to strengthen countries’ preparedness to the most marginalised populations based
address future crises. DRR strategies shall be on updated, qualitative and comparable
disability-inclusive and take into account the statistics. As a minimum standard and
diverse and individual needs of persons with recognising the existing capacities of national
disabilities, in particular those experiencing statistical systems, we recommend using the
intersectional forms of discrimination and Washington Group Short Set of Questions
marginalisation, such as women and girls and the Washington Group/UNICEF
with disabilities or children with disabilities. Child functioning model for SDG data
When developing their DRR strategies, disaggregation as a basis for data collection.
authorities shall include provisions on social
protection measures including basics such as
food and medicine, lockdown, limitations to
education, livelihoods and social outlets as
well as access to wider services, investment
in accessible ICTs.
7 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 1
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health
emergency, with over 159 million cases reported
globally as of 11th May 2021.
Available evidence indicates that people with The report is divided into seven parts. Part
disabilities are at greater risk of contracting One introduces and provides the contextual
COVID-19 due to wide-ranging factors including background for the report. Part Two presents
barriers to accessing information, lack of access the methodology used to conduct a desk-based
to water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure survey to generate the findings of the study.
and services, challenges in maintaining social Part Three presents an overview of the
distancing due to the need for carers to be in organisations who responded to the survey
close contact to meet their needs, and living in and their programmatic focus.
institutional settings and often in unsanitary
Part Four explores the ways in which
conditions where they are often in close
respondents adapted to the pandemic at an
contact with other people. COVID-19 poses
organisational and programme level. Part Five
greater risks of developing serious illness for
focuses on the support provided to people with
people with disabilities.
disabilities through programmes during the
This report was commissioned as part of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Programme of the UNPRPD and
Part Six discusses experiences of engaging with
illustrates the experiences of IDDC member
national governments and local authorities
organisations and their partners in adapting
during the COVID-19 pandemic, before Part
to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Seven discusses organisations’ engagements
with UN organisations.
About the International Disability and Development Consortium (I DDC)
The International Disability and I DDC and its members aim to promote
Development Consortium (IDDC) which inclusive development internationally,
is a global consortium of disability with a particular focus on promoting the
and development non-governmental full and effective enjoyment of human
organisations (NGOs), mainstream rights by all people with disabilities living
development NGOs and organisations of in economically poor communities in lower
people with disabilities (OPDs) supporting and middle-income countries.
disability and development work in more
than 150 countries around the world.
8 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 2
Methodology
This report is based upon a desk-based study conducted on
behalf of the IDDC in March 2021, to explore the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic on IDDC members and their partners.
Data was collected through desk-based research.
An online survey was designed collaboratively The data were analysed in April 2021. The
through IDDC with involvement from quantitative data were analysed mainly in
secretariats at the UNPRPD and the tables, showing the distribution of the different
International Disability Alliance (IDA). variables/response alternatives among the
responders in numbers and in percentages.
The survey aimed to collect quantitative and
The correlation between the responders
qualitative data, with a mixture of ‘closed’
according to their geographical scope and their
questions with choices for respondents to
focus of work is shown in a graph. A thematic
select from a drop-down list or checkboxes,
analysis approach was taken to analyse the
and ‘open ended’ questions in which
qualitative responses to the survey.
respondents could share their views.
The emergent themes of the data were used
The survey was hosted on the Jotform platform
to structure the different parts of the report
in four languages, English, French, Spanish and
according to the questions of the survey,
Portuguese, and was disseminated to IDDC
providing depth and context to the quantitative
members and their partners by email through
findings. Case studies received during the data
mailing lists. Data was collected through
collection phase were reviewed and added to
the survey over a period of three weeks.
relevant sections of the report, to illustrate
Respondents were asked to share case studies
some of the points made by respondents.
over email, some of which are featured within
this report.
9 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 3
Overview of
the organisations
A diverse range of organisations responded to the survey.
Respondents were from different types of organisations,
with different scales of geographical scope and different
focus areas within their programmes.
3.1 Types of organisations and Table 1: Types of organisations who
geographical focus responded to the survey
Table 1 shows the type and geographical Type of organisation Number
scope of the 41 responding organisations.
Responses from country or regional A local/national organisation 2
offices/branches of international organisations of people with disabilities
have been classified as national or regional A regional organisation of 0
organisations, to separate them from the people with disabilities
responses given by the headquarters of the
same organisation, and to give credit to the An international organisation 2
of people with disabilities
different experiences of the two different
parts of the organisation. A local/national civil society 16
organisation
14 of the 16 local/national organisations
participating in the survey were either A regional civil society organisation 4
members of the same alliance/network or
country offices of an IDDC member, as were An international civil society 14
organisation
3 of the 4 regional organisations.
Table 1 shows that the majority of the A network 3
organisations were or belonged to the
network of an international civil society
Please note that in table 1 some revisions and
organisation. 12 of the respondents were
corrections have been made to the data due
mainstream organisations, the remainder
to ambiguity from some of the respondents
were either organisations of or for people
as to whether they were international or
with disabilities. Six of the respondents were
national organisations.
anti-leprosy associations.
The regional and national organisations were
based in the countries/regions shown in table 2.
10 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 3 Overview of the organisations
Table 2: Locations of national and regional organisations
Continent Location type Location name Number
Asia Region South Asia 1
Asia Country Papua New Guinea 3
Asia Country Bangladesh 2
Asia Country Indonesia 2
Asia Country India 2
Asia Country Philippines 2
Asia Country Sri Lanka 1
The Americas Region Caribbean, Central and Latin America 1
The Americas Country Brazil 1
Africa Region Northern Africa 1
Africa Region Eastern and Southern Africa 1
3.2 Programme focus Figure 1 shows that while the focus of the
organisations is almost equal independent
Respondents’ programmes cover many sectoral
of their geographical scope when it comes to
areas (Table 3). Some areas are more common
those areas that are emphasised by many of the
than others: 90% of the organisations work with
respondents, in some areas there are marked
or support programmes where advocacy is a
differences in the focus of the international, the
central part. 71% are involved in programmes
regional and the national organisations.
that either have livelihood/economic
empowerment or support to CSOs as one According to this survey, none of the
main component. On the other side of the regional organisations works with data,
scale, only three organisations are involved sexual and reproductive health rights, and
in peacebuilding/conflict resolution and four deinstitutionalisation.
organisations work with deinstitutionalisation. The survey also shows that the national
level respondents are not involved in
peacebuilding/conflict resolution and only
rarely in resilience/disaster risk reduction.
11 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 3 Overview of the organisations
Table 3: Programme focus of the respondents
Project/programme focus Number of Percentage of
organisations organisations involved
involved in the focus area
Advocacy 37 90%
Data 15 37%
Livelihoods and economic empowerment 29 71%
Social protection 21 51%
Healthcare/health systems 28 68%
Community-Based Rehabilitation/ 26 63%
Community-Based Inclusive Development
Gender 18 44%
Women and girls with disabilities 24 59%
Sexual and reproductive health rights 9 22%
Deinstitutionalisation 4 10%
Youth Empowerment 20 49%
Inclusive Education 27 66%
Technical and Vocational Education and Training 15 37%
Humanitarian action 14 34%
Peacebuilding/conflict resolution 3 7%
Resilience/Disaster Risk Reduction 10 24%
Water, sanitation and hygiene 10 24%
Civil Society Organisations’ capacity building 29 71%
Other¹ 4 10%
¹ Research and Evidence collection, Leprosy, Hospital services & disability management,
Child protection & Education & MNCHN & SHN & Child governance & child poverty.
12 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 3 Overview of the organisations
Figure 1: Focus areas and geographical scope of respondents
85%
Advocacy 80%
87%
31%
Data 47%
77%
Livelihoods and 60%
economic empowerment 53%
42%
Social protection 80%
47%
62%
Healthcare/health systems 40%
73%
Community-Based 50%
Rehabilitation/Community-Based 80%
67%
Inclusive Development
38%
Gender 80%
27%
Women and girls 58%
100%
with disabilities 40%
Sexual and reproductive 23%
health rights 27%
Deinstitutionalisation 15%
7%
50%
Youth Empowerment 60%
33%
62%
Inclusive Education 100%
53%
Technical and Vocational 46%
40%
Education and Training 13%
38%
Humanitarian action 20%
20%
Peacebuilding/conflict resolution 12%
Resilience/Disaster 23%
40%
Risk Reduction 13%
27%
Water, sanitation and hygiene 20%
13%
Civil Society Organisations’ 69%
80%
capacity building 73%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
International Regional Local
13 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4
Adapting to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the way in which
respondents were able to work within their organisations
and through their programmes. This section discusses the
adaptations made at an organisational level, and within
existing programmes hosted by the organisations.
4.1 Organisational adaptations to FAIR MED India reported how the organisation
COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns had to adapt to a significant degree of
confusion when the national government
The survey identified that there were ways
imposed a lockdown in March 2020:
in which adaptations were made at an
organisational level. These adaptations mainly “At the onset of the year 2020, the whole
related to working patterns for staff. world came to a standstill uniting to fight
against the pandemic, revealing a lack of
4.1.1 Working from home preparedness. The initial days of lockdown
Organisations increasingly worked from from the third week of March were
home. In Bangladesh, a government-imposed confusing. People were afraid or mostly
lockdown from March 2020 led staff of uninformed about the consequences, news
the Disabled Rehabilitation and Research channels were continuously broadcasting
Association (DRR A) to work from home for about the rise in cases and death rates,
the first time in its 25-year history. The focus making people more scared than vigilant.
of DRR A and its 25 partner organisations
“There were restrictions on regular
however was on service delivery at community
movement of the public and public
level along with government hospitals, which
gatherings. in the initial there was scarcity
continued in an adapted form, whilst DRR A staff
of food and generic supplies due to
conducted administrative work from home.
restrictions on vehicles at the borders.
These restrictions made it almost impossible
4.1.2 Working around lockdowns
for persons affected by leprosy to access
Organisations adapted to lockdown urgently needed leprosy services in the
restrictions over the course of the COVID-19 general healthcare system or in the tertiary
pandemic. For example, NLR Mozambique care hospitals supported by FAIRMED India.
adapted their working approach within the
organisation, by adopting resilience strategy “One of FAIRMED India’s supported
approaches through focussing on sponsor partners is GRETNALTES, who provide
systems and home care during the lockdown. tertiary care leprosy services at their
Working patterns for staff of I DDC member hospital in Guntur district, stepped ahead
organisations shifted by making more home and helped the ones in need.
visits to deliver their services to people with
disabilities at home during lockdowns.
14 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
“Bunny Nagar colony is located near the Table 4 The extent to which programmes
town of Chilaka luri pet and 43 families were adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic
affected with leprosy live there. In the wake
of this situation, GRETNALTES arranged Status of the programmes Number
for a medical treatment camp in the area Programmes were cancelled 3
wherein Micro Cellular Rubber footwear
were distributed (to prevent ulcers at the Programmes were delayed 25
feet) and a donation of dressing materials
Programmes were adapted 32
for ulcers and medicine was carried out.
People affected by leprosy with visible Programmes continued as planned 6
conditions need additional care to manage
All programmes were cancelled² 1
it and do normally often visit the tertiary
care centres. All programmes continued 2
as planned³
“In East Godavari district, due to the ban
on public transportation, people with ulcer
or any other form of deformities could not Overall, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
visit the hospitals; therefore the conditions the majority of programmes were either
became critical. adapted (48%) or delayed (38%). Only 9% of
programmes were able to continue as planned.
“Another partner of FAIRMED India, the
5% of respondents’ programmes were cancelled
Rural India Self Development Trust (R I SDT)
as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
hospital in Kathipudi, came to the rescue
of these people and started moving out of
4.2.1 New areas of work within programmes
the hospital to the doorstep of the people
As a result of the pandemic, 39 of the 41
who were in urgent need of tertiary care
organisations have undertaken new tasks and
leprosy services.”
have engaged in new, unplanned areas of work
through their programme activities, as shown
4.2 Adapting programmes to the in Table 5.
COVID-19 pandemic
Organisations have had to make many
substantial changes to how they work and to
the content of their work. The responses to
the question ‘To what extent could existing
programmes for people with disabilities
continue during any crisis phase?’, are
presented in Table 4.
² Organisation did not report any other consequences.
³ Organisations did not report any other consequences.
15 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Table 5: New tasks organisations have engaged in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
Answer Number of Percentage of reported
organisations engagement in the
different areas
We have not engaged in new activities 2 5%
Translation of COVID-19 related information 24 59%
(in Sign language, in easy-to-read, etc.)
Services (Food delivery, provisions of equipment – 28 68%
gel, masks, etc.)
Financial support (cash, vouchers, loans) 11 27%
Awareness raising 33 80%
Others 6 15%
Organisations’ other new areas of The next sections of this report provide
work included: detail on how programmes were adapted to
• Sharing advocacy strategies for COVID-19; respond to COVID-19, to focus on meeting the
needs of people with disabilities, to continue
• COVID-19 screening; with social distancing measures and online
• Insurance schemes for people with disabilities platforms, to provide education services and to
incorporate humanitarian elements, followed
and their families;
• Online health and rehabilitation services; by a discussion of experienced delays to
programmes and the anticipated changes to
• Supporting people with disabilities due programmes in the future among respondents.
to in-patient services being stopped and
working to improve referrals;
• Education services and health system
strengthening;
• Data collection on the needs of people with
disabilities within a COVID-19 context; and
analysis and sharing data to support people
with disabilities and OPDs to advocate to
stakeholders to meet these needs;
• Research and training-related work;
• Human rights monitoring and reporting.
16 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
4.2.2 Shifting programmatic focus to Provision of PPE for staff and people with
the COVID-19 response disabilities was a key aspect of HelpAge
The focus of programmes being run by some International’s programme adaptations.
organisations changed to directly responding Projects being led by organisations were
to COVID-19. DRRA Bangladesh has been re-designed to incorporate elements about
working in collaboration with OPDs, the COVID-19 and appropriate measures to be
Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family taken, providing this information on a regular
Welfare and the ambulance service to basis through mass awareness campaigns
arrange sample collection from people with and meetings.
disabilities who have been tested for COVID-19.
DRRA Bangladesh has also worked with the Sightsavers’ Ascend programme incorporated
Government of Bangladesh to increase access elements on COVID-19 messaging. In light of
to PCR COVID-19 tests at hospitals. budget cuts, Able Child Africa’s programmes
focused on the design and distribution of
Programme funds were diverted to the leaflets, posters and audio-graphic content to
COVID-19 response. CBM Ireland reported that raise awareness of disability needs and rights
funding for work, which was planned before during COVID-19, and sharing public health
the pandemic but was no longer possible information in accessible formats.
to implement was diverted to the COVID-19
response, which included awareness-raising EU-CORD noted that in their experience, these
about COVID-19 and ensuring that people with adaptations focused on changing the focus of
disabilities were able to access food, healthcare messages and identifying new ways of carrying
and education during the lockdown. out the programmes within the limitations
posed by the crisis.
In Tanzania and Uganda, Able Child Africa
adapted their large institutional programmes In India, NLR provided mentoring and
(such as the Foreign, Commonwealth and monitoring for people with disabilities through
Development Office Youth Empowerment audio and video calls, and also used these
programmes and Comic Relief Inclusive calls to identify the challenges people with
Education programmes in Uganda and disabilities were facing in accessing essentials
Tanzania). The budgets for Able Child Africa’s such as food, hygiene and medicine, and
projects were reviewed, and activities, which mobilised support through the government
could not take place, were suspended. Missed and donors.
meetings in the March, April, May, June and Liliane Foundation allowed partners to partly
July period saved some of the budget, enabling adapt their programmes in response to needs
the funding and programme focus to be arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, including
pivoted towards urgent COVID-19 support information campaigns, protection mechanisms
through accessible information and the and the provision of food supply.
provision of personal protective equipment
(PPE) for key stakeholders.
17 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Case study
Spreading the word on social and behaviour change:
Sight savers’ Ascend programme in West and Central Africa.
As the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic consultation with government partners to
were beginning to come to light, the Ascend develop concept notes for the COVID-19
programme run by Sight savers in West and response. Interventions were prioritised
Central Africa needed to shift their focus at based on gaps identified in national plans,
the end of its first year, and planned activities and the concept notes were finalised in
were rapidly adapted. ten days.
Ascend funding was repurposed in 11 The SBC component of the concept notes
countries for approximately nine months focused on combating misinformation,
to deliver activities that support Pillar 2 of encouraging behaviour change, and
the World Health Organisation’s COVID-19 facilitating community participation.
Strategic Preparedness and Response
Each country team included objectives for
Plan, focusing on risk communication and
inclusion and accessibility in the concept
community engagement.
notes, which were further developed at
The project focused on delivering COVID-19 design stage. In some countries, inclusion
health messages on a large scale, in line features were actively requested by
with national public health containment government partners; in other countries,
recommendations, and making social and guided discussion led to the consideration
behaviour change (SBC) campaigns inclusive and adoption of recommendations.
and accessible to marginalised groups,
Following the development of the concept
particularly people with disabilities who are
notes and funding approval, Sight savers
often missed out in response measures.
provided technical guidance to the
At the start of the project, Ascend country Ascend COVID-19 response partners to
teams undertook a rapid and intensive mainstream disability.
18 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
4.2.3 Focusing more directly on Groups specified under “Other” included:
under-represented groups of people
with disabilities
• Displaced people with disabilities
Several adjustments have been made to ensure • People with Down Syndrome
that under-represented groups of people with • People with unaddressed refractive error
disabilities were reached during the pandemic.
Table 6 also shows, however, that some groups
• People affected by leprosy and
leprosy patients
are less targeted than others, like LGBTQI
people with disabilities, persons with albinism • People with multiple disabilities
and indigenous people with disabilities. On the • Deaf children. CWDs in remote areas
other side of the scale, 71% of the respondents
reported about adjustments made to reach • Deafblind
women and girls with disabilities, and 56% • Those at risk of disability with no
have made extra efforts to target persons with official diagnosis
intellectual disabilities.
• Lactating mothers
• People affected Lymphatic Filariasis
with disability
Table 6: Under-represented groups engaged in programmes
Category of under-represented groups Yes No I don’t
of people with disabilities know
Person with deafblindness 13 17 11
Person with intellectual disabilities 23 13 5
Person with psychosocial disabilities 17 14 10
Person on the autism spectrum 15 14 12
Person with albinism 8 22 11
Women and girls with disabilities 29 7 5
Older person with disabilities 21 14 6
Indigenous person with disabilities 10 20 11
LGBTQI person with disabilities 4 22 15
Other 17 17 7
19 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Adaptations to existing programmes and online, accessibility through effective
significantly focused directly on ensuring that communication and using various aids in the
the rights of people with disabilities could be activities have been key to maintaining an
continually met during the pandemic. NLR enabling environment.
Indonesia and Leonard Cheshire Disability
Christian Blind Mission (CBM) created the
reported how their programmes adapted to
‘COVID-19 Disability Inclusive Community Action
address the changing needs of people with
Matrix’ to ensure that they could respond to the
disabilities in contexts with varying levels
changing needs of people with disabilities and
of COVID-19 restrictions. NLR Indonesia
their families. The matrix (Figure 2) provides
has actively worked to provide COVID-19
guidance on possible action points that can
information to people with disabilities in every
be taken for community development and
activity and meeting being conducted. Leonard
mobilisation for preparedness and response
Cheshire Disability adapted their programmes
activities for COVID-19, including ensuring
to ensure that COVID-19 information was
compassion, communication, networking,
provided in an accessible format. Programmes
enabling participation in community
needed to remain accessible and to realise
conversations and responses to the pandemic,
the rights of people with different disabilities.
and providing access to essential services.
Save The Children reported how whilst most of
their activities were being conducted remotely
Figure 2: CBM’s COVID-19 Disability Inclusive Community Action Matrix
Photo © CBM
20 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
4.2.4 Programmes continued with social have tried to conduct training sessions
distancing measures with fewer numbers of participants if being
Some programmes run by organisations conducted in-person rather than online.
were able to continue with social
distancing measures being implemented. 4.2.5 Programmes moved online
In Bangladesh, DRR A worked to ensure Programmes run by organisations were moved
that existing programmes could continue in online. Sightsavers needed to adapt their
a socially-distanced manner, with adequate accessibility audit training methodology in line
provision of PPE, transport, training, health with COVID-19 restrictions. Sightsavers said:
insurance for frontline community-based
“Before the pandemic, we used to run
rehabilitation workers and security for field
two- or three-day long in-person training
teams. Sight savers’ refractive services in
sessions. Due to the COVID-19 situation,
hospitals and community settings were
however, we could not organise in-person
delivered in line with WHO and national
sessions anymore, and we had to adapt
guidelines on social distancing. Sight savers’
the training methodology to be delivered
advocacy team explained how their
online. Since the beginning of the pandemic,
school-based eye-health programmes were
we have facilitated online accessibility
adapted in accordance with guidelines to
audit training sessions for over 100
ensure safety for all who were involved:
representatives of organisations of people
“As schools started reopening during the with disabilities, government partners
Covid-19 pandemic, school eye health and private sector companies in Nigeria,
programmes’ practices were redesigned Kenya, Malawi and Ghana.”
to prevent the spread of the virus among
Conducting programme delivery online
children, teachers, support staff and
through applications such as Zoom, increased
ultimately the communities.
email exchanges and conversations with
“A guidance for relaunching the vision clients over phone were considered the ‘new
screening programmes was developed and normal’. NLR India for instance provided
shared with the country teams and partners. COVID-19 behaviour programmes, mentoring
The guidance was aligned with the World and monitoring for clients and identified
Health organisation and UNICEF’s advice needs for basics such as food and medicines
and guidelines. The clinical standards remain over video calls.
aligned with the Sight savers’ School Health
In Bangladesh, DRR A created an online
Integrated Programme (SHIP) guidelines.”
communication platform for families of
PPE was provided to staff and people with people with disabilities to enable them to
disabilities through HelpAge International’s send weekly updates to DRR A. DRR A was
programmes. Organisations reported an then able to arrange support based on these
awareness of needing to follow health reports to meet the needs of people with
protocols in face-to-face meetings. DeafBlind disabilities through OPDs and provided health
International noted the need to adapt or delay and rehabilitation consultation sessions over
meetings to next year, as the organisation WhatsApp. DRR A also supported people
mainly works with networks and conferences. with disabilities and their families to access
OVCI la Nostra Famiglia reported how they micro-health insurance for the first time
in Bangladesh.
21 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Telehealth services were continued by DRR A “They worked with existing OPD partners
through an interactive website. DRR A secured through all of their activities on inclusion,
a memorandum of understanding with a large accessible awareness raising and mitigation.
telehealth company to introduce telehealth OPDs collected stories of people with
services through the website. Doctors and disabilities on their experience during
rehabilitation specialists were also trained COVID-19 for data and advocacy purposes.
on how to use the online platform to address
“The team also worked with OPDs to develop
the needs of people with disabilities. Internet
messages and conduct radio awareness
connections were essential for programmes
sessions, print accessible materials and share
to continue online. FOAL emphasised that in
sign language videos. OPDs also mobilized
adapting activities to be hosted virtually:
and provided hygiene packs and PPE for
“it was necessary to provide connectivity people with disabilities and their caregivers.”
and accessibility to virtuality, as well as
HI’s Building Peaceful Futures Project in Iraq
knowledge and new ways of working”.
continued their Convention on the Rights of
CBM conducted training and workshops people with disabilities monitoring on their field
online, and were able to facilitate online assessments on aspects including education
interventions between teachers, parents and through phone interviews.
students. Able Child Africa noted how holding
meetings digitally by pivoting more funding 4.2.7 Disaster risk reduction measures
to increased airtime and data helped them in response to the needs of people with
to make progress towards their programme disabilities and wider natural hazards
outcomes whilst keeping people safe and Disaster risk reduction responses became a
saving money. OVCI La Nostra Familgia and feature of programmes led by respondents.
Inclusion International were also among the Existing programmes were either changed
organisations using online platforms for almost to operate in a humanitarian style in order
all of their training and workshops. to respond to the rights of people with
disabilities in the context of the COVID-19
4.2.6 Adapting existing pandemic, or to operate within a humanitarian
education programmes context arising from natural hazards as the
Existing education programmes were adapted COVID-19 crisis developed.
by organisations. DRRA Bangladesh worked Liliane Foundation for example reprogrammed
to provide home-based education for persons their existing activities towards a humanitarian
with neuro-developmental disabilities. response to the loss of livelihoods, including
Humanity & Inclusion (HI) made various the provision of food and hygiene kits to help
adaptations to their Disability Inclusive people with disabilities and their families, and
Development programme in Kakuma refugee enabled staff to respond to the needs of people
camp in Kenya: with disabilities as they emerged over the
course of the pandemic.
“The H I team proposed activities and
NHR Brasil’s humanitarian response
a corresponding budget to adapt current
incorporated the delivery of self-care kits for
education and livelihood activities in
people with disabilities, containing food and
Kakuma Refugee Camp.
hygiene supplies.
22 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic CBM built crisis modifiers into their programmes, which enabled them to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities, particularly through their water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects. Light for the World initiated an international emergency response to adapt their programmes. Their response focused on accessible messaging and protection mechanisms, advocating for the inclusion of the needs of people with disabilities in the COVID-19 response of other mainstream organisations, providing PPE and other protective equipment to health partners, distributing food aid and providing economic support through loans and setting up livelihood opportunities such as soap making, within their existing programmes. As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, Cyclone Amphan hit parts of South Asia in May 2020. DRRA Bangladesh’s programmes were significantly adapted, to focus on meeting the needs of people with disabilities through support in provision of shelter and meeting essential needs as the impacts of the cyclone were emerging. 23 IDDC Adjust and Respond
Part 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic
Case study
Disaster risk management approaches during COVID-19:
Disabled Rehabilitation and Research Association (DRR A)
Bangladesh’s response during Cyclone Amphan.
Super Cyclone Amphan struck Bangladesh in post-disaster and COVID-19 response
May 2020 in midst of a pandemic when both activities in such a way that all government
COVID-19 patient and death cases were on and health regulations were maintained. In
the rise and the country was in lockdown. Cyclone Amphan post disaster response, we
The situation could not be worse, especially for did cash transfer through a mobile banking
the population residing in the coastal region. system to avoid mass gathering and travelling.
At that period, it was crucial to maintain social This approach was appreciated by both the
distance and personal hygiene to stop the beneficiaries as well as local government
spread of the highly contagious disease, but authorities as the Bangladesh Government is
the number and capacity of existing cyclone promoting a mobile banking system for cash
shelters was not sufficient. Therefore, the transfer for transparency and convenience.
traditional emergency response protocol was
This mechanism was also replicated in cash
not adequate to bring desired results in this
assistance to help people with disabilities and
unforeseen circumstance and an alternative
their families to revive from the economic
approach was needed.
impact of COVID-19. In addition to this, food
DRR A came-up with an innovative approach and hygiene material support were also
and implemented in collaboration with local provided through door-to-door delivery
government and disaster management by our frontline workers. DRR A arranged
agencies. The first step was identifying complete PPE and health insurance for the
relatively stronger infrastructures in the staff to ensure their safety and bring positive
area, which are less vulnerable than the energy to work during the pandemic and
traditional houses to the disaster. After micro insurance for people with disabilities
identification, owners/authorities of these and their families. Another DRR A initiative is
establishments were contacted and convinced to facilitate collection of samples of people
for letting these buildings to be used as with disabilities and testing for COVID-19 in
temporary shelters specially for people with collaboration with the government health
disabilities living in the vicinity as prevailing system through engagement of Organisations
transportation facilities are not that much of people with disabilities (OPDs) by providing
accessible. This approach has positively ambulance and other logistical support to
resulted in three ways, first reducing the strengthen the health system.
burden of travel for people with disabilities,
As a result of these multidimensional
secondly, reduced pressure on cyclone
approaches, DRR A was able to reach more
shelters and lastly, maintenance of safety
people and come to their assistance amidst
measures for COVID-19 were comparatively
this pandemic effectively and plans to
easy. DRR A continued to undertake
continue to do so in future.
24 IDDC Adjust and RespondPart 4 Adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic 4.3 Delays to programmes 4.4 Anticipated changes to programmes Organisations delayed some of their in relation to COVID-19 programmes in the wave of the pandemic. As shown in Table 7, organisations reported Inclusion International explained that it was that they expected to include COVID-19 related challenging to conduct capacity-building activities in future responses in several areas programmes in person due to lockdowns and began planning for them. Only one and travel restrictions. In some countries, organisation did not have any plan, whilst the technological barriers such as low bandwidth 40 others expected to do COVID-19 related and poor access prevented Inclusion work in the future in an average of nearly eight International from conducting their different areas each. 46% were also planning to programmes online, and decisions were work on access to vaccines, which is a new area made to delay capacity-building programmes to most of them. which we planned. Local lockdowns and travel restrictions led EU-CORD members to delay some of their programmes. Delays in programmes posed barriers for Light for the World in provision of training and conducting monitoring visits, leading to a renegotiation of deadlines for reporting to donors. 25 IDDC Adjust and Respond
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