International Conference on Rebuilding Sustainable Communities with the Elderly and Disabled People after Disasters

07/12/2010 – 07/15/2010

Boston, MA, USA

There is currently an abundance of documents, plans and policies addressing the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities in the preparedness phase of disaster. Moreover, there have been countless conferences which have examined the challenges that the elderly and people with disabilities face in emergency planning and response.

However, no significant systematic post-disasters' study has been undertaken with a focus on the long-term, sustainable community recovery and rebuilding needs of this population.

The conference will, therefore, address the following main issues:

  • The status of the elderly and disabled people in various communities after disasters and the continuing need for superior research and appropriate data
  • The place of the elderly and disabled people in local, regional and national post-disaster reconstruction policies, plans and programs
  • The role and input of the elderly and disabled people in post-disaster reconstruction planning and implementation processes
  • The roles of governments, institutions of higher education, the private sector, non-governmental and community-based organizations in post-disaster reconstruction
  • The promotion of human dignity in the creation of sustainable environments that empower the elderly and disabled people in the aftermath of disasters
  • Integration of the elderly and disabled people into the larger community after disasters
  • The promotion of the human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunity and development
  • The role of women with disabilities in the formulation and implementation of reconstruction policies after disaster
  • The participation of children with disabilities in the development and execution of post-disaster plans and programs

The conference will seek to contribute to, and recommend, future policy formulation and implementation processes by local, regional and national governments as well as multilateral agencies and grass-roots organizations.

http://www.rebuilding.umb.edu/RSCEPD.php

For more information, please contact:

Jennifer L. Brunson
Research Assistant
Center for Rebuilding Sustainable
Communities after Disasters (CRSCAD)
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
crscad@umb.edu
Phone - 617-287-7116