A moment of togetherness among stakeholders in supporting inclusive disaster preparedness.
Together with CBM Global, YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) through the Disability Inclusive-Locally Led Anticipatory Action program, held an inception meeting with relevant stakeholders in Surakarta City and Sukoharjo Regency, Indonesia. The event brought together various stakeholders, including the Social Affair Offices of Surakarta City and Sukoharjo Regency, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Sukoharjo Regency, the Disability Service Unit (ULD) of Surakarta City and Sukoharjo Regency, the Regional Disability Committee (KDD) of Surakarta City, the Bengawan Solo River Basin Agency (BBWS BS), representative from Pasar Kliwon sub-districts and Jebres sub-districts, and Indonesian Red Cross of Surakarta City and Sukoharjo Regency. Through this opportunity, YEU shared the objective of the three-year program, running from July 14, 2025 until June 30, 2028, which is to empower people with disabilities in developing inclusive and gender-responsive early warning systems as well as anticipatory action plans.
From Dialogue to Commitment: How Communities Are Shaping Inclusive Disaster Preparedness
Besides introducing the program to the stakeholders, this meeting has created space for dialogue and information sharing. Stakeholders were encouraged to deliver their experiences and capacities based on their respective expertise, as well as the challenges they faced and their recommendation for the DI-LLAA program. One of the key challenges raised was the outdated disaggregated data on people with disabilities that had not been consolidated into a unified data. This was also confirmed by the Disability Service Unit under the Regional Disability Committee, who had not yet updated or developed disaggregated data on persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups. In response, to strengthen collaboration, YEU will conduct a comprehensive and participatory data collection process involving persons with disabilities and other at-risk groups.
During the discussion, Misbahul Arifin, the representative of the Disability Service Unit (ULD) of Sukoharjo Regency stated, “We are ready to take part in the process of developing an inclusive early warning system.” According to them, the existing early warning system was not easily accessible for people with disabilities. On the other hand, the representative from the Jebres sub-district office highlighted the importance of strong collaboration among government institutions such as the Social Affairs Office, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, and community groups, including Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), to strengthen synergy on early detection and disaster management efforts.
Inclusive Action, Shared Commitment
YEU commits to implement this program in an accountable and transparent manner. Overall, the meeting served as an important platform that underscored a shared commitment to shifting the disaster preparedness paradigm, from merely post-disaster response to anticipatory action that is locally-led, inclusive, and supported by comprehensive data and cross-sector collaboration.