HIBAPRESS – MAP
The Heroes' Caravan in a situation of disability for climate justice arrived today, Saturday, in Khenifra, with the aim of highlighting the fact that people with disabilities are among the most affected groups by natural disasters, which requires their integration into adaptation plans, ensuring the inclusivity of emergency procedures, and enhancing their participation in climate decision-making.
This caravan, organized by the "Al Alam Maana" association for people with disabilities, with the support of the Green Grants Fund and in partnership with the "Darna" association and the Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zayani Cultural Center, aims to raise awareness of the relationship between disability and climate change, especially in areas experiencing increasing environmental challenges that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups. This meeting, which saw the participation of people with disabilities from different age groups and types of disabilities, along with survivors of natural disasters, sports champions, representatives from local associations and community actors, aims to shed light on the difficulties that people with disabilities may face during disasters, while emphasizing the need to adopt inclusive approaches that ensure their full participation in preparedness and emergency response. In a statement to the Moroccan News Agency, Jamila Al-Maniat, Secretary General of the "Al Alam Maana" association, said that this caravan falls within the context of raising awareness of the risks and natural disasters witnessed by the world, including Morocco, such as floods and earthquakes. She explained that people with disabilities often suffer from marginalization when preparing policies related to climate change, stressing the need to consider different types of disabilities, including the deaf, wheelchair users, and the visually impaired, in rescue and warning plans. She added that the association is working, in partnership with local actors in Khenifra, to prepare a special guide for rescue and warning in cases of natural disasters related to climate change, to ensure that no one is left behind during crises. For his part, Mustapha Belhassan, President of the Darna Association for Special Education and Social and Cultural Development, affirmed that this initiative aims to promote social justice for the benefit of people with disabilities. He pointed out that the interactive workshops organized with the residents of Khenifra aim to change the societal view of disability and combat stigma, in addition to empowering the people concerned with knowledge and mechanisms that help them maintain their safety and deal with risks in various circumstances. The program of the Khenifra station, the first of the regional tours of the caravan, included the organization of awareness sessions and practical workshops on climate challenges and ways of prevention, protection techniques, and early warning, in addition to inclusive sports activities and sessions of psychological and physical support supervised by specialists.
