Calls for inclusive and community-driven climate resilience were at the heart of a moving address delivered by Moala Village elder and disability advocate Nemani Susu.
Speaking on behalf of fellow persons with disabilities in Moala Village in Nadi during the inaugural visit of the global president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Kate Forbes, Susu described the growing risks posed by extreme weather events and environmental degradation.
Susu, who lives with a disability, also spoke openly about the layered challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the community during natural disaster events.
Susu also called for greater use of nature-based solutions, such as sustainable land management, climate-smart agriculture, and the planting of mangroves to protect the environment.
He emphasised that these solutions should benefit not only Moala Village, but also other communities upstream of the Nadi River.
Meanwhile, IFRC President Kate Forbes acknowledged the importance of disability inclusion in disaster planning.
Speaking to fijivillage News, she said she had a long, informative conversation with the Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Sakiasi Ditoka, on how the Red Cross, the government, and the community can work together.
Forbes says it is imperative that disability inclusion must come before disasters, not after.
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