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The dramatic changes are still very unclear.
Beaches disappear, washed away in seconds.
I was in Thailand when the tsunami struck
and witness the devastation first hand.
As a city planner I am now working with
tight colleagues to ensure that post-disaster
development includes everyone who was affected
especially those like myself
who live with disabilities.
Unlocking the social and human capital
of marginalized populations
is the key for a successful reconstruction.
We have to prepare a policy that
should be more disability inclusive.
There is a need sharing the knowledge,
and exploiting and disseminating
good practices on deserve to preparedness.
A lot of rural areas are suffering from poverty.
They need basic subsistence,
access to water, they do not have enough income.
Disable people living in those areas
are totally marginalized.
I think poverty is not just the income you have,
but whether you are included in society,
whether you are part of society.
There are several barriers to full participation
for people with disabilities.
We can break this cycle,
by creating inclusive polices.
All of them come from access.
The process of total reconstruction
offers an unprecedented opportunity
for whole communities to participate
in the planning and rebuilding
of their cities and homes.
In order to ensure equal access
to community resources, we must integrate
people with disabilities into the
post-disaster reconstruction.
This is our greatest opportunity and challenge
to ensure that the human rights of people
with disabilities are recognized,
realized and implemented.