Covid-19 and the Rights of People with Disabilities in Disasters
The rights of people with disabilities don't disappear in times of crisis. For information on the rights of people with disabilities in all disasters and public health emergencies and reporting rights violations, in the US and globally, please visit our Rights of People with Disabilities in Disasters & Public Health Emergencies page.
For more information on the rights of people with disabilities specifically in the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend the following resources from our colleagues:
Covid-19 External Resources
- All
- Planning Tools
- Nursing Homes
- Spanish
- Elder Abuse
- Global
- Homelessness
- Disasters
- Climate Change
- COVID-19
- Geographic
- United States
- World
- International
- National
- Regional
- State
- City
- Planning
- Response
- Recovery
- Resilience
- Equity
- Media
- Personal Preparedness
- Disability-Specific
- Know Your Rights
- Advocacy
- Support for Institutions
- For Educators
- Videos
- Research
- Legal
- Accessibility
- Community Living
- Preparedness
Planning Tools
(WHO): Disability considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak World Health Organization's page on Disability considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak
Preparing for Hospitalization During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Checklist for People with Disabilities June Isaacson Kailes, Disability Policy Consultant
CDC: Releases New ASL Videos on Covid-19 emergency prep download video
Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies US-based organization focused solely on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters, emergencies, and crises.
Nursing Homes
Spanish
- Redy.gov Website in Spanish
Guidance for People with Disabilities in the face of COVID-19 in the Americas and the Caribbean United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean
Elder Abuse
Global
Disasters
United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Website
Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies
- Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
Mutual Aid Hub
IASC Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings
AARP Community Connections
DREDF International Laws
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Website
A Guide to Disability Rights Laws
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD
Filling with Office for Civil Rights
Disability Rights Section of the US Department of Justice
Disability Inclusion in Disaster Risk Management
Ready.gov Website
- Redy.gov Website in Spanish
Ready.gov Individuals with Disabilities
- Emergency Power Planning for People Who Use Electricity and Battery Dependent Assistive Technology and Medical Devices
Emergency PreparednessTools and Guidelines
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Disability
Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion Act and Disaster Relief Medicaid Act
Climate Change
COVID-19
Call to Action sign-on form To sign on to the COVID-19 Call to Action, fill out the Call to Action sign-on form
- CDC: Releases New ASL Videos on Covid-19 emergency prep download video
list of signatories to the Call to Action View list of signatories to the Call to Action
Open letter to Vice President Mike Pence Open letter to Vice President Mike Pence
- Disability Rights International (DRI) Survey that gathered data on how States are responding to states of emergency situations in relation to people with disabilities.
The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) Preventing Discrimination in the Treatment of COVID-19 Patients: The Illegality of Medical Rationing on the Basis of Disability
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Bulletin March 28, 2020– Civil Rights, HIPAA, and the Coronavirus Disease
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
ONG Inclusiva: First International Survey on People with Disabilities and COVID-19 (PDF)
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): COVID-19 Resource – Key advocacy messages, questions to ask on inclusion and signpost to resources to learn more (PDF) IDA covid resources (PDF)
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): Toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Response: 10 recommendations (PDF)
Social Distancing and Crip Survival: A Disability Centered Response to COVID-19 from Sins Invalid
Disability Justice and COVID-19 Resources NYU Center for Disability Studies
- Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies US-based organization focused solely on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters, emergencies, and crises.
CDC: Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness
Geographic
United States
- Disability Rights International (DRI) Survey that gathered data on how States are responding to states of emergency situations in relation to people with disabilities.
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN): Know Your Rights COVID-19 video series Know Your Rights during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- CDC: Releases New ASL Videos on Covid-19 emergency prep download video
- Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies US-based organization focused solely on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters, emergencies, and crises.
World
International
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): COVID-19 Resource – Key advocacy messages, questions to ask on inclusion and signpost to resources to learn more (PDF) IDA covid resources (PDF)
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): Toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Response: 10 recommendations (PDF)
National
- Disability Rights International (DRI) Survey that gathered data on how States are responding to states of emergency situations in relation to people with disabilities.
- CDC: Releases New ASL Videos on Covid-19 emergency prep download video
- Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies US-based organization focused solely on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters, emergencies, and crises.
Regional
State
Disability Rights Connecticut
Connecticut State Independent Living Council Facebook page for CTSILC
City
Planning
- Emergency Power Planning for People Who Use Electricity and Battery Dependent Assistive Technology and Medical Devices
- Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
- FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD
Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction - a whole communty action
Disaster Preparedness Guides for Persons with Disabilities
- Redy.gov Website in Spanish
- Emergency Registries for People with Access and Functional Needs
Response
- Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD
Access to Emergency Information on Television
Recovery
- Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD
Media
Disability-Specific
Know Your Rights
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): COVID-19 Resource – Key advocacy messages, questions to ask on inclusion and signpost to resources to learn more (PDF) IDA covid resources (PDF)
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): Toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Response: 10 recommendations (PDF)
- Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD
Advocacy
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): COVID-19 Resource – Key advocacy messages, questions to ask on inclusion and signpost to resources to learn more (PDF) IDA covid resources (PDF)
- International Disability Alliance (IDA): Toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Response: 10 recommendations (PDF)
- Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies US-based organization focused solely on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters, emergencies, and crises.
Support for Institutions
For Educators
Videos
- CDC: Releases New ASL Videos on Covid-19 emergency prep download video
Research
- Disability Rights International (DRI) Survey that gathered data on how States are responding to states of emergency situations in relation to people with disabilities.
Legal
Accessibility
Community Living
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies: COVID-19 Community-Wide Resources (Google Doc) Comprehensive and continuously-updated Google Doc of various resources and organizations related to COVID-19 and disability advocacy.
Preparedness
Covid-19 on the Blog
WID created a series of blogs about the experiences and needs of people with disabilities and disability-led organizations around the world during the pandemic. Click on a headline below to read the full story.
Calls to Action on Covid-19
Over 170 organizations have signed on to the original Call to Action and the list of supporters keeps growing. To sign on to the COVID-19 Call to Action, fill out the Call to Action sign-on form.
View list of signatories to the Call to Action
Additionally, read and share the Open letter to Vice President Mike Pence.
You can learn more about WID’s priorities for COVID-19 and all emergency response, as well as our CEO/Executive Director Marcie Roth’s 20+ years of experience working in disability inclusive emergency preparedness and response, via this recorded webinar from the Connecticut State Independent Living Council and Disability Rights Connecticut: