Meeting on UN disability treaty to focus on impact of conflicts and disasters

“Incidence of disability increases during conflicts and disasters. Conversely, disability increases vulnerability to emergency situations,” said Akiko Ito, Chief of the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and UN Focal Point on Disability, in advance of the event. “Persons with disabilities tend to face added disadvantages and difficulties in having their needs met during the time of crisis when faced with a shortage of resources,” she added.