Beyond Tokenism: Exploring the Experiences and Barriers of Persons with Disabilities in Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Management in Mwanza City Council, Tanzania

Authors

  • Joseph Bukula Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Dodoma, Tanzania
  • Nicholaus Mwageni School of Engineering and Environmental Studies, Ardhi University, Tanzania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.2.4

Keywords:

disaster risk management (DRM), persons with disabilities (PwDs), urban resilience, lived experiences, inclusion needs

Abstract

Persons with disabilities (PwDs) remain disproportionately vulnerable to disaster impacts due to systemic barriers and exclusionary practices in disaster risk management (DRM). Despite international frameworks such as Sendai Framework and United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), as well as national policy commitments to inclusion, limited attention to disability-specific needs and lived experiences continues to hinder meaningful participation of PwDs in DRM processes. This study examined the inclusion needs, experiences, and barriers that affect the effectiveness of disability-inclusive disaster risk management (DiDRM) interventions in Mwanza City Council (MCC), Tanzania. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving 16 in-depth semi-structured interviews and 4 focus group discussions with PwDs and representatives of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). Data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to participation dynamics, attitudinal barriers, and institutional practices. Findings reveal that negative perceptions of disability, limited awareness among DRM officials, and tokenistic engagement of PwDs and OPDs constrain substantive participation and meaningful inclusion. The study highlights that PwDs are heterogeneous group with distinct needs, and neglecting these differences perpetuates exclusion and widens the policy – practice gap. The study is limited by its qualitative design, focus on a single city, and exclusion of certain disability types, which may affect generalizability. Key implications include the necessity for inclusive communication strategies, access to assistive technologies, equitable involvement of PwDs in decision-making, and enhanced support for OPD-led initiatives. By emphasizing the agency of PwDs, this research contributes to understanding both context-specific and generalizable patterns in urban DiDRM. Overall, the study advocates a shift from perceiving PwDs merely as a vulnerable group toward recognizing them as active contributors and essential actors in disaster risk reduction and management.

References

1. African Union. (2016). Programme of action for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 in Africa. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

2. Bhavani, R., Vordzorgbe, S., Owor, M., & Bousquet, F. (2008). Status of disaster risk reduction in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The World Bank.

3. Cañete, R. M., Lisay, S. K., & Sayadat Mahmud, M. N. (2025). Project DINGGIN: Empowering communities through risk-based and inclusive cash transfer in disaster-prone areas in Bangladesh and Philippines. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(1), 339–366.

4. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. (2019). Human cost of disasters: An overview of the last 20 years (2000–2019). Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters.

5. Charmaz, K. (2008). Grounded theory. In J. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods (2nd ed., pp. 81–110). SAGE Publications.

6. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage Publications.

7. East African Community. (2012). East Africa Community policy on persons with disabilities. EAC Secretariat.

8. Gartrell, A., Calgaro, E., Goddard, G., & Saorath, N. (2020). Disaster experiences of women with disabilities: Barriers and opportunities for disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction in Cambodia. Global Environmental Change, 64, 102134.

9. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2020). World disasters report 2020. Geneva, Switzerland.

10. Jevtić, M., Cvetković, V. M., Gačić, J., & Raonić, Z. (2025). Factors of vulnerability and resilience of persons with disabilities during disasters: Challenges and strategies for inclusive risk reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(1), 93–113.

11. King, J., Edwards, N., Watling, H., & Hair, S. (2019). Barriers to disability-inclusive disaster management in the Solomon Islands: Perspectives of people with disability. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 34, 459–466.

12. Milenković, D., Cvetković, V. M., & Renner, R. (2024). A systematic literary review on community resilience indicators: Adaptation and application of the BRIC method for measuring disaster resilience. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 6(2), 79–104.

13. Mwanza City Council. (2022). Mwanza City Council strategic plan 2021/22–2025/26. Mwanza, Tanzania.

14. Nyumba, T., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J., & Mukherjee, N. (2018). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 20–32.

15. Pradhan, B., Kumar, S., & Nayak, D. (2025). From vulnerability to resilience: A systematic review of Odisha’s integrated approach to disaster risk reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(1), 519-532.

16. Ronoh, S., Gaillard, J. C., & Marlowe, J. (2015). Children with disabilities and disaster risk reduction: A review. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6, 38–48.

17. Simpson, N., Perez, R., & Goldberg, M. (2021). Semi-structured interviews on disaster and emergency preparedness for people with disabilities in two states in Mexico. Natural Hazards, 106(1), 1037–1064.

18. Smith, F., Jolley, E., & Schmidt, E. (2012). Disability and disasters: The importance of an inclusive approach to vulnerability and social capital. Sightsavers.

19. Twigg, J., Kett, M., & Lovell, E. (2018). Disability inclusion and disaster risk reduction. ODI Brief Note, 1–12.

20. Twigg, J., Kett, M., Bottomley, H., Han, L., & Nasredin, H. (2011). Disability and public shelter in emergencies. Environmental Hazards, 10(3–4), 248–261.

21. United Nations Children’s Fund. (2021). A situational analysis of children and young people with disabilities in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

22. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. (2023). Global survey report on persons with disabilities and disasters. Geneva, Switzerland.

23. United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Geneva, Switzerland.

24. United Republic of Tanzania. (2004). National policy on disability. Ministry of Labour, Youth Development and Sports.

25. United Republic of Tanzania. (2022). National disaster management strategy 2022–2027. Prime Minister’s Office.

26. United Republic of Tanzania. (2022b). The 2022 population and housing census: Administrative units population distribution report; Tanzania Mainland. Ministry of Finance, Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics.

27. United Republic of Tanzania. (2024). The 2022 population and housing census: Basic demographic and socio-economic profile; Tanzania Mainland. Ministry of Finance, Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics.

28. Vasileiou, K., Barnett, J., Thorpe, S., & Young, T. (2018). Characterising and justifying sample size sufficiency in interview-based studies: Systematic analysis of qualitative health research over a 15-year period. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18, 1–18.

29. World Bank. (2022). Inclusive approaches to disaster risk management: A qualitative review. The World Bank.

30. Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (6th ed.). Sage.

Downloads

Published

2025-12-24

How to Cite

Bukula, J., & Mwageni, N. (2025). Beyond Tokenism: Exploring the Experiences and Barriers of Persons with Disabilities in Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Management in Mwanza City Council, Tanzania. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(2), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.2.4

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2025): International Journal of Disaster Risk Management

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Joseph Bukula, Nicholaus Mwageni

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This journal operates under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction, adaptation, and transformation in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.

Authors retain the copyright of their articles.

The International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM) encourages and permits authors to:

  • Post pre-print (submitted version), post-print (accepted version), and publisher’s version/PDF of their articles on personal websites, institutional repositories, disciplinary repositories, and academic networks such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, or departmental websites,

  • Do so at any time, including before or after publication,

  • Provided that appropriate credit is given to the original publication in this journal, including:

    • Full bibliographic details

    • A clear mention of the journal name

    • A direct link to the article’s DOI (as an HTML link)

No prior permission is required from the publisher or editors for such actions, as long as the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license are followed.

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.