International Journal of Disaster Risk Managemen (IJDRM)

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management is a peer-reviewed (twice a year) journal serves all aspects of disaster studies, policy, and management. It provides a platform for academics, policymakers and practitioners to publish high-quality research and practice concerning natural disasters, anthropogenic disasters, complex political emergencies and crises around the world. View - http://internationaljournalofdisasterriskmanagement.com/index.php/Vol1/about

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

First page of “Beyond Tokenism: Exploring the Experiences and Barriers of Persons with Disabilities in Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Management in Mwanza City Council, Tanzania”, published in IJDRM, Vol. 7, No. 2 (2025).

Authors

Joseph Bukula
Nicholaus Mwageni

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.

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

Publication details

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM), Vol. 7, No. 2 (2025), pp. 51-64.

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

Read the full open-access article:
https://internationaljournalofdisasterriskmanagement.com/index.php/Vol1/article/view/126

Download PDF:
https://internationaljournalofdisasterriskmanagement.com/index.php/Vol1/article/view/126/145

Suggested citation

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

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About IJDRM

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM) is a double-blind peer-reviewed (twice a year), open-access journal that serves all aspects of disaster studies, policy, and management. It provides a platform for academics, policymakers, and practitioners to publish high-quality research and practice concerning natural disasters, anthropogenic disasters, complex political emergencies, and crises around the world. The publisher is Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, Belgrade, Serbia - link. The founder of the journal is Assist. Prof. Vladimir M. Cvetković from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security Studies - link ISSN (printed edition) 2620-2662, ISSN (electronic edition) 2620-2786, UDC: 614.8.069 Submission of the articles doesn't involve article processing charges (APCs) neither submission charges. The journal crosses and affects interdisciplinary boundaries to promote communication, collaboration, and teamwork between professions and disciplines to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of sustainable development. The journal encourages the interchange of ideas and experience, to decrease the risk of disasters and build community resilience within the context of sustainable development and planetary boundaries. This is an open-access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. Keywords Disasters, disaster risk management, natural disaster, technological disaster, emergency situations, crisis management, theory and practice, mitigation, preparedness, hazards, policy, natural, complex, emergencies, political, aid, relief, developing, humanitarian, field, reports, refugee, journal, research, analysis, review. This journal permits and encourages authors to post items submitted to the journal on personal websites or institutional repositories both prior to and after publication while providing bibliographic details that credit, if applicable, its publication in this journal. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM) allows authors to deposit publisher's version/PDF in an institutional repository, research gate, Academia.edu, and non-commercial subject-based repositories, or to publish it on Author's personal website (including social networking sites) and/or departmental website, at any time after publication in compliance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial – NoDerrivatives 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). The Publisher's copyright and source must be acknowledged and a link must be made to the article's DOI (HTML link). Journal will cover all aspects of disaster risk management from a global perspective, including but not limited to: Disaster and crisis management theory and practice, Risk awareness and assessment, Hazard and vulnerability analysis, Knowledge development including education, training, research, and information on disasters, Public commitment and institutional frameworks, including organizational, policy, legislation, and community action, Disaster prevention, mitigation, response, recovery planning, policies, and implementation, Promotes the interchange of ideas between practitioners, policy-makers, and academics. Submission Process Authors are kindly invited to submit their formatted full papers. All paper submissions will be blind peer-reviewed and evaluated based on originality, research content, correctness, relevance to conference, and readability (reviewer form). Please read the complete submission and formatting guidelines before submitting your paper. Please, use the template for writing the article - link and guidelines for contributors - link Papers that are not adapted to the form will be rejected. You can submit your paper through the following - http://internationaljournalofdisasterriskmanagement.com/index.php/Vol1/about/submissions

Editor-in-Chief - Assist. Prof. Vladimir M. Cvetković

Vladimir M. Cvetkovic is the Assis. Prof. (Disaster Risk Management) at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security, and has been engaged in research in the field of disaster studies for 15 years. He has published over 250 research papers and 20 scientific monographs. He is the founder of the Scientific Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management in Serbia, the International Institute for Disaster Research, and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Disaster Risk Management.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Managemen (IJDRM)

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management (IJDRM)

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

Authors

Abstract

Publication details

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