We are READY! From 15 to 17 April 2026, civil protection experts and disability rights advocates from the Baltics gathered for the READY Baltics kick-off meeting, launching a project set to reshape how disaster preparedness is designed in the Baltic region: our goal: place disability inclusion at the core of preparedness.
"The most useful learning was that inclusive practice exists and inclusion (of persons with disabilities) into the civil protection labour force is possible in reality also for persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities."
READY Baltics is a new regional initiative strengthening disability-inclusive civil protection and disaster risk management (CP/DRM) in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Persons with disabilities are among the most affected during crises, facing higher mortality rates, inaccessible early warning systems, and exclusion from emergency planning. Despite strong international and European Union (EU) commitments, disability inclusion in preparedness and response remains uneven across Europe. READY BALTICS addresses this gap by turning policy commitments into practical systems, skills, and tools.
The project recognises that inclusive preparedness is not a niche issue. It is a foundation for safer, more resilient societies for everyone. Funded by European Commission under its capacity-building programme, the project is helping turn inclusive preparedness into concrete action.
From 15-17 April 2026, during our Kick-off, the READY team had various trainings, planning meetings, networking and a lot of learning and sharing.
"I broadened my perspective and gained better understanding of the importance of including persons with disabilities in planning"
Actions 27 and 28 of the EU Preparedness Union Strategy focus on raising risk awareness and strengthening household preparedness, ensuring people understand threats and can act independently in the first 72 hours of a crisis. READY Baltics supports these goals by promoting inclusive communication and accessible preparedness guidance that reaches persons with disabilities.
Action 33 further emphasises the need for disability-inclusive emergency response, which the project advances through training, tools, and practical implementation within civil protection systems. By aligning with the policies and demonstrating practical implementation tactics we hope to demonstrate the possibilities to other stakeholders.
Over the three days, the READY team came together for a Training of Trainers (ToT) from UNDRR on the #MCR2030 Disability Inclusion Scorecard, a practical tool designed to help local governments assess and strengthen disability inclusion in their #DisasterRiskReduction strategies.
It was followed by a day of deep learning about various topics related to both disabilities and civil protection. Sharing between disability rights activists and civil protection colleagues for learning and understanding the barriers to inclusive preparedness. READY also visited the EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre and some of the team spent the day kicking off with other similar grantees at DG ECHO offices, networking and talking about collaboration and leverages. On the final day, the programme combined coordination meetings, where project goals, roles and timelines were defined, setting the team off on a good start.
The kick-off also created space to build trust and establish the partnerships that will drive the project forward in the months ahead.
During the course of the kick-off, there was visible commitment from civil protection colleagues. Not just interest, but a willingness to engage, to listen, and to take this seriously. That matters. This is where change can actually happen, but it needs champions inside those systems to carry it forward. Partners who are ready to push boundaries and make disability inclusive civil protection and disaster risk management real.
We are READY, are you?
READY Baltics is coordinated by the European Disability Forum (EDF) , contact us at phillipa dot tucker at edf-feph dot org
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