Dr. RMM Pradeep, Director of the Center for Disaster Management Research (CDMR), KDU, and, Dr. Nirosha Wedasinghe, Directress of the Center for Gender Equality and Equity (CGEE), KDU, and represented KDU at a key discussion on gender and disability inclusion in post-disaster rebuilding programs in Sri Lanka. The event, hosted by the Centre for Women’s Research, was led by Professor Yamuna Kaluarachchi, Professor of Architecture & Urban Resilience at Manchester School of Architecture. Professor Kaluarachchi presented findings from a collaborative research project between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Moratuwa.

The research emphasized the importance of stakeholder mapping to understand governance structures and address the gap between policy and practice in post-disaster recovery. It aimed to influence future policy by ensuring greater inclusion of women and people with disabilities, whose needs are often overlooked in the rebuilding process.

During the discussion, Dr. RMM Pradeep raised concerns about the current one-way relationship between policymakers and professionals, such as scientific model developers, in disaster management. He pointed out that while scientific models are used to guide policy, there is often a disconnect between these models and the real-time needs of stakeholders. Dr. Pradeep advocated for a more bidirectional approach, where stakeholder input actively informs the development of scientific models, which in turn shape more adaptive policies. This idea sparked active debate among the participants, who acknowledged the need for enhanced collaboration between these groups.

In addition to that contributions, other valuable discussions took place during the meeting. Participants raised important issues such as the specific needs of people with disabilities during disaster recovery, emphasizing that these requirements are often inadequately addressed. This highlighted the necessity of revisiting existing frameworks to make post-disaster rebuilding programs more inclusive and responsive to the needs of marginalized groups.

The session concluded with a shared understanding of the significant challenges ahead in advancing gender and disability inclusion, underscoring the need for ongoing research and policy reform.