When a warning doesn’t reach everyone

Stories | Published: October 13, 2026

Early warnings save lives 

Early warning systems save lives. They give people time to prepare, evacuate, and protect their families before disasters strike. In a country like Bangladesh, where communities face cyclones, floods, storm surges and other climate-related hazards, timely warnings are one of the most effective tools for reducing risk. But a warning is not effective simply because it is issued. It is effective when people can receive it, understand it and act on it in time.

A recent study in Bangladesh found that many early warning systems are still not reaching everyone equally. People with disabilities, women, and especially women with disabilities often face additional barriers that prevent them from accessing critical information when disasters are approaching. The study points to a gap between the existence of early warning systems and whether those systems are accessible and actionable for people who face the greatest barriers.

The barriers facing people with disabilities 

For many people with disabilities, the challenge begins with how warnings are communicated. Early warning messages often rely on one single delivery channel, such as sirens, loudspeakers or visual signals such as flags. These methods do not work for everyone. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may not hear microphone announcements, while people who are blind or have low vision may not be able to access visual warnings. People with cognitive disabilities can be excluded when messages are complex or difficult to understand. Accessible formats such as sign language, picture-based information, braille and easy-to-read messages are rarely used. 

The study also found that broader social and economic barriers make it harder for people with disabilities to receive and act on warnings. Limited access to education, assistive devices, technology and awareness activities can all reduce access to life-saving information. Many participants reported that they were rarely invited to disaster preparedness activities or that these activities were not accessible. 

Women face different challenges

Women face different but equally important challenges. Social norms, unpaid care responsibilities and limited access to information often mean that women are excluded from decision-making and disaster preparedness activities. Some women, particularly those who are socially isolated or do not have access to mobile phones or televisions, may not receive warnings in time. 

For women with disabilities, these barriers often overlap. Many are excluded from community networks, live in remote locations, rely on others for information, and face a higher risk of receiving delayed or inaccurate warnings. As a result, they can be among those most exposed to risk during disasters, not because of disability or gender alone, but because warning systems and preparedness activities often fail to include them.

Building early warning systems that work for everyone

The study shows that the solution is not simply more warnings, but better warnings. Early warning systems need to be designed with people at the centre. This means using multiple communication channels, including visual, audio and picture-based formats, so information reaches people with different needs. It also means involving people with disabilities, women, their representative organisations and community groups in the design, testing and monitoring of early warning systems. 

Strengthening community outreach, improving data on disability and gender, investing in accessible communication, and ensuring women and people with disabilities have a voice in decision-making can help create systems that leave no one behind. 

Leaving no one behind

As climate-related disasters become more frequent and severe, disability-inclusive and gender-responsive early warning systems are not an optional extra. They are essential to effective disaster risk reduction because they help ensure preparedness reaches people who are too often excluded from information, decision-making and community response systems.

Read the full study here.

Further reading

Want to help make disaster risk reduction more inclusive? Explore the Disability Inclusion Advocacy Toolkit for the Treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters (PPED). Developed by Asia-Pacific Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Network (DiDRRN) and the International Disability Alliance’s Thematic Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action, the toolkit provides practical resources, case studies and key advocacy messages to support stronger disability inclusion in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Access the toolkit: Advocacy Toolkit – DiDRRN 
 
CBM Australia acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

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