The document discusses the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations, emphasizing that disasters do not discriminate but rather reveal societal inequalities. It highlights the importance of understanding the conditions making people more vulnerable, the need for empathy, and collective responsibility in addressing these challenges. Key recommendations include supporting affected individuals, recognizing the interconnectedness of societal sections, and adopting an ecosystem-based approach to recovery.

1. Overcoming the Pandemic:
Whom to Count the Foremost
Shakeb Nabi, Country Representative, ICCO Cooperation,
Bangladesh and Director Truvalu Enterprise

2. Objective of the Discussion
1. Whether any disaster including the Pandemics, discriminate between the Rich
and The Poor
2. Who are the People Most Impacted
3. What are the conditions which makes people more vulnerable to disasters
(Pandemic)
4. How do we identify the People (The Intersectionality Framework)
5. What needs to be done (As a Responsible Citizen, Government, Private
Sectors, Media)
6. Conclusion (Key Points)

3. Some facts and Figures (as of 22nd April 2020)
1. Total Cases Globally: 2594829
2. 32% are in USA
3. 64% in USA + 5 European Nations (Spain, Germany, UK, Italy, France)
4. Total Casualty: 181422
5. USA: 25%
6. USA + 5 European Nations: 75%
What does these figures imply: Is it a disease of the west?
Who are the people who are more likely to get infected and who are the people
who has less ability to recover?

4. Major Ways to Avoid the
Disease

5. Social Distancing: Possible?

6. Inference
1. It is very challenging or next to impossible for people living in high population
density areas like slums, ghettos to maintain social distancing: small houses and
common toilet, water and cooking facilities
2. People with lesser immunity are more likely to be infected: who are these
people?
3. Less likely to get treatment when the health facilities are overwhelmed. Who are
these people?
4. Notified V/s Non Notified Slums (related with rights and entitlements)
5. Fear of being diagnosed: Hiding the infection

7. The
Lockdown

8. Inference
1. A huge section of the population has to go out everyday to earn their food
2. These includes the petty traders, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, share bike
drivers, security guards, domestic helps, rag pickers
3. To top it all, there are between 3 to 4 million garment factory workers in
Dhaka alone living in slums and shanties
4. Their livelihoods are highly impacted by any kind of a close down
5. The longer the lockdown the more precarious their situation

9. Identifying the Most
Vulnerable: The
Intersectionality
Approach

10. The
Intersectionality
Approach
Simplified:
Helps in
Identifying the
most vulnerable

11. Create an
Inclusive
Society
Based on
Equity

12. Remove the Barrier

13. What We Need to do as a Responsible Citizen
1. Accept these people as an integral part of our society
2. Treat them with ¨Empathy¨
3. If they are working with you (guards, workers, drivers, domestic help), please
continue supporting them even if they are not able to come for work
4. Several ¨Crowdfunding Options¨
5. Media should continue highlighting their plights with positivity which attracts
generosity

14. Early Recovery of Livelihoods
1. Understand the livelihoods trend: which one will be more in demand
2. Bank of the existing sets of skills and resources and create other livelihoods options
3. Look at reverse migration (urban to rural) as an opportunity to strengthen local
livelihoods
4. Government should encourage people getting into small business: create an
ecosystem for favorable shift
5. Use the opportunity to ¨Build Back Better¨

15. Conclusion and Key Lessons
1. It is not the disaster which discriminates but the structures created by
Humans
2. Different sections of the society are interlinked: impact on one which impact
the other
3. We need to imbibe ¨Ecosystem Based Approach” to overcoming the
Pandemic
4. Overcoming the Pandemic is EveryBodyś Business: multi-sectoral and multi-
stakeholders
5. Inclusion is a STATE of MIND.
6. One Needs to Believe in it to Practice it
7. Together We Can and We Must Create an Inclusive Society

16. Thank You Very Much For Listening
Your Comments, Questions and Suggestions Please
Email id: s.nabi@icco.nl
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.co
m/in/shakebnabi/