drm wants countries to make sure people with disabilities can get food, medication and other basic needs. drm stands for disability rights monitor. we are a team of disability rights groups from around the world. drm made a survey to check if countries are protecting people with disabilities during the covid-19 crisis. the survey found that countries are not doing enough to make sure people with disabilities can access food and medication. people who answered the survey explained why so many people cannot access food, medication and other basic needs. for example, food and medication became more expensive during covid-19. many people cannot buy them anymore and countries are not helping. in australia, some people have to choose between buying food or buying medicines because goods got more expensive. pharmacies in zimbabwe want to be paid in us dollars. this is very expensive and most people cannot buy their medication. it was difficult for people with disabilities to leave their homes to buy food and medicine because of strict lockdown rules. people from around the world said that people with disabilities were punished for breaking the lockdown rules. in some countries, the police have abused, tortured, and murdered people with disabilities. people who answered the survey worried about homeless people because with the lockdown rules they cannot beg money to buy food. many homeless people are children. some organisations distributed food and medication. many people with disabilities that live in remote and rural areas or in institutions have not receive food and medication. before the pandemic, schools provided meals to many children with disabilities. during the pandemic, schools were closed and countries did not replace these meals. drm is calling on countries to take these steps to make sure people with disabilities can get food, medication and other basic needs. record the number of people who need food, medicine, and other basic needs. make sure that people in local and rural areas and people in institutions have enough food and medication. end police violence against people with disabilities and their family. make sure food, medicine and other basic needs, such as baby products are affordable. give money to people with disabilities so that they can buy food, medicine and other basic needs. make sure people that cannot leave their home receive food. give meals to children with disabilities when they cannot go to school. reserve specific shopping time only for vulnerable people. drm coordinating group
