International Journal of Disaster Risk Management • Vol. 7, No. 1 • https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2025.7.1.6 International Journal of Disaster Risk Management Publisher: Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management Review Article Factors of Vulnerability and Resilience of Persons with Disabilities During Disasters: Challenges and Strategies for Inclusive Risk Reduction Milica Jevtić 1 , Vladimir M. Cvetković 1,2,3,4* , Jasmina Gačić 1,4 , Zlatko Raonić 3 1 Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, Dimitrija Tucovića 121, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia, jevtic.milica98@gmail.com. 2 Department of Disaster Management and Environmental Security, Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade, Gospodara Vucica 50, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia; vmc@.bg.ac.rs; vladimir.cvetkovic@unileoben.ac.at (V.M.C); jasmina.gacic@.bg.ac.rs (J.G). 3 Safety and Disaster Studies, Chair of Thermal Processing Technology, Department of Environmental and Energy Process Engineering, Technical University of Leoben, Austria; zlatko.raonic@unileoben.ac.at. 4 International Institute for Disaster Research, Dimitrija Tucovića 121, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia. * Correspondence: vmc@.bg.ac.rs. Received: 5 January 2025; Revised: 10 April 2025; Accepted: 7 May 2025; Published: 30 June 2025. abstract Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are among the most at-risk groups during disaster situations due to various physical, sensory, cognitive, and systemic challenges that hinder their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises. Although international legal frameworks emphasise their inclusion, people with disabilities (PWDs) often struggle to access essential resources, emergency assistance, and social protections during such events. This study examines both the vulnerabilities and strengths of people with disabilities (PWDs) in disaster risk management, highlighting the crit- ical need for inclusive policies, enhanced accessibility measures, and stronger community-based support systems. It reviews key international, European, and national legal instruments designed to protect the rights of people with disabilities (PWDs) in disaster contexts while identifying gaps in their implementation. Furthermore, the research examines the active role people with disabilities (PWDs) can play in disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, advocating for their meaningful participation in decision-making processes. By embedding inclusive disaster risk reduc- tion strategies, societies can enhance resilience, ensure equitable access to emergency services, and foster long-term social inclusion for people with disabilities (PWDs). The findings emphasise the im- portance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, adaptive infrastructure, and targeted policy initiatives to bridge the gap between legal mandates and practical realities in disaster management. keywords Disaster risk management, disability inclusion, vulnerability, resilience, accessibility, policy frame- work, emergency preparedness, social protection. Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Jevtić, M., Cvetković, V. M., Gačić, J., & Raonić, Z. (2025). Factors of Vulnerability and Resilience of Persons with Dis- abilities During Disasters: Challenges and Strategies for Inclusive Risk Reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 7(1), 91–114.