This includes training NGO staff on how to analyze the unique risks and capacities of persons with disabilities. Strengthen capacity among humanitarian actors for inclusive action & research: There is a critical need to build the capacity of humanitarian actors to implement existing policies and guidance, including in the most challenging contexts. For example, when visiting a health center, infrastructure may not be designed for a wheelchair user providers may not know how to communicate with a deaf person fear and stigma may result in disrespectful care of people with intellectual disability when facilities are damaged, closed, or distant, they may be even less accessible to people with mobility issues etc.ĬOVID-19 created additional barriers and exacerbated risks: Persons with disabilities have not only been disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus, but also by the additional pandemic-related challenges of accessing information about prevention and care increased rates of violence and abuse and decreased access to lifesaving services due to lock-downs and restrictions on movements.Īt the end of the webinar, each speaker delivered a call to action for the humanitarian community to make humanitarian research and programming more inclusive. Without the evidence needed to support effective implementation, these policies remain insufficient.īarriers are diverse and put persons with disabilities at heightened risk: To ensure humanitarian services remain accessible to persons with disabilities, barriers must be proactively identified and addressed. Policies have yet to translate into action: In recent years, there have been several important policy commitments to make humanitarian action more inclusive including the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Emergencies a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council recognizing disability rights in the peace and security pillar of the UN and the Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action. This has a ripple effect resulting in programing and research studies that lack firsthand insight from persons with disabilities, does not allow persons with disabilities to be active participants in systems and services that impact their lives, and contributes to growing inequities including in the workforce. Persons with disabilities are more than beneficiaries:Persons with disabilities are often seen as recipients of aid and rarely engaged meaningfully in the design and execution of programs. One speaker noted “patience is our characteristic if we are person with disabilities.” Making the effort to address these challenges and ensure programs are accessible is imperative. ![]() We experienced logistical challenges and technical glitches. ![]() Directly sharing the perspectives of persons with disabilities living in countries affected by conflict meant having the webinar in three languages, with two sign language interpreters and closed captioning. The sector needs to do better:Organizing this webinar was a learning curve for EQUAL and RECAP partners. You can watch the complete webinar recording here Key Takeaways ![]() On December 14, 2021, the EQUAL and RECAP consortiums hosted a webinar titled “From Research to Response: Lessons for Making Humanitarian Action More Inclusive.” Below is a summary of the webinar including key takeaways and recommendations from the webinar hosts and from four advocates advancing disability inclusion in DRC, Somalia, Nigeria, and South Sudan. With the Global Disability Summit approaching in February 2022, there is a unique opportunity to ensure commitments made protect the health and rights of persons with disabilities who are impacted by humanitarian emergencies. Despite a concerted effort toward inclusive humanitarian action, challenges persist.
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