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Disability in Displacement –
UNHCR’s Approach
3rd Session of the Conference of
States Parties to the CRPD
New York, September 3, 2010
Background – Disability in Displacement
• There are over 40 million displaced persons worldwide.
• WHO estimate: 10% of the global population lives with a disability.
• Impairment and disabilities caused by physical violence can
increase in displacement due to conflict
• Overall, persons with disabilities have the same protection risks as
other refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) HOWEVER, due to their disability, there is a heightened risk
• Often, persons with disabilities remain invisible in both urban and
camp situations
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Challenges
• Difficulties in accessing asylum, registration &
protection
• Marginalization, neglect, psychological and
physical abuse including sexual and gender
based violence
• Exclusion from access to mainstream services
and lack of specialized assistance
• Lack of opportunities for education, including
special education and skills training
• Obstacles to durable solutions, including
return, local integration and resettlement
• Limited awareness among staff & partners
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UNHCR’s Responses
1. Policy directives and accountability
2. Provision of targeted assistance
3. Capacity building and change in attitude of staff
and partners
4. Individual identification, registration and needs
management
5. Promoting access to national support systems
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1) Policy Directives and Accountability
• Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming
(AGDM)
- annual participatory assessments
- focus group discussions with disabled groups
- accountability framework for senior managers
• Executive Committee Conclusion on the
protection of persons with disabilities
(under consideration)
• UNHCR Policy on the Employment of
Persons with Disabilities
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2) Targeted Assistance- Examples (1)
Syria - Outreach through community volunteers
•
Provision of Psycho-social care
•
Financial assistance through
ATM cards
•
Community volunteers
- Conduct home visits
- Provide moral, material and
social support
- Support access to health
and social services
Community outreach volunteers
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Targeted Assistance (2)
Yemen- Working with Specialized Partners
• Provision of services through partners
and support of local organizations
• Special education and transport to
schools
• Community-based rehabilitation to
integrate children with disabilities into
communities and local schools
• Mental health mainstreamed in primary
healthcare centres
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Targeted Assistance (3)
Central African Republic- Self Help Groups
• Support to self-help groups and organizations of persons with
disabilities
• Advocacy and awareness
programmes
• Access to livelihood
opportunities
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3) Capacity building and change of attitude of staff and partners
• Development of a global online staff learning programme
for UNHCR field staff, including modules on persons with
disabilities
•
In-country sensitization programmes
• Global application of AGDM Accountability Framework
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4) Individual Identification, Registration and Needs Management
• Individual registration of all disabled in displacement
• Use of Heightened Risk Identification Tool (HRIT)
for identifying persons with disabilities
• Individual case management and referral to
specialized partners
• Support of community structures for rehabilitation
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5) Promoting Access to National Support Systems
• Inclusion of the perspective of
displaced persons with disabilities
in the Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG)
for the CRPD
• Engage government and civil society partners in
annual AGDM assessment
• Support national NGOs with specialisation in
care for disabled
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Thank you.
For more information, see www.unhcr.org.
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