Disability in humanitarian context: Views from affected people and field organisations.

Author(s)

  • Handicap International

Reference

Disability in humanitarian context: Views from affected people and field organisations. Handicap International, juin 2015, 31p.

Financial support

  • Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Applied research areas

Thematic issues

Impairment

Geographical areas

All geographical areas

Author's summary

This report is based on the results of a global consultation carried out in 2015 as
a contribution to the World Humanitarian Summit and is intended to better identify the changes needed for a disability-inclusive humanitarian response. A total of 769 responses were collected through 3 online surveys targeting persons with disabilities, disabled people's organisations (DPOs) and humanitarian actors. The responses show that persons with disabilities are strongly impacted when a crisis occurs: 54% of respondents with disabilities state they have experienced a direct physical impact, sometimes causing new impairments. 27% report that they have been psychologically, physically or sexually abused. Increased psychological stress and/or disorientation are other effects of the crisis for 38% of the respondents with disabilities. This consultation also confirms that persons with disabilities too often fall through the cracks of humanitarian response. Three quarters of the respondents report that they did not have adequate access to basic assistance such as water, shelter, food or health. In addition, the specific services persons with disabilities may need, such as rehabilitation, assistive devices, access to social workers or interpreters were not available for one out of two respondents with disabilities, further impeding their access to mainstream assistance.

Resource Center comment

Ce document est un rapport de Handicap International produit à partir d’une vaste étude en 2015 qui questionne les personnes handicapées, les associations représentatives et les humanitaires implantés localement sur l’impact des crises humanitaires sur les personnes handicapées. Cette étude montre que les personnes handicapées étaient plus touchées, moins aidées et que ces lacunes pouvaient aggraver leur handicap. Dans ce rapport, il est indiqué les différents problèmes que les personnes handicapées peuvent rencontrer pendant les crises humanitaires ainsi que des idées de recommandations. Par ailleurs, à la fin du document, le guide adresse différents types de recommandation pour les différents acteurs (ONU, ONG, Gouvernements) afin de résoudre les problèmes.

[ENG]
This document is a report from Handicap International produced from a large study in 2015, which interviewed people with disabilities, disabled peoples’ organisations (DPO) and local NGOs, on the impact of humanitarian crises on people with disabilities. This study demonstrates that people with disabilities are among the most affected, receive the least assistance, and that this problem can increase their disability. The report describes the problems that people with disabilities encounter in crises and offers some solutions. At the end of the document, recommendations are addressed to the different actors (UN, NGOs, and governments).

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