The Involvement of Persons with Disabilities in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) as Part of the Solution in the Post Conflict Arena

Author(s)

  • Anita Aaron
  • Danielle Lane
  • Ariana Barth

Reference

The Involvement of Persons with Disabilities in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) as Part of the Solution in the Post Conflict Arena, Berkeley, WID (World Institute on Disability). 2015. P10.

Financial support

  • WID (World Institute on Disability), United States Institute of Peace

Applied research areas

Thematic issues

Impairment

Geographical areas

Author's summary

For a number of reasons, people with disabilities should be brought into greater peace building processes. These include issues around human rights, justice, fairness, and ensuring a comprehensive and long-lasting peace. However, people with disabilities are largely excluded from peace building efforts often through direct prejudice, a lack of recognizing people with disabilities as a distinct stakeholder group, discarding the need to identify or incorporate their unique concerns, or the general invisibility of people with disabilities in certain conflict areas.

Resource Center comment

Commentaire en français
Cette recherche appliquée est intéressante car elle traite la question de la place des personnes handicapées dans la résolution des conflits et dans les efforts de paix. L’auteur se base sur les témoignages de personnes handicapées qui ont subi la guerre en Sierra Leone, il arrive à la conclusion que les personnes handicapées n’ont pas la place qu’elles devraient avoir dans les négociations et qu’un apport plus important des personnes handicapées pourrait à la fois améliorer la résolution du conflit et améliorer la condition des personnes handicapées. Ce document est aussi intéressant car il traite d’une problématique peu couramment abordée dans le champ de la recherche appliquée sur le handicap, ce document peut ouvrir de nouvelles voies dans la recherche appliquée sur le handicap. Ce document pourrait intéresser les personnes qui s’engagent dans les droits des personnes handicapées dans les pays en guerre. 
 
English commentary
This applied research is interesting because it deals with the role of people with disabilities in conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts. The author uses the testimony of people with disabilities who endured the war in Sierra Leone.  He concludes that people with disabilities are not given a proper role in conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts. With a stronger role in negotiations, people with disabilities might improve both the resolution of conflict and the condition of people with disabilities. This document attempts to address an issue that is not often raised in the field of disability research.  It might be of interest to people working on disability rights in countries afflicted by war.

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