Supported by International Humanitarian City
People with disabilities face numerous barriers to accessing humanitarian aid. There are a number of reasons for this: a lack of information about the services available, difficulty accessing these services because they are too remote, unsuitable or physically inaccessible.
Existing standard relief items might need to be re designed to meet disabled beneficiary needs. Improvements can often be made by applying basic common sense, for example, when you see toilets or water supplies with steps in refugee camps it is obvious that a wheelchair user cannot access them.
Standard procedures such as rapid assessments and registration processes often do not include collection of information specific to the circumstances, needs and presence of refugees and IDPs with disabilities. In cases of armed conflict or natural calamity, this ‘invisibility’ can be of drastic impact.
Addressing the specific needs of persons with disabilities in an emergency context requires that agencies have appropriate tools and training to recognize and record various types of disabilities, in order to fulfil their most basic rights to protection, health and dignity.
