The Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
Today, we launch an important video on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action in 10 languages, including international sign language and Ukrainian.
These videos focus on raising awareness about the importance of involving Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs/DPOs) and persons with disabilities in humanitarian action, using the Inter Agency Standing Committee - IASC Guidelines on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, published in 2019. They are designed to promote the implementation of quality humanitarian programmes in all contexts and across all regions, and to establish and increase both the inclusion of persons with disabilities and their meaningful participation in all decisions that concern them.
We hope many other translations and accessible communication materials will follow this and are made available to people with disabilities and their organisations. We believe this will help empower the grassroots organisations, the humanitarian workers and the authorities to create an inclusive and enabling environment in humanitarian actions.
These videos were created as part of the VIVIDT Project . Its main aim was to create a global community of practice working towards disability inclusion in humanitarian action and volunteering. With the additional support of IOM Iraq and CBM Global and the effort of VIVIDT partners ASPEM, Abilis, CBM Ireland, EDF, we translated the videos in 10 languages:
CBM and SAF FJKM deliver cash transfers to persons with disabilities in Ambaniza Commune, Berano city, Madagascar. CBM / Viviane Rakotoarivony
How to include Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs/DPOs) in Humanitarian Action
Humanitarian actions involve aid, which traditionally uses power and authority to dispense the aid aiming to restore lives and livelihoods of affected communities in a pace faster than the usual development action. Humanitarian workers are trained to tackle the situations, complying with various human rights, humanitarian treaties and local regulations.
People’s participation in humanitarian action has proved effective. However, this ‘people’ has not always been all people. Our societies are not homogenous, neither are they above power dynamics, hierarchy and inequality. People with disabilities make up 15% of the global population and are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crisis, both natural and human-made. Yet, their participation has not been a standard practice in humanitarian actions.
People with disabilities, their organisations and disability movements consider these exclusionary practices undermine the knowledge and experience of the worlds largest global minority. These exclusionary practises only serve to keep humanitarian actions ineffective and not being able to reach everyone equally.
To break this perpetuity and occasional ceremonial participation, IASC Guidelines on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action underscore the participation of the organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in humanitarian actions. It suggests four must-do’s in humanitarian actions to make it inclusive:
Promote meaningful participation of OPDs
Identify and remove barriers
Empower persons with disabilities
Data disaggregation for monitoring inclusion
For an emergency response to be effective everyone must be involved. This includes persons with disabilities. Ensure OPDs participate in decision-making processes and that they are active stakeholders at all stages.
For further information on the videos or the guidelines contact :
Mahbub Kabir CBM Ireland mahbubkabir@cbm.ie
Christian Modino Hok CBM Global christian.modinohok@cbm-global.org
Al Ju'beh Kathy CBM Global Kathy.Aljubeh@cbm-global.org
Roberta Lulli EDF roberta.lulli@edf-feph.org