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Strengthening the role of women with disabilities in humanitarian action: A facilitator’s guide

Women's Refugee Commission
February 2017

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"Strengthening the Role of Women with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action: A Facilitator’s Guide" was designed by the Women’s Refugee Commission, in collaboration with organizations of women with disabilities in Africa and South Asia. It is a tool to support women leaders to provide training to members, colleagues and/or partners on humanitarian action. The training is intended to enhance the capacity of women with disabilities to effectively advocate on women’s and disability issues within relevant humanitarian forums at national and regional levels by:
- increasing understanding of the humanitarian system;
- helping participants identify gaps and opportunities for inclusion of women and girls with disabilities within the humanitarian system; and,
- developing advocacy plans to strengthen access and inclusion.

The Women’s Refugee Commission is deeply grateful to the women with disabilities who provided input and feedback after participating in the pilot training, as well as the Network of African Women with Disabilities, the African Disability Alliance, South Asia Disability Forum, and Special Talent Exchange Program in Pakistan, with which we have had an ongoing partnership in this wider project.

"Working to improve our own futures": Inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in humanitarian action

Women's Refugee Commission
May 2016

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While humanitarian organizations are increasingly recognizing women and girls with disabilities in policies and guidelines, there are still significant gaps in operationalizing this. Their needs and capacities are often under-represented in gender, protection and disability forums. Furthermore, organizations of women with disabilities, which can play a critical role in bridging the development/humanitarian divide, are not meaningfully included in humanitarian coordination and decision-making.This report documents the findings from a global mapping on inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in humanitarian action. It presents recommendations to strengthen the role of organizations of women with disabilities. These organizations have the skills and expertise to identify and monitor protection concerns in affected communities, bridging the humanitarian - development divide. However, they face a vicious cycle of exclusion from both the women's and disability rights movements, which in turn reduces their access to financial opportunities and capacity development.

Positive practices in disability inclusion : "we all have a role" : the valuable contributions of persons with disabilities in community outreach

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
September 2014

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The Women's Refugee Commission identified and documented positive practices for disability inclusion in community center and outreach programming, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners in Lebanon. This article discusses the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Refugee Outreach Volunteer (ROV) network. ROVs are refugees who volunteer to provide insight into protection priorities, identify community-based solutions and refer refugees in need of urgent support

Positive practices in disability inclusion : "socialize, not stigmatize" : including children with disabilities in child-friendly spaces

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
International Medical Corps (IMC)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
September 2014

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The Women's Refugee Commission identified and documented positive practices for disability inclusion in community center and outreach programming, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners in Lebanon. Child-friendly spaces are being established at community centers, in order to provide access to a safe environment where children can access psychological support, and health and education initiatives. This article discusses how International Medical Corps is approaching the inclusion of children with disabilities in these child friendly spaces

 

 

Positive practices in disability inclusion : "it starts with building trust" : from outreach to the community center

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
INTERSOS
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
September 2014

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The Women's Refugee Commission identified and documented positive practices for disability inclusion in community center and outreach programming, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners in Lebanon. This article discusses how INTERSOS have been using the expanding network of Refugee Outreach Volunteers (ROVs) and community centers to promote inclusion and access for people with disabilities and their families

Positive practices in disability inclusion : "taking a team approach" : overcoming barriers, starting with attitudes

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
Caritas Lebanon Migrants Center
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
September 2014

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The Women's Refugee Commission identified and documented positive practices for disability inclusion in community center and outreach programming, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners in Lebanon. This article discusses how a Caritas-supported Community Center has promoted the inclusion of people with disabilities through their approaches to encourage and facilitate participation in program activities

 

 

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