Resources search

Guidance on disability inclusion for GBV (gender based violence) partners in Lebanon: outreach, safe identification, and referral of women, children and youth with disabilities

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
UNICEF LEBANON
February 2018

Expand view

This guidance, and the associated toolkit, are designed to support frontline workers, community volunteers, and mobilizers and their supervisors who are working in GBV prevention and response to foster inclusion of persons with disabilities in their community activities. It includes guidance, key actions and tools to improve accessibility of existing community processes and activities relating to GBV. This resource has been developed based on the findings of a needs assessment conducted in 2017 which confirmed that women, children and youth with disabilities in Lebanon and their caregivers are facing a range of GBV-related risks.

Disability inclusion in child protection and gender based violence programmes. Outreach, safe identification and referral of women, children, and youth with disabilities

WOMENS REFUGEE COUNCIL
UNICEF Lebanon
February 2018

Expand view

A needs assessment conducted in 2017 confirmed that women, children and youth with disabilities in Lebanon and their caregivers are facing a range of gender based violence (GBV) -related risks including: child marriage among girls with disabilities; exploitation of women and adolescent girls with disabilities and female caregivers; intimate partner violence (IPV) against women with disabilities; sexual harassment by male community members

This guidance is designed to support frontline workers, community volunteers and mobilizers who are working in GBV prevention and response, and their supervisors, to foster inclusion of persons with disabilities in their community activities. It includes guidance, key actions and tools to improve accessibility of existing community processes and activities relating to GBV. 

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

Women's Refugee Commission
February 2017

Expand view

"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.

Vulnerability- and resilience-based approaches in response to the Syrian crisis: Implications for women, children, and youth with disabilities

Women's Refugee Commission
January 2017

Expand view

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, which is now heading into its sixth year, the WRC has worked with partners on the ground to promote the inclusion of refugees with disabilities—an estimated 22% of the population—in assistance programs and in the decision-making process.

In a protracted and complex crisis, humanitarian actors continue to look for ways to strengthen protection and assistance. Vulnerability considerations have typically determined the design and implementation of humanitarian programs. However, program models are emerging in the Syria response that focus on a resilience-based approach—emphasizing skills, capacities, strengths, and assets.

Recognizing the increased attention to resilience in the Syria response, the WRC undertook a project to examine how vulnerability and resilience-based approaches are supporting the protection and empowerment of Syrian refugee women, children, and youth with disabilities.

The WRC has identified a set of actions that must be taken to ensure that the resilience of diverse populations amongst refugees with disabilities are recognized and fostered in programming. While the findings and recommendations are drawn from the Syria crisis, we believe they have relevance across other humanitarian settings.

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

Women's Refugee Commission
May 2016

Expand view

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.

"I see that it is possible": Building capacity for disability inclusion in gender-based violence programming in humanitarian settings

Women's Refugee Commission
International Rescue Committee
May 2015

Expand view

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 findings and recommendations from a participatory action research project on disability inclusion in GBV programming in humanitarian settings, conducted with communities affected by crisis and conflict.

This toolkit was created with the input and participation of persons with disabilities, as well as GBV practitioners,
over the course of the project. It is intended to support GBV staff to build disability inclusion into their work, and
to strengthen the capacity of GBV practitioners to use a survivor-centered approach when providing services to
survivors with disabilities. The tools are designed to complement existing guidelines, protocols and tools for GBV
prevention and response, and should not be used in isolation from these. GBV practitioners are encouraged to
adapt the tools to their individual programs and contexts, and to integrate pieces into standard GBV tools and
resources.

Disability inclusion in the Syrian refugee response in Lebanon : follow-up field visit summary

WOMEN'S REFUGEE COMMISSION
September 2014

Expand view

This summary describes the findings and next steps from the Women's Refugee Commission's third field visit to Lebanon in early 2014 conducted in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Lebanon. It provides recommendations to strengthen disability inclusion in community outreach and case management training or 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

Expand view

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

Expand view

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

Expand view

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

Expand view

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

 

 

Disability inclusion : translating policy into practice in humanitarian action

PEARCE, Emma
March 2014

Expand view

This report “documents positive practices and ongoing challenges to promote disability inclusion across UNHCR’s and its partners’ work in multiple countries and multiple displacement contexts. The report provides lessons and recommendations for other organizations and the wider humanitarian community on engaging persons with disabilities at all levels of humanitarian work. It draws on consultations with over 700 displaced persons, including persons with disabilities, their families, and humanitarian staff, in eight countries”

Note: This report is also offered in plain text format

Refugees with disabilities : increasing inclusion, building community : a discussion tool on improving access and inclusion for displaced persons with disabilities

WOMEN’S REFUGEE COMMISSION
2014

Expand view

This presentation is a “tool for raising awareness among community workers, volunteers and displaced people about increasing access and inclusion for persons with disabilities in refugee and displacement contexts. It can be used by staff of organisations working with refugees and displaced persons, as well as community leaders and disability associations conducting sensitisation with the wider refugee community. The tool illustrates common barriers experienced by persons with disabilities in displacement contexts, as well as positive practices or approaches to promote inclusion. Suggested questions provide a guide for facilitators of the discussion, but should be adapted according to the context and audience. The tool is intended to facilitate conversation about concerns and ideas for change at field levels, but is not a comprehensive catalogue of either barriers or solutions in these contexts”

Fact sheet : refugees with disabilities

WOMEN’S REFUGEE COMMISSION
2014

Expand view

This factsheet highlights the issue of disabilities among refugees and conflict-affected population. It emphasizes actions undertaken by the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) and highlights their next steps in disability inclusion

Note: Also available in easy read format

Disability inclusion in the Syrian refugee response in Lebanon

PEARCE, Emma
July 2013

Expand view

This report presents the key findings and recommendations from a four-week field assessment conducted by the Women's refugee Commission in Spring 2013 in northern and eastern Lebanon. Key findings are shared about the situation of Syrian refugees with disabilities, and recommendations are provided to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and partners.

Disabilities among refugees and conflict-affected populations : resource kit for field workers|Improving services for displaced persons with disabilities : lessons learned and ideas for action

WOMEN'S COMMISSION FOR REFUGEE WOMEN AND CHILDREN
June 2008

Expand view

This resource kit offers ..."practical ideas on how to improve services and protection for people with disabilities and enhance their inclusion and participation in community affairs. It is based on the findings of five country field studies, as well global desk research into other refugee and internally displaced persons programmes and an analysis of existing international policies and practices relating to displaced persons with disabilities. It would be useful to United Nations, non-governmental organisation, community-based organisation and disabled people's organisation field staff working with refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons with disabilities"

Disabilities among refugees and conflict-affected populations

WOMEN'S COMMISSION FOR REFUGEE WOMEN AND CHILDREN
June 2008

Expand view

"This report is the culmination of a six-month project...to address the rights and needs of displaced persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on women (including older women), children and youth. Based on field research in five refugee situations, as well as global desk research, the Women’s Commission sought to map existing services for displaced persons with disabilities, identify gaps and good practices and make recommendations on how to improve services, protection and participation for displaced persons with disabilities"

E-bulletin