Approaches to disability in humanitarian action
People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises, facing heightened risks and barriers to accessing essential services and protection. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights obligations and approaches to achieving disability inclusion in humanitarian action. Article 11 (situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies) and Article 32 (international cooperation) highlight the importance of ensuring that humanitarian action efforts are understanding the heightened risks and needs of people with disabilities, and that people with disabilities are being engaged and included so they can benefit from humanitarian action efforts equally.
Resources in this section provide approaches and guidance to how disability inclusion can be achieved in humanitarian action.
UNICEF (2022) Budgeting and mobilizing resources for disability inclusion in humanitarian actions
This resource is a short guide to support humanitarian programs and responses to ensure disability inclusion is adequately budgeted and resourced for.
UNICEF (2023) How to get started on disability inclusion in humanitarian action
This short guide outlines basic steps on how to get started on disability inclusion in a humanitarian context for disability focal points, emergency focal points, and staff engaged in humanitarian coordination.
CBM Global (2022) Engaging with organisations of persons with disabilities in humanitarian response
This brief captures CBM Global's learnings from engaging with OPDs in humanitarian response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNICEF (2022) Engaging with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities in humanitarian action
This tipsheet highlights the importance of involving organisations and informal groups of people with disabilities in humanitarian efforts, as outlined in the IASC Guidelines on 'Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action'.
CBM Global IAG & Humanitarian Advisory Group (2022) Organisations of Persons with Disabilities: Making a Difference in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands
This report explores the roles and impact of OPDs in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, and identifies key challenges and enablers constraining and supporting OPDs’ contributions to the disaster preparedness and response sector.
