UK launches Humanitarian Action disability guidelines

The new Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (open link in new tab) were launched this week in the UK, at a roundtable in London. These Guidelines come at a crucial time, following the recent adoption by the UN of a new Disability Inclusion Strategy which will measure and track the UN’s performance on disability inclusion.

When persons with disabilities are caught in a humanitarian crisis, such as conflict or natural disaster, they are often disproportionately affected by it. During crises, persons with disabilities are more at risk of injuries, exploitation, criminality during displacement and loss of livelihood. Women and girls with disabilities are amongst the most at risk from sexual violence and exploitation during displacement.

The IASC Guidelines give practical and concrete guidance on how humanitarian actors can be more inclusive in leaving no one behind. For example, people should be identified to collect and carry food packages for those who are unable to carry heavy loads, water pumps should be accessible and not elevated or difficult to operate and information about humanitarian assistance should be provided in multiple accessible formats (oral, print, sign language, easy-to-read/plain language, etc.). Humanitarian operations should also involve disabled persons organisations at all stages.

CBM provided technical support for the development of the Guidelines, from inception to final delivery; and will be actively involved in roll-out at country and global level. Disability inclusion is at the heart of CBM’s humanitarian work, with a people-centred approach to deliver timely, appropriate and effective humanitarian assistance, in partnership with DPOs and other national community based organisations. In addition, CBM worked with HI and the International Disability Alliance to produce a set of case studies (open link in new tab) of field practices and learnings on inclusive practices for persons with disabilities in humanitarian action and disaster risk reduction.

Kirsty Smith, CEO CBM UK, Christian Modino-Hok, CBM’s Humanitarian Director, and CBM partner Kazol Rekha, President of Dakshin Sreepur Self-help Group, all spoke at the roundtable.

Read more about disability, disasters and CBM’s inclusive emergency response (open link in new tab).

Caption: Purna Maya’s home was destroyed in the Nepal earthquake.