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Scope

UNHCR’s Special Projects for the Empowerment of Refugee women with disabilities WLL Women Leading Livelihoods Division of External Relations www.unhcr.org/wll. Scope. Estimate 10% of world’s population living with disabilities 650 million+ persons with disabilities worldwide

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Scope

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  1. UNHCR’s Special Projects for the Empowerment of Refugee women with disabilitiesWLL Women Leading LivelihoodsDivision of External Relationswww.unhcr.org/wll

  2. Scope Estimate 10% of world’s population living with disabilities 650 million+ persons with disabilities worldwide Women %50 of the human population Minimum 300 million women with disabilities worldwide, 240 million living in developing countries. Women with disabilities facing multiple discrimination

  3. Displacement and Women with Disabilities • Up to 3.5 million displaced people with disabilities • With displaced women with a disability the number of effected circle gets doubled

  4. Before Fleeing Persecution • The ratio of 1/10 gets much higher up to 1 / 5 in situations of civil conflict, natural disasters, wars…: • Serious injuries (landmines, clusterbombs, natural disasters, wars) • Disruptions to health care systems • Disruptions to school/ social support systems • Double discrimination in job market • No skills training or employment opportunities for women with disabilities "I walked into the house with a big bag of wild thyme my father had picked. When I reached into the bag I saw a dark thing. It startled me. I dropped it and it blew up." says Rasha, a displaced cluster bomb victim in South Lebanon.

  5. While Running Away for their right to life • People with disabilities may not survive the run for life • Women with disabilities or with children / family members / husbands with disabilities get double restrained • Often left behind • Seen as a burden obstructing others’ flight • Less able to flee / Locked away so can not run away • Exposed to physical and sexual abuse during flight

  6. Once displaced / a refugee… • It does not mean once disabled people become a refugee, they reach safety • “Disabled refugees face a double vulnerability—often the last to receive food, water and care…and, in many situations, viewed as a burden to be left behind.” Sadako Ogata, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees • Hidden, marginalized and socially excluded • Literally and programmatically “invisible”

  7. Refugee Women with Disabilities • Displaced women with disabilities are triply marginalized by status, disability and gender • In most cultures, they are seen as a shame & a sin • More exposed to sexual violence, domestic abuse and physical assault (ie. Afghan girl…) • Women as primary caregivers face increased workloads, isolation, discrimination and abuse (ie. Iraqi Kurdish woman…) • Mothers are blamed for child’s disability and face physical or sexual abuse and abandonment • No information about rights or available services in the host countries • No opportunities for livelihood A disabled refugee woman waiting for daily food ration

  8. Background to UNHCR Projects • UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities • Global Change from medical to social & inclusive human rights perspective • New UNHCR Policies - both human resources as well as operational) • Division of External Relations / Inclusion of disabilities in WLL projects with specific focus on empowerment & integration of refugee women with disabilities • WLL being part of private sector partnerships (ie. WIN platfirm..) • Incorporation of disability services to the existing programmes • Some successful community based programmes once refugee women given a chance (ie. Saharawi Women with disabilities / senate...) • Women with disabilities want to learn new skills and find jobs

  9. Vision • If we want to empower disability communities & support their self-sustained independence; • Start with the most forgotten and vulnerable layer in refugee communities as One UN… • Under WLL concrete projects for refugee women leading livelihoods, our ongoing talks with ILO and ready for more interagency partnership… • Use all possible Interagency platforms such as CAF processes on certain humanitarian crisis (ie. Iraq…) • Every Agency brings their expertise through an expert roster as well as funding… VISIT www.unhcr.org / WLL women leading livelihood projects page

  10. Recommended Read & Refs • "Gendering the Convention" as per Disabled People's International –Canada- paper presented in Berlin last year • UNHCR’s RefWorld website (UNHCR’s knowledge tool) • UNHCR's New Policies (internal & operational), • Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children's assessment for UNHCR (7 pilot countries - June 2008) & the Resource Kit on "Disabilities Among Refugees and Conflict Affected Populations"

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