“I See That It Is Possible”: Building Capacity for Disability Inclusion in Gender-Based Violence Programming in Humanitarian Settings | Arabic

Despite the scale and gravity of the problem of gender-based violence (GBV) in crisis situations, persons with disabilities in humanitarian settings are often excluded from programs and services designed to prevent and respond to GBV, due to the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination they experience on the basis of both gender and disability. In response to this, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) conducted a project to identify these barriers to access, and to pilot and evaluate solutions for promoting disability inclusion in GBV programs in conflict-affected settings.

The project was conducted in conflict-affected communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Jordan and the Northern Caucasus in the Russian Federation. It employed a participatory approach to solicit inputs from women, girls, boys and men with disabilities and their caregivers to inform the development of activities and tools to facilitate disability inclusion, and understand what worked and what change mattered most to them.

This report documents the key findings and lessons learned from the project, and concludes with practical recommen- dations for a range of humanitarian actors, governments and donors to improve disability inclusion in GBV programming in humanitarian settings. Stories of Change from women and girls with disabilities involved in project, and A Toolkit for GBV Practitioners, including tools and guid- ance to assist them in strengthening disability inclusion in their work, are available at http://wrc.ms/disability_GBV or www.gbvresponders.org