Persons with disabilities in conflict-affected countries Sub-Saharan Africa Claude Tardif Head of...
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Transcript of Persons with disabilities in conflict-affected countries Sub-Saharan Africa Claude Tardif Head of...
Persons with disabilities in conflict-affected countries
Sub-Saharan Africa
Claude TardifHead of Physical Rehabilitation ProgrammeInternational Committee of the Red Cross
Geneva, [email protected]
World Bank WorkshopConflict-Affected Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa:
Disability issues and StrategiesWashington, December 4th 2008
Content
Definitions Situation in conflict-affected countries Situation of persons with disabilities Strategies and responses ICRC physical rehabilitation activities Resources
Some definitions
Disability Disability is an evolving concept and results from
the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis than others
Impairments An impairment is damage to an individual's
physical, mental, intellectual or sensory condition
Some definitions
Persons with disabilities
Those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis than others
Situation in conflict-affected countries
Social support system disrupted Displacement of population Disruptions to schooling Traditional community coping mechanisms may
broken down
Economic situation deteriorate At country and population level
Situation in conflict-affected countries
Health care system disrupted
Depriving the population of essential preventive or curative care
The general health status of the population decrease
Increase number of injuries and trauma Lack of personnel, infrastructure and funds
Situation of persons with disabilities
WHO estimates that there are more than 600 million persons with disabilities( between 7 and 10 per cent of the world's population)
80 per cent live of developing countries Persons with disabilities are highly over-
represented among the poor About 82% of them live below poverty line Poverty is a cause and a consequence of
disability
Situation of persons with disabilities
Persons with disabilities are not a homogeneous group: they have different types of impairments with
various degrees of severity; have diverse combinations of education and skills and have different degrees of support from their family and community
They are marginalized by laws, customs, attitudes, in addition to having a difficult environment
Ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity is a challenge, even in the resource-rich environment of developed-countries.
The constraints inherent to war-torn countries, where the ICRC usually operates, make this task particularly difficult.
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e The challenges
Strategies and Responses
Inclusion Rather than organizing “special” or segregated
activities for people with disabilities, inclusive policies promote the inclusion and equal participation of people with disabilities in all mainstream activities. Promoting inclusion involves the removal of all physical, institutional, social, attitudinal and environmental barriers that prevent the full and equal inclusion of people with disabilities in the activities enjoyed by others members of the society
Strategies and Responses
Balancing social action with interventions at the individual level
Inclusive education Inclusive education promotes the inclusion of all
children in schools and learning environments, regardless of their particular needs or vulnerabilities.
Positive employment policies: encouraging the employment of persons with disabilities
Strategies and Responses
Universal design This means that all infrastructure and facilities should be
designed to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
Reasonable accommodation This means making any necessary and appropriate
modifications and adjustments to the physical environment and infrastructure to ensure that persons with disabilities can live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life
Access to rehabilitation Rehabilitation is the process of
removing, or reducing as far as possible, the factors that limit the activity and participation of a person with disability, so that he/she can attain and maintain the highest possible level of independence and quality of life: physically, mentally, socially and vocationally.
Strategies and Responses
Strategies and Responses
Access to rehabilitation
The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to provide the individual with the best possible opportunity for full and effective participation and inclusion in society, with possibilities to study, work, access services, etc. that are equal to those of other citizens.
Strategies and Responses
Access to rehabilitation To achieve full inclusion, many different interventions may
be needed, which, depending on the individual’s type of disability, may include one or several of the following: medical care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy,
supply of assistive devices (such as hearing and vision aids, prostheses, orthoses, wheelchairs and walking aids), speech therapy, psychosocial services/counseling, social support, education (inclusive and special), vocational training, job placement, support for economic self-reliance and the eradication of physical, social and financial barriers
The ICRC and the disability issue
While the ICRC recognizes that all areas of rehabilitation are important and while providing assistance in different areas, its main contribution is the assistance provided to physical rehabilitation
As part of its mandate, the ICRC provides physical rehabilitation assistance through its operational programme the "Physical Rehabilitation Programmes (PRP)" and through the "ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD)"
Mandate
ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Programme (PRP) ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent
organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.
ICRC Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD) To ensure the continuation of work started under
ICRC operational programmes for people affected by conflict, and to support physical rehabilitation centres in low incomes countries.
ICRC PRP ICRC SFD
Pre crisis
Acute crisis
Chronic crisis
Post crisis
Development
Distribution of responsibilities PRP - SFD
The PRP and the SFD provide similar support, and it is primarily the political context and the needs that decide which channel the ICRC uses in a given situation.
What is physical rehabilitation?
Physical rehabilitation is an important part of the integrated rehabilitation process, enabling person with physical impairment to gain mobility which is a main condition
for the person to participate in social life, work and education
What is physical rehabilitation?
Physical rehabilitation includes the provision of assistive devices such as prostheses, orthoses, walking aids and wheelchairs along with appropriate therapy allowing an optimal use of the deviceTh
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Objectives of the ICRC physical rehabilitation assistance
The main aims of ICRC support for physical rehabilitation activities are to increase accessibility to services, improve the quality of these services and ensure their long-term functioning
Accessibility to services
ICRC PRP and SFD physical rehabilitation projects: ensure that all types of services are available ensure that all persons who need services know about the
services and have equal access to centres, without discrimination
ensure that systems of transportation and accommodation are available
ensure that provided services are affordable, without compromising on quality
ensure link with other rehabilitation service providers
Quality of services
ICRC PRP and SFD physical rehabilitation projects: Ensure that trained professionals in the field of P&O and
physiotherapy are available Ensure that physiotherapy services are an integrated part of
the P&O provision Ensure that all patients receiving services have access to
repairs and maintenance Ensure that the technology used is appropriate for the
context
Long-term functioning of services
ICRC PRP and SFD physical rehabilitation projects: Services are imbedded into a national health/social care
system Services are financially, technically and managerially
sustainableSustainability is the ability of programmes to continue over time to
meet the demands of users, providing appropriate technology, of acceptable quality, at affordable cost, in an accessible manner, enabling PWD to assert their rights, while contributing to the strength of the local health system, with minimal external input
Resources
Women's Commission for refugee women & children (www.womenscommission.org) Disabilities among refugees and conflict-affected
populations
Survivor Corps (www.survivorcorps.org) Supporting and Implementing P&O Services in Low-Income
Settings
Handicap International (www.handicap-international.org) Good practices for the economic inclusion of persons with
disabilities in developing countries
Resources
WHO (www.who.int) Guidelines on the provision of manual
wheelchairs in less resources settings Guidelines for training personnel in developing
countries for prosthetics and orthotics services
International Committee of the Red Cross (www.icrc.org)