disability
unrwa
supporting persons with disabilities
The United Nations Relief and Palestine refugees represent the largest protracted refugee population in the
Works Agency for Palestine world. In the absence of a just and lasting solution, and with an increasing number
Refugees in the Near East of protection threats from armed conflicts, the political, social and economic
instability experienced by Palestine refugees is more critical than ever. But while all
(UNRWA) is a United Nations
Palestine refugees face immense difficulties due to their protracted displacement,
agency established by the being a Palestine refugee with disabilities compounds these difficulties and
General Assembly in 1949 resultant vulnerabilities, even more so for a woman or child with disabilities.
and mandated to provide - numbers and
facts.
assistance and protection Although there is no comprehensive data on the number of persons with disabilities
to some 5 million registered among the Palestine refugee population, based on global figures at least 15 per
Palestine refugees. Its cent of the 5 million refugees registered with UNRWA are estimated to have a
mission is to help Palestine disability. Palestine refugees with disabilities have the same basic needs as other
refugees including shelter, income, education, health care and food, but they often
refugees in Jordan, Lebanon,
have additional or specific needs, which when not addressed or overlooked can
Syria, West Bank and the result in their exclusion from services and isolation from mainstream processes. By
Gaza Strip achieve their full far, the most significant barrier to effective participation and inclusion of persons
human development potential, with disabilities are the negative attitudes and stereotypes they encounter. Stigma
pending a just solution to their associated with disability often manifests in families and communities keeping
plight. children with disabilities hidden, making them invisible and cutting them off from
vital services such as education. that are the extra
specifically that Palestinian disabled people
disabilities & Why Palestine
challenges
UNRWA services encompass ·
why face beside the disabilities.
Discrimination, isolation and exclusion from mainstream processes also make
education, health care,
persons with disabilities disproportionately more vulnerable to violence, abuse,
relief and social services, neglect and exploitation. Children with disabilities are three to four times more
camp infrastructure and likely to be victims of violence. Girls and women with disabilities endure violence,
improvement, microfinance, abuse and exploitation twice as often as non-disabled women, over a longer period
and emergency response, of time, and suffer more serious injuries as a result of violence.
including in situations of
armed conflict. UNRWA is UNRWA is committed to working with all Palestine refugees to achieve their full
funded almost entirely by potential in human development. In doing so, UNRWA strives to promote and
protect the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms
voluntary contributions.
by Palestine refugees, including persons with disabilities. The Agency’s Disability
united nations relief and works agency
Linitatives to assest Palestine .
for palestine refugees in the near east
UnrWa
refugees from -
www.unrwa.org
-
supporting persons with disabilities
Policy, adopted in 2010, underlines our commitment to Palestine refugees with disabilities in line with the Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which UNRWA is mandated by the UN General Assembly to implement. In
recognition of the particular vulnerabilities experienced by persons with disabilities, UNRWA has committed to ensuring
that all programming addresses issues pertaining to this group of Palestine refugees and that the specific needs of Palestine
refugees with disabilities are included and considered in all of its programmes and service delivery.
In addition to this mainstreaming approach, all five UNRWA fields of operations have Disability Programmes which aim to
promote, rehabilitate and equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities and facilitate their inclusion. The Disability
Programmes also play a key role in supporting the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools and of adults
and youth with disabilities in vocational training and employment. In 2015 alone, the Disability Programmes in Syria, Jordan,
Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank provided services to more than 40,000 refugees with disabilities.
Number of Persons with Disabilities Assisted by UNRWA Social Safety Net Programme Population Students with Disabilities in UNRWA
importaniereal supera
Disability Programme in 2015 with Disability as of November 2015 Schools in 2014/15
1,161 250,000 240,413
4,182 70,000
61,557
comparisonrecer
Lebanon 58,686
60,000
200,000
6,139
Gaza 50,000
150,000
40,000 119,747
35,196
West Bank
30,000 100,000
20,000 50,566 45,344
2,225 Jordan 38,173
50,000
9,971 8,756
10,000 6,302
3,103
10,086
2,435
1,503 1,520
Syria 0
26,802 0 Lebanon West Bank Jordan Gaza Syria
West Bank Lebanon Jordan
Total number of students in UNRWA schools
inevidance
Total Social Safety Net Population
Number of students with disability in UNRWA schools
Numbers of persons with disabilities in the Social Safety Net Population
Source: Field Disability Programmes Source: Refugee Registration Information System Source: Field Disability and Education Programmes
Individual fields also run their own initiatives which provide specialized
Facts at a Glance support to persons with disabilities and promote their inclusion in
mainstream services:
• 1 in 10 Palestinian households
in Lebanon and Gaza have at
least one family member with a Learning Support Programme (Lebanon)
disability The Learning Support Programme in Lebanon aims to help students acquire a desired
• Households living in extreme level of academic achievement through instructional materials and techniques
poverty in Lebanon are almost specifically designed to address and respond to the learning needs of individual
twice as likely to have a family children. All UNRWA schools in Lebanon have Learning Support staff who coach
member with disability living in and support the children within and outside the classrooms. In 2014/15, the UNRWA
the household. programme provided tailored support for 2,641 children with learning difficulties and
• In Lebanon, one in three (29 per disabilities.
cent) of Palestinian children
with disability are not enrolled
The Hope Initiative (West Bank)
in school.
In the West Bank, the Disability Programme, in coordination with the education
• In the occupied Palestinian
programme, implements the Hope initiative, which aims to assist students with
territory, 37.6 per cent of all
disabilities to be effectively included in schools and address their educational needs. In
persons with disabilities aged
2014, 1,855 students benefited from assessment and intervention services through the
15 and over have never enrolled
initiative, and 800 parents, teachers and students without disabilities were provided with
at school. Furthermore, 33.8 per
a number of awareness workshops on disability and an inclusive learning environment.
cent of all persons with
disabilities dropped out of
school, while 53.1 per cent of all Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired (Gaza)
persons with disabilities are The Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired established in Gaza in 1962 provides
illiterate. training, educational and recreational activities for children and adults with vision
• In Gaza, only 3,127 (11 per cent) impairment. The Centre works with more than 130 students, including children with
persons with disabilities over low vision and Braille users from kindergarten to Grade 6. It also supports the inclusion
18 years of age were in the of children in mainstream schools through its integration programme – currently
labour force. supporting 300 children in Palestinian Authority, private, and UNRWA schools.
united nations relief and works agency
for palestine refugees in the near east
www.unrwa.org
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million
registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human
development potential, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp
infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
The summary:
&
At least 15% of the 5 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA are believed to have impairments. These
people are more vulnerable to assault, abuse, neglect, and exploitation as a result of discrimination, isolation, and
exclusion from mainstream systems. Children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to become victims
of violence. UNRWA is dedicated to promoting and safeguarding the full and equal enjoyment of human rights for all
Palestinian refugees, including those with disabilities, while also fostering their potential for human development.
& UNRWA's Disability Policy, which adopted in 2010, underlines the organization's commitment to assisting Palestinian
refugees with disabilities in accordance with the UN-mandated Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Recognizing their unique vulnerabilities, UNRWA ensures that all programming addresses the needs of refugees with
disabilities, incorporating these considerations into all of its services and activities.
