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UNHCR Facilitator’s Guide - Strengthening Protection of Persons

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (UNHCR)
July 2021

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This guide is designed to support UNHCR staff, partners and other stakeholders at field level to:

  • Recognize the protection concerns and capacities of refugees with disabilities and other persons with disabilities protected and assisted by UNHCR;
  • Apply the principles reflected in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and UNHCR Guidance on Working with Persons with Disabilities to a range of programs and sectors;
  • Design immediate and long-term strategies to mitigate protection risks and promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in UNHCR programming.

 

The four modules include:

  • Introductory module - Organizing an accessible and inclusive workshop (Module 1);
  • Promoting a rights-based approach to disability (Module 2);
  • Raising awareness about the impact of forced displacement on persons with disabilities (Module 3);
  • Learning key strategies to foster inclusion of persons with disabilities in forced displacement (Module 4). 

The protection situation during COVID-19 in Syria. The impact of COVID-19 on protection activities and on vulnerable groups

PROTECTION CLUSTER, UNHCR
February 2021

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After nearly nine months of preventative COVID-19 measures in place by the Government of Syria, the protection sector and its area of responsibilities ( Child Protection AoR, Gender Based Violence AoR and Mine Action AoR) have attempted to understand the level and types of impact this has had on the implementation of activities, specifically on partners' ability to provide services through community centers, and on the most vulnerable groups of the served population. The aim is that this report will provide protection partners with key information for reviewing and revising their current activities in light of the ongoing pandemic.

The data presented in this report was gathered during December 2020 from 213 protection partners and staff working directly or through partners with the affected population throughout Syria through an online survey. The main protection issues affecting persons with disabilities as a result of COVID-19 situation are identified.

Disability & inclusion survey, Malakal Protection of Civilians site

International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM)
February 2021

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The International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (IOM DTM), Protection and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support teams joined efforts with Humanity & Inclusion (HI) to undertake an assessment of the level of access to services and the barriers faced by persons with disabilities within Malakal Protection of Civilian site (PoC site). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) contributed to the qualitative component of the study as the main Protection and Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) actors operating within the PoC site. The study, based on data collected between March 2020 and June 2020, aims to improve the knowledge base available to the humanitarian community about access to services by persons with disabilities living in the site. It provides a quantitative estimate of the prevalence of disabilities among the IDP population and an assessment of the barriers faced by persons with disability in accessing humanitarian services across sectors. It also seeks to empower persons with disabilities living within the PoC site, giving them the opportunity to express their concerns and preferences with regards to possible solutions and targeted interventions. It is hoped that the resulting data will help camp management and other service providers operating within Malakal PoC site, including IOM, UNHCR and DRC, to better account for the concerns and needs of persons with disability in humanitarian programming and service delivery. This study builds onto and expands previous studies in Naivasha IDP Camp (formerly Wau PoC AA Site) and Bentiu PoC Site.

Guidance note on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 CCCM response

UNHCR INCLUSION TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP, SYRIA PROTECTION CLUSTER (TURKEY)
February 2021

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This guidance note provides an overview of the risks that persons with disabilities face in the COVID-19 response regarding accessing humanitarian services and proposes actions to address these risks within the CCCM response specifically. This note draws on the IASC Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, 1 CCCM chapter, applying these to the northwest Syria COVID-19 response

Self-reported barriers to activities of daily living of persons with disabilities living in IDP sites in northwest Syria

UNHCR INCLUSION TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP, SYRIA PROTECTION CLUSTER (TURKEY)
November 2020

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This brief aims to describe the lived experience of persons with disabilities in northwest Syria and highlight needs and key barriers to engagement in personal, domestic and community-based activities of daily living, which includes access to and engagement with humanitarian organisations. The analysis of these difficulties forms the basis of key pragmatic recommendations for humanitarian actors

Assisting displaced and conflict-affected older people in Ukraine, June 2020

RICH, Anna
NAZRIEV, Akbar
June 2020

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This note highlights the key protection concerns and needs of conflict-affected older women and men and older people with disabilities in Ukraine, as well as opportunities for humanitarian, development and government actors to enhance their protection.

Ukraine has one of the ‘oldest’ humanitarian crisis: 30% of all people in need of humanitarian assistance are over 60. Older people often face overlapping vulnerabilities such as chronic diseases, disability and dire financial constraints, with a high proportion of older women amongst the conflict-affected population.

Protection analysis: impact of COVID-19 measures on PSNs in refugee communities in Uganda

PERSONS WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS SUB-WORKING GROUP, UGANDA
May 2020

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The Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) sub working group is a collective of over 20 organisations including UN agencies, NGOs, Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs), and Government (Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Office of the Prime Minister) which regularly meets within the Uganda refugee coordination model to discuss issues relevant to refugees with specific needs, with a particular focus on persons with disabilities and older persons.

 

April 2020 the PSN SWG members started to collect evidence from a range of sources on the specific impact of the COVID-19 crisis and containment measures on PSNs within refugee communities in Uganda.

Syria Protection Cluster (Turkey): Brief guidance note - A disability-inclusive COVID-19 response

United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNHCR)
April 2020

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Recent evidence suggests that the individual prevalence rate of persons with disabilities living in Syria, aged 12 years and above is 27%. This brief guidance note covers: Risks faced by persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 outbreak; Protection risks for specific groups of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 outbreak; Upholding the rights of persons with disabilities in relation to the COVID-19 response; and Recommendations: Inclusion in the COVID-19 response 

Age, gender and diversity considerations – COVID-19

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
March 2020

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This guidance on Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) Considerations in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic is intended as a quick reference tool to support colleagues in the field who are working directly with populations of concern and/or engaged in protection advocacy. It has been developed in response to requests for further guidance on how the evolving COVID-19 pandemic may disproportionally impact specific AGD groups

Protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2019/373) [EN/AR/RU]

UNHCR SECRETARY GENERAL
May 2019

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The present report is submitted pursuant to the request contained in the statement by the President of the Security Council of 21 September 2018 (S/PRST/2018/18). It also responds to the Council’s requests for reporting on the protection of medical care and on conflict and food insecurity, contained in resolutions 2286 (2016) and 2417 (2018), respectively. Section II provides a summary of achievements and challenges to the United Nations work on protecting civilians over the past 20 years. Section III reviews the current state of the protection of civilians and emphasizes the enduring relevance of the protection agenda 20 years on. Section IV focuses on the central challenge of enhancing respect for the law – the first of three protection priorities identified in the report of 2017 (S/2017/414) and discussed in the report of 2018 (S/2018/462) – with a particular focus on the conduct of hostilities. Section V discusses how the Council and Member States can rise to meet this challenge and, moreover, strengthen the practical impact of the protection agenda in the years ahead.

Working with persons with disabilities in forced displacement

UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
2019

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This note has been updated from its 2011 release and provides UNHCR and partners with specific guidance on meeting the protection needs of a diversity of persons with disabilities. While the document refers mainly to refugees, it applies to all of UNHCR’s persons of concern, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, and stateless persons.

This note provides guidance on: who persons with disabilities are; key principles (rights based approach, inclusion, participation and non-discrimination) and cross-cutting actions. 

Need to know guidance: Working with persons with disabilities in forced displacement

UNHCR
2019

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In situations of forced displacement, persons with disabilities have the same rights and basic needs as others and face the same challenges as other individuals. They also face particular protection risks such as heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse, as well as high levels of stigma.  Guidance is given concerning the application of an age, gender and diversity approach, to achieve protection, assistance and solutions. Example approaches are provided concerning: non discrimination; changing attitudes about disability and promoting respect for diversity; Improving identification and data collection; making all facilities physically accessible; ensuring accountability mechanisms are inclusive; preventing and responding to violence and abuse; and building links with organizations of persons with disabilities & other national and local actors.

Helping the most vulnerable in Dadaab

BEALS, Greg
2011

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This article presents the difficulties disabled persons face when attempting to flee during conflict based upon individual stories of Somali displaced persons in Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya. The article highlights their difficulties and the assistance that is being provided by UNHCR

NGOs & UN agencies assisting persons with disabilities : a non-exhaustive reference list of organizations working with and for persons with disabilities world-wide

EGUEZ, Maria Isabel
April 2008

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"This reference list is a mapping of specialized organizations working with and for persons with disabilities around the world. This reference list is intended to help UNHCR field staff identify specialized organizations that may be willing to support UNHCR by including persons of concern with disabilities into their programs...The reference list has been divided into five regions: Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Asia & the Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. Each region is then alphabetically categorized by country"

The protection of older persons and persons with disabilities

UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES
June 2007

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"This paper examines the challenges which older persons and persons with disabilities face in accessing protection, including assistance, in situations of displacement. It reviews current policies on the protection of displaced older persons and those with disabilities; highlights the main protection challenges faced by these individuals; and outlines efforts made by UNHCR and partners to respond to these challenges. Finally, it summarizes the key areas for attention and follow-up in the next three years to improve its performance in providing protection and support to older persons and persons with disabilities"
EC/58/SC/CRP.14

People with disabilities

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

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This section of UNHCR's website features their work with the refugee community to identify and address issues faced by people with disabilities and to develop targeted actions. Related links and information resources are provided. This website is useful to people interested in disability and displacement

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