Resource pack for faith leaders and community carers to support refugee/IDPs with disabilities

People with disabilities live in critical conditions in refugee and IDP settings, suffering from marginalisation, being at high risk of being abused and neglected and being denied the rights enshrine in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Commonly, faith based organisations (FBO) such as churches or mosques are already in refugee camps working with the community.
Through the project, a Resource Pack will be developed and tested to enable faith leaders to identify, profile, protect and advocate with and for people with disabilities. Faith leaders are already closely involved with these communities, but have not been sensitised to these issues as there are no practically-focussed materials available for them. The resource pack will be short and accessible to encourage use by non –professionals. The components will be refined during the project through interaction with people with disabilities, their carers and faith leaders in refugee and IDP camps in Burundi and Zambia, as well as engaging with UNHCR, social protection implementing partners, disability experts and faith leaders from a broader context.

WHAT IS THE HUMANITARIAN NEED?

• The critical situation of people with disabilities in refugee and IDP camps
  – Under registration with camp authorities and lack of documentation of their disability and support needs
  – Problems of access to
• Basic services such as distribution of food and WASH facilities, as well as camp offices
• Adequate and appropriate care
• Education, training and economic empowerment
• General and specialist health care services
  – Stigmatization, harassment, neglect, exclusion, violent and sexual assaults and other abuses
• The situation of refugees and IDPs with disabilities face that prevents them from leading a dignified life with full respect and protection of their basic human rights.

WHAT IS THE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION?

Using faith leaders and community carers to engage with refugee communities to increase understanding of and respect for people with disabilities, their capacities and their needs.
Added Value:
Developing and testing the resource pack for faith leaders and community carers, with refugee and IDP communities in Burundi and Zambia and other agencies working closely with people with disabilities, refugees and faith communities, over the six months of the project.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES?

• Workshops for faith leaders and community carers will be held in refugee and IDP camps in Burundi and Zambia to raise awareness of disability and the barriers that people with disabilities face to participating fully in daily life
• Resource pack tools (identification, profiling, protection and advocacy) developed, trialled in camps in Burundi and Zambia and revised
• Individual care profile card developed, trialled in camps in Burundi and Zambia and revised