Humanitarian actions must benefit all, including women, men, children, older persons, marginalised groups and persons with disabilities. Everyone can be affected by emergencies. However, individuals that belong to most at-risk groups face higher risks and are disproportionately affected due to a wide range of barriers. The often life-threatening impact on most at-risk groups can be attributed to the absence of inclusive perspectives in humanitarian actions.
“State parties shall take, in accordance with their obligation under international law, including international human rights law, all necessary measure to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situation of risk, including situation of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies, and the occurrence of natural disasters” – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 11
“..ensure that persons with disabilities have access to humanitarian response..without discrimination..” – Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action
ASB facilitates the implementation of inclusive humanitarian action through:
- Involvement of most-at-risk groups in all phases of humanitarian action: from initial assessment to planning, implementation and evaluation
- Promotion of disaggregated data by age, gender and disability (GADDD)
- Accessibility – ensure persons most at-risk have access to humanitarian action and related information
- Priority of protection – not only pertains to physical harm but also protection against stigma and discrimination
- Capacity building – encourage meaningful participation and leadership roles of persons with disability
