Disability Program Fact Sheet

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC)’s Disability Program seeks to improve the lives and protect the rights of women, children, and youth with disabilities who are displaced by crisis and conflict. We research their needs, identify solutions, and advocate for changes to policies and programs that strengthen their resilience and drive positive change in humanitarian practice.

The global population of people who have been forcibly displaced reached a record 66 million in 2016. Among them, as many as 13.2 million people displaced have disabilities. Within this context, women, children, and youth with disabilities are often excluded from programs and activities that would protect them and help them develop their skills, including services addressing gender-based violence, programs for adolescents and youth, and information and education about sexual and reproductive health and services. These are the types of services and assistance that would build their skills and capacities and make them more resilient to protection risks such as violence, abuse, and exploitation.

Additionally, while many countries affected by crisis or conflict have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, displaced persons rarely have contact with local organizations representing persons with disabilities (DPOs) that could advocate for their access to services and programs and highlight their needs to human rights reports.