Disability Inclusion in Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence Programs

Women's Refugee Commission
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TOOL 11: SAMPLE CASE STUDIES & ACTION PLANS

Case Study 1 – Salem

Selam is a 17 years old woman living in rented accommodation in Beirut. She lives with her mother, father, five sisters and three brothers. Salem is unable to speak and needs assistance with her daily care. Her mother, Amani, and her two younger sisters assist her with feeding, washing and toileting. One of her younger sisters has dropped out from school, as her mother is feeling tired and needed more support to take care of Selam. Selam smiles when her two younger sisters stay with her and play games in front of her. She cries when she feels hungry or thirsty — This is how her family knows that she would like food or water. Selam started menstruation when she was 12 years old, but she can't change the sanitary napkin on her own. Her mother and younger sister have taken care for her menstrual hygiene for the last five years. They have expressed that this is the most difficult task as Selam has grown bigger. Amani doesn't feel comfortable leaving Selam with other people and worries about her safety. When other women friends visit her at the house, they talk to her about the awareness raising sessions being conducted by the community mobilizers. Amani would like to attend such sessions, but can't because the sessions are conducted far away from her home, and there is nobody who look after Selam.

* Below is a sample initial case action plan for Salem and her family. Case workers should use all standard agency action planning and follow-up tools when working with survivors and those who are at risk of GBV.

CASE ACTION PLAN
Goal / Action Point Who By when

Selam builds a stronger peer support network and increases awareness about GBV.:

Case Worker leads w/ actions from community workers, Selam and her sisters.

Case Worker leads w/ actions from community workers and Selam.

Within two weeks

Within the next three weeks

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Amani's goal is to be able to attend awareness raising sessions and other prevention activities:

Case Worker & community workers

Amani

Within four weeks

Within one week

Family feels safer in their home:

Case Worker & Amani Within two weeks

The following meeting is scheduled for (date/time and location): * Two weeks from initial meeting and plan development.

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Case Study 2 – Inaam

Ahmed, Inaam and their baby have been in Lebanon for one year. Inaam is 16 years old. She was shot in the back in Syria and is now unable to walk. They registered with UNHCR three months ago, when Inaam was discharged from hospital. Inaam was registered “in absentia” based on a photograph, because she couldn't get to the registration center. They are living in good accommodation which is on the ground floor and rent free, but they are now being asked to move out, so that the owner can live there in the future. Inaam has been seen by Handicap International since leaving the hospital, and has a wheelchair, commode, air mattress and walking frame, but her husband still has to carry her around the house, and she rarely goes outside. Inaam says that when Ahmed is away, she has time to think about her situation and she feels very sad. Her own family are here and living nearby. Her brother's wives used to visit regularly, but they have stopped coming — she thinks this is because they always have to clean the house when they come to visit, as she can't do it herself. She is also insulted here because she can't walk -people make fun of her and take advantage of her. She thinks her daughter is affected by what has happened to her. Her family are coming now and all the time asking if her husband will leave her, because she is now disabled -this hurts her too much.

*Below is a sample initial case action plan for Inaam. Case workers should use all standard agency action planning and follow-up tools when working with survivors and those who are at risk of GBV .

CASE ACTION PLAN
Goal / Action Point Who By when

Inaam wants to feel safer in her home and relationship — She wants to be a good mother:

Case Worker & local women's center staff

Local women's center staff

Case Worker

1 week

2 weeks

1 month

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Inaam would like to have access to psychosocial support services as soon as possible:

Case Worker

Case Worker & Community Workers

Case Worker

Within 2 days

Within a week

Within 24 hours

Inaam and her family have safe and accessible housing:

Case Worker

Shelter and WASH actors

Within one week

Within one month

Inaam strengthens her social support network:

Case Worker

Case Worker & Social Development Center Staff

Case Worker & Inaam

Within two weeks

Within two weeks

Within three weeks

5

Inaam wants to experience less harassment in her neighborhood:

Case Worker & Inaam

Case Worker, Community workers & DPO members

Within two weeks

Within one month

The following meeting is scheduled for (date/time and location): *One week from initial meeting and plan development

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Case Study 3 – Sabeen

Sabeen is 13 years old and has an intellectual disability. Her mother says that she is “super active”. She likes to dance and draw and is always going to visit her neighbors. She always wants to learn something new. Sabeen used to go to school, but now she can't find someone to walk with her. Sabeen likes to go out even when it is dark. One month ago, Sabeen went to her neighbor's house and when she came back, her mother noticed that she looked different. Her mother asked Sabeen what happened, and she explained that some boys took off her underpants. The boys said that next time they were going to “play husband and wife”. Her mother has now stopped Sabeen from visiting neighbors where there are men and boys, because she feels that Sabeen will do whatever these people say. Sabeen went to a group meeting with her mother where they talked about violence with other women, but she didn't really pay any attention — she preferred to practice her drawing.

*Below is a sample initial case action plan for Sabeen. Case workers should use all standard agency action planning and follow-up tools when working with survivors and those who are at risk of GBV .

CASE ACTION PLAN
Goal / Action Point Who By when

Determine if Sabeen needs and wants medical follow-up:

Case Worker Within the first week

Sabeen increases awareness about GBV:

Case Worker leads w/ actions from community workers and Sabeen

Case Worker leads w/ actions from Sabeen

Within three weeks

Weekly for up to 8 weeks

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Sabeen wants to participate in activities with other adolescent girls:

Case Worker

Case Worker and Sabeen's mother

Case Worker and facilitators

Case Worker, Sabeen's mother and facilitators

Case Worker

Within three weeks

Sabeen is attending school:

Case Worker & Sabeen's mother Within two months
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The community is more engaged in promoting security and mitigating protection risks for children in the community:

Community workers

DPOs

Within two months

Within two months

The following meeting is scheduled for (date/time and location): *One week from initial meeting and plan development