Inclusion of PWDs: CBM and Partners draw up Action Plan
A draft action plan on the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in humanitarian crises response has been drawn up in Yaounde Cameroon.
The draft action plan that was drawn up on this May 31, 2023 consists of awareness raising about disability inclusion in organizations, review of tools for the inclusion of persons with disabilities during project implementation, and ensuring that persons with disabilities are identified and their data collected during humanitarian crises.
Community Based Inclusive Development Adviser for West and Central Africa for CBM and lead facilitator, Soumana Zamo told Crtv Web that some partners will be selected and his organization will provide support to implement their action plan.
“CBM is ready through the project we are implementing, ‘Leave No One Behind’, to support some of the partners who will develop very tangible projects to implement their action plans.”
“The Leave No One Behind Project”
The Leave No One Behind Project is a three-phase project created in 2016 to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access and fully participate in humanitarian action.
Persons with disabilities are usually disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises and natural disasters because of barriers that prevent their participation and access.
The project involves international, regional, and local humanitarian actors, associations of persons with disabilities, students, researchers and research initiatives on humanitarian action.
It is being jointly implemented in Cameroon, Germany, and six pilot countries ; Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Uganda, Niger and Nigeria by Handicap International (HI), Christian Blind Mission (CBM), the Ruhr University Bochum Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict(IFHV).
Take home message
After three days of participating in the workshop, some participants say their knowledge and technical capacity on mainstreaming disability in humanitarian crises has been enhanced.
“This workshop helps us reinforce capacities on inclusion. We now have tools to identify persons with disabilities, know what their real needs are, and help them to come up with appropriate solutions during humanitarian crises,” Inack Jean Jacques, Civil Protection Official from the Ministry of Territorial Administration told CRTV web.
Ntoh Sheron, a person with disability from the Coordination Unit for Association of Persons with Disability says, “I have learnt that during data collection, it is important to use the Washington Questionnaire when humanitarian actors are going to the field.”
The workshop is one of CBM’s efforts to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. CBM counts over 100 years of professional experience in creating an inclusive society.
Kathy Neba Sina
