People with Disabilities
© UNHCR / A. McConnell
Every morning, Ahmad sets off on his moped from his home near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on his way to work as a UNHCR refugee outreach volunteer, offering support to vulnerable Syrian refugees and Lebanese locals, many of whom have disabilities.
Ahmad knows only too well the importance of the work he does. In 2013, while walking to his parents' house in his hometown of Zabadani in Syria, he was struck by a mortar blast and lost both of his legs. Now, with the help of UNHCR and his custom-built moped, he is determined to lend a hand to those in need.
The World Health Organization estimates that around 15 per cent of the world’s population has a disability. Several million are thought to be displaced but often remain invisible within uprooted communities.
People with disabilities are not a homogenous group – they have different capacities and needs, and contribute in different ways to their communities. In times of crisis, they may be vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation and violence, and face numerous barriers to accessing humanitarian assistance.
At UNHCR, we work to ensure people living with disabilities have access to vital services and have the opportunity to apply their skills and capacities to benefit themselves, their families and communities.
We work around the clock to identify the issues they face and develop long-term solutions.
People with Disabilities - Reports and Documents
- Working with Persons with Disabilities in Forced Displacement 2019
- International Disability Alliance: Recommendation to Include a Stand-Alone Paragraph on Refugees with Disabilities in the Global Compact on Refugees 4 May 2018
- Forced displacement and the use of explosive weapons in populated areas: perspectives of Syrian women refugees in Lebanon 27 Jan 2018
