Protection
Protection-related risks and impacts
- Persons with disabilities may experience targeted violence and abuse because of their disability. In a recent survey of persons with disabilities in humanitarian contexts, 27 per cent of respondents reported that they had experienced physical, psychological or other forms of abuse, including forms of sexual abuse. Targeted violence against persons with disabilities may include physical attacks, killings, denial of food and medicine, harassment, emotional abuse, profound neglect, shackling, and confinement. These abuses are often perpetrated by persons known to them. Frequently, targeted violence against persons with disabilities is not reported or monitored, and few programmes identify or respond to such violations.
- Persons with disabilities are more likely to experience violations if they are in institutions. Numerous reports have documented severe violations in institutions of the rights of adults and children with disabilities, particularly persons with psychosocial disabilities. The violations in question include inhuman and degrading treatment, unsanitary conditions, neglect, verbal, sexual and physical abuse, involuntary medication, and restraint.
- Persons with disabilities are more likely than others to lack personal documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, travel documents). This may happen for a number of reasons, including failure to register their birth, or denial of their legal capacity (a form of discrimination).
- Persons with disabilities who are unable to tell their story may also be at higher risk. This problem arises particularly for persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities and persons who have difficulty communicating. During security screening processes, for example, persons with disabilities may not be able to respond accurately to security-related questions.
The following guidance will support protection actors to identify and remove barriers faced by persons with disabilities,as well as their families, support persons and caregivers, when they access protection programmes in humanitarian settings.