December 2, 2015

Living with a Disability in Conflicts and Emergencies

Sara, a 13-year-old Syrian girl traveling with her older sister and mother, has a physical disability and diabetes. Separated from her family on the rubber boat from Turkey, she slumped into the water at the bottom of the dinghy and fell unconscious. © 2015 Mani for Human Rights Watch

Screenshot taken from video footage of an Afghan woman with her 15-year-old daughter who has multiple disabilities on the ground outside the Moria registration camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. October 5, 2015. © 2015 Human Rights Watch © 2015 Human Rights Watch

Safi, 30, (right) a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, walks on highway M1 near Budapest, Hungary in an attempt to reach Vienna, Austria by foot. — Safi, 30, (right) a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, walks on highway M1 near Budapest, Hungary in an attempt to reach Vienna, Austria by foot after Hungarian authorities refused to allow refugees and asylum seekers to board trains that would take them to Germany. September 4, 2015. © Daniel Etter for Human Rights Watch.

18-year-old Mohammed, who said he lost both legs to a Syrian airstrike in Idlib in 2012, is carried by friends on the island of Lesbos in Greece. Both his friends and parents accompanied him on his journey to safety, carrying him whenever needed. — 18-year-old Mohammed, who said he lost both legs to a Syrian airstrike in Idlib in 2012, is carried by friends on the island of Lesbos in Greece. Both his friends and relatives accompanied him on his journey to safety, carrying him whenever needed. October 8, 2015. © 2015 Zalmaï for Human Rights Watch

Asylum seekers and migrants descend from a large fishing vessel used to transport them from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos. October 11, 2015. © 2015 Zalmaï for Human Rights Watch

Ambroise, a 27-year-old man with a physical disability, in the M’Poko camp in Bangui, Central African Republic. His parents abandoned him when Seleka forces attacked their neighborhood. He had to be carried 2-3 kilometres to the M’Poko internally displaced camp near the airport by a little boy. © 2015 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch

Hamamatou, a 13-year-old girl polio survivor, was abandoned by her family after their village was attacked by anti-balaka forces in Central African Republic. Her brother attempted to carry her to safety, but grew exhausted, and had to leave her under a tree. When anti-balaka fighters found her two weeks later, Hamamatou described what happened: “The fighters said, ‘we have found an animal. Let’s finish it off.’” Another anti-balaka soldier intervened to save her life. Hamamatou was rescued and taken to a Catholic mission where she now lives under the care of local priests. © 2015 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch

Mamadou, a 14-year-old polio survivor, lives with his family in the Muslim enclave of Yaloke. When anti-balaka forces advanced, Mamadou, who has a physical disability and used to support himself with a cane, fled with his parents on the back of donkey, which died on the way. Mamadou’s father told Human Rights Watch: “Before [the war] Mamadou was better; now he can’t even walk.” © 2015 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch

For many people with physical or sensory disabilities, the environment of the M’Poko camp for internally displaced people in Bangui is hard to navigate. The uneven terrain is speckled with holes and open drains. People with physical disabilities are often unable to access food distribution sites or medical clinics and have no choice but to crawl into latrines on their hands and knees. © 2015 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch

Suleiman, a 17-year-old-boy with an intellectual and physical disability, with his mother, Amina, in the Muslim enclave in Yaloke. Suleiman escaped attacks by anti-balaka forces, but witnessed his uncle being brutally killed. © 2015 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch

Habib, a 7-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy, sits with his books at home in Sanaa. He previously attended a learning center for children with disabilities but when the war broke out, the center shut down. © 2015 Hanan Alsurmi for Human Rights Watch

Abdullah, a 10-year-old boy who has sensory and psychosocial disabilities, lives with his family in Sanaa. Since the war began, his family faces significant challenges in accessing his medication and when they do find it, it is unaffordable. © 2015 Hanan Alsurmi for Human Rights Watch

Abd, a 50-year-old man with a physical disability, lives with his family in Sanaa where he runs an organization advocating for the rights of persons with physical disabilities. He told Human Rights Watch: “In our country [Yemen], people have low level of awareness on disability rights. People treat us badly and don’t accept us easily.” © 2015 Hanan Alsurmi for Human Rights Watch

Afaf, a 37-year-old deaf woman, is a painter and dressmaker based in Sanaa. However, since the war started her income has gone down, making her more dependent on her family. © 2015 Hanan Alsurmi for Human Rights Watch

Muna, a 26-year-old deaf woman who lives in Sanaa, communicates in sign language with her husband, Adb, who is also deaf. She told Human Rights Watch about her how the conflict has impacted her. — Muna, a 26-year-old deaf woman who lives in Sanaa, communicates in sign language with her husband, Adb, who is also deaf. She told Human Rights Watch about her how the conflict has impacted her: “Before the war, I was free to go out. … Now I get terrified when I feel explosions shake the house.” © 2015 Hanan Alsurmi for Human Rights Watch

People with disabilities during conflict and displacement face added risks of abandonment, neglect and lack of equal access to food and health care, Human Rights Watch said today on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. While governments, donors and aid agencies are overwhelmed with many competing priorities during emergencies, they should ensure that the needs and concerns of people with disabilities are addressed in humanitarian efforts.

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