Reports

Seven people share their lived experiences about accessing rehabilitation and assistive technology in conflict-affected areas in Colombia, Iraq and Laos.

In this detailed paper describing the challenges for humanitarian access in Gaza, NGOs highlight that the current situation is only expected to deteriorate even further with the Israeli military invasion of Rafah.

Within the context of the West Bank, Palestinians are constantly exposed to violence, which results in new injuries, long-term disabilities, and mental health challenges related to adverse experiences.

When explosive weapons are used in populated areas, they have direct and indirect impacts on the provision of services, community cohesion, humanitarian access, regular support for basic needs, physical safety, mental health and psychological well-being, as well as other social and economic impacts. The challenges and human impacts in hard-to-reach areas – such as in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts – exemplify the specific and systematic pattern of harm caused by explosive weapons during and after armed conflicts.

Women and girls living with disabilities have the same sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) as women and girls without disabilities. Women and girls with disabilities face different barriers when making independent, informed decisions about their bodies, health and lives. This document aims to increase awareness of a human rights-based approach to informed consent for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care and to promote equitable and inclusive practice.

The devastating impact of explosive weapons on civilians is not limited to direct harm on their lives and health. More often than not, reverberating or “domino’’ effects follow the destruction or damage of critical infrastructure and multiply the humanitarian impact of the use of these weapons. In this factsheet, Humanity & Inclusion details the immediate and long-term consequences of explosive weapons in Gaza.

Since October 7, the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip has completely collapsed. In northern Gaza, doctors are only able to offer patients the most basic assistance and conduct only emergency lifesaving surgeries, often under flashlights and with a minimal number of anesthetics and painkillers.

This data encompasses the severe impact of armed violence, with not only immediate fatalities but also a considerable number of injuries, leaving a profound and lasting humanitarian crisis in its wake. Both air-launched and surface-launched explosive weapons are being extensively employed against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe. The consequences are devastating, with not only civilians being directly killed and injured, but also massive destruction of infrastructure, including homes, schools, and hospitals, being destroyed, and entire communities forced to flee their homes.

Humanity & Inclusion is a recognized leader in the inclusion of persons with disabilities, with the added value of systematically addressing the intersectionality of age, gender, and disability alongside other key contextual factors contributing to risk and vulnerability. People with disabilities in Gaza are facing the inability to evacuate, separation from family and the inability to access aid.

Women and girls with disabilities are rarely taken into consideration or specifically targeted through humanitarian and development investment. As long as women and gender diverse people with disabilities continue to be excluded, women’s empowerment and women’s meaningful participation will not be attained by all women. This briefing paper was written by Humanity & Inclusion in partnership with DAWN Canada, Live Work Well Research Center, and Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development.