In the context of emergencies, persons with disabilities are often neglected in the assessment, design, and delivery of humanitarian assistance. They face greater marginalization and discrimination. For example, children with disabilities are at higher risk of abuse and neglect during humanitarian crises; and women with disabilities are at higher risk of sexual violence. Emergency situations such as conflicts or natural disasters can also generate an increased number of people who experience disability owing to new injuries, a lack of quality medical care, or the collapse of essential services.
Mainstreaming disability inclusion means a consistent and systematic approach to disability inclusion in all stages of the project management cycle, including needs assessment, project design (budgeting to ensure inclusion) and monitoring and evaluation (adapted methodology). This is achieved when persons with disabilities meaningfully participate in all their diversity, when their rights are promoted, and when disability-related concerns are addressed through mainstreaming and/or targeted programmes.
The Coordinator should aim to:
- Disseminate among partners the IASC guidelines (chapters on Food security and nutrition and Livelihoods) on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action: “Must do” actions include ensuring participation of and removing barriers faced by persons with disabilities, supporting their empowerment, and strengthening data collection and monitoring (disaggregated by sex, age and disability). “Recommended actions” provide a practical overview of actions to take in a food security context.
- Where possible, the Coordinator should encourage a twin-track approach: 1) mainstreaming of disability in FSC programmes (activities are designed and adapted to ensure they include and are accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities); and 2) provision of targeted support where needed (accommodate the individual requirements of persons with disabilities, with respect to communication, food rations, packaging etc). This would include recommending that FSC members’ distribution sites are accessible and vulnerable people (elderly, PLW and disable people) have priority lanes.
- Where possible, liaise with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Umbrella Organisations (as well as specialised agencies on disability inclusion e.g. Humanity and Inclusion) and nominate an FSC disability focal point who can support FSC partners to mainstream disability
- Ensure, where possible, data disaggregation by age, gender and disability in 5Ws, needs assessments, reports etc. It is useful, for instance, to see how the food consumption score (FCS) differs in HHs with members with disabilities or outlining the difference between Female Headed Households and Male Headed Households.
- See also protection (5.7.4) - ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities is key to protection and AAP.
See also the recommended FSC Coordinator actions common for all cross-cutting concerns in 5.7.6.
Support: Contact the global Food Security cluster Helpdesk.
Guidance and Resources:
- See the food security and nutrition chapter (p. 93-101) and livelihoods chapter (pp. 103-109) in the IASC Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (IASC 2019).
- See also the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for older persons and persons with disabilities (part of the Sphere Standards) in particular the Food Security and Livelihoods Inclusion Standards (CBM, HelpAge, HI, 2018)
- Relevant Tip Sheets: See Tip Sheet on Disability Inclusion in the HNOs and HRPs Food Security Chapters (gFSC, 2022), Tip sheet for monitoring a disability-inclusive response to COVID-19 in humanitarian settings (Disability Advisory Group, 2020), Tip Sheet on Integrating Protection Dimensions of Food Security in the HNO and HRP process (gFSC, 2021).
- The Mainstreaming AAP and Core People-Related Issues in the HPC (gFSC/GNC 2015) can help with integration of disability, age, gender and protection in food security programming.
- For further background see the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- See more resources on food security and disability on the FSC website here.