Efforts needed to address the impact of war on persons with disabilities

New York, 16 January 2009 – Rehabilitation International (RI) supports calls from Egypt and the European Union for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and urges the relevant authorities to take all necessary actions to address the ongoing humanitarian emergency, including specific actions to assist persons with disabilities and their families.

Armed conflicts and wars cause long-term disabilities in large sections of the population and are situations of high risk for everyone including persons with disabilities. According to latest reports, the 19-day conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 1,000 people killed, with up to 4,500 wounded. These terrible casualties include women and children together with an increasing number of persons with a disability. Little information exists about the situation facing persons with disabilities in these conflict zones.

“The disability community, together with humanitarian organizations, government agencies and the UN must work together to actively involve and assist persons with disabilities during an emergency such as Gaza. Longer term measures are also needed to support persons with a disability resulting from the crisis,” said Michael Fox, Chair of the RI Working Group on Humanitarian Emergencies. “War has many effects – including traumatic stress and the need for rehabilitation services. We must focus our efforts on ensuring appropriate services and support are available and accessible.”

RI calls on all States involved in this conflict to uphold the universal human rights of all persons, including ratification of the May 2008 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
To date, 44 countries have ratified the CRPD – including Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia in the Arab Region. The CRPD includes provisions for the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies.

For more information, please contact Venus Ilagan (sg@riglobal.org), RI Secretary General, or Shantha Rau Barriga (shantha@riglobal.org), Program Director, phone +1-212-420-1500.

# # #

About RI
Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI) is a diverse, global network of experts, professionals and advocates working together to advance the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. RI is currently composed of over 1,000 members and affiliated organizations in 93 nations, in all regions of the world.
For more information about RI, please visit our accessible website: http://www.riglobal.org.