Stories of the War-wounded and War-disabled in Jordan

Free Syrian Translators

Dr Shahrazad al-Jundi

3 December 2012

Posters

by: Diala Brisly

Convention On The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities

The Convention in Brief

Countries that join in the Convention engage themselves to develop and carry out policies, laws and administrative measures for securing the rights recognized in the Convention and abolish laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination.

As a change of perceptions is essential to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, ratifying countries are to combat stereotypes and prejudices and promote awareness of the capabilities of persons with disabilities.

Countries are to guarantee that persons with disabilities enjoy their inherent right to life on an equal basis with others, ensure the equal rights and advancement of women and girls with disabilities (Article 6) and protect children with disabilities.

Disability during armed conflict and emergency situations

What is disability?

The UN estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities in the world today. This number is increasing every year due to factors such as war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, or the absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment.

The Right to Rehabilitation Persons with disabilities have the right to rehabilitation (a process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, social functional levels, providing them with the tools to achieve higher levels of independence) Rehabilitation is a right for every individual with disability regardless of the type and degree of their disability and Governments, organizations and communities are required to ensure the provision of appropriate rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities.

Awareness Campaign on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities during the Syrian Revolution

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 10% of the world’s population - approximately 650 million people, of which 200 million are children - experience some form of disability and 80% of all people with disabilities live in developing countries.

Estimates indicate that anywhere between 5  and 10 percent of the Syrian population are persons with disabilities (2008). Conflict situations increase the vulnerability of persons possessing already a disability and raise the number of newly disabled persons. That happens indirectly by breakdown of social structures and services like family links and health and other infrastructures the persons with disabilities rely on, and directly by casualties caused by weapons, mines, bombs and other explosives.