Improving Access of Children with Disabilities to Education Services - Handicap International 2017

January 2017 - This project is part of the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Projects under this appeal help to reduce the vulnerability of Palestinians especially women and children affected by the ongoing crisis. Of the 4.8 million people who live in the West Bank and Gaza the United Nations estimates that approximately two million will need some form of humanitarian assistance in 2017. Palestinians endure high rates of poverty unemployment and food insecurity. Internal displacement and recurrent conflict have eroded coping mechanisms and necessitate a humanitarian response focused on protection. With Global Affairs Canada’s support Handicap International Canada supports increased access to adapted and specialized education services and support for over 250 children with disabilities in Gaza. The project also trains teachers and other educational staff to improve their responses to children with disabilities’ learning needs help families to support their children with disabilities hold inclusion activities such as summer camps for children with disabilities and their peers and raise awareness in the wider community about the rights of children with disabilities in particular girls.

The expected results for this project include: (1) reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children; specifically (2) increased access of girls and boys with disabilities to adapted specialized education services respecting minimum humanitarian standards; and (3) increased preparedness of education stakeholders (cluster members community educational staff children at schools and peers) to respond to the educational needs of children with disabilities. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are food insecure.