Message from the Resident Representative, Ramla Khalidi
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It is a jarring statistic: more than one in every four individuals in Syria, or 28 per cent of the total population, live with some form of disability. This is more than double the global average.
On December 3, 2021, UNDP marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with a series of events and advocacy messages. Like every year, it was an opportunity to emphasize disability inclusion as an essential condition to uphold human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security. We also recommitted to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to “Leave No One Behind”.
Persons with disabilities in Syria face multiple structural, legal and administrative barriers to access health care, education, employment and to participate fully in community life. Over 10 years of crisis, a deteriorating socio-economic situation and the COVID-19 pandemic have further imposed additional burdens and obstacles on persons with disabilities in Syria. That is why an integrated approach is necessary to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
We are happy to spotlight the theme of disability and disability inclusion in this edition of our quarterly newsletter, highlighting the integrated programmatic interventions of UNDP in support of physical and mental well-being, socio-economic integration, legislative and social advancement, and capacity development. I invite you to follow the stories of Fatima, Hanin and Mayas who represent some of the thousands of beneficiaries and agents of change UNDP works with every day. Their resilience and perseverance are inspiring others in their community and beyond.
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The UNDP Syria country programme is a people-centered programme that supports crisis-affected people across Syria with integrated early recovery interventions to improve their lives and reduce negative coping mechanisms as well as dependence on humanitarian relief. UNDP achieves this by:
- Supporting income generation activities to enable families to meet their basic needs through creating jobs, providing skills and vocational training, and reviving disrupted small local businesses.
- Supporting rural livelihoods to increase agricultural production and enhance food security for local communities.
- Ensuring clean and healthy environments through the safe removal of debris and solid waste.
- Supporting improved access to critical basic services including education, health, water and electricity, through the light rehabilitation of damaged schools, community health centers, water and electricity networks and power stations, as well as introducing renewable energy solutions.
- Engaging local communities in dialogue and promoting social cohesion, through targeted participatory workshops and social activities including arts, culture and sports.
- As crosscutting interventions, UNDP ensures that a context sensitive human rights-based approach informs its programme and seeks to mainstream gender equality, women and youth empowerment, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities across its programme.
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As part of its response to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, UNDP has prioritized access of vulnerable populations to local health services. To do so, it has supported the light rehabilitation and equipping of health facilities that service communities in need and respond to emergency life-saving assistance. One such facility is Al-Haffe Hospital in rural Lattakia Governorate which was rehabilitated with the environment and clean energy in mind. Following a critical intervention by UNDP, the hospital is now equipped with:
- 6 isolation rooms accommodating 24 patient-beds with negative pressure functionality to protect medical staff from infection and from spreading the virus to the remaining units of the hospital.
- Off-grid photovoltaic systems to ensure uninterrupted power supply to 6 respiratory machines in the negative pressure rooms.
- On-grid photovoltaic systems as a clean source of energy supporting the main and backup diesel generators of the hospital.
- Closed waste-water treatment plant in compliance with global health and environmental standards where treated water can be reused for irrigation purposes.
- Also, UNDP revised the medical waste management practices at Al-Haffeh Hospital where an updated waste management plan will be provided. This plan includes assessment, recommendation for improvement and identification of gaps in equipment, tools and training for staff to ensure efficient and safe management of medical waste.
UNDP’s response to COVID-19 also encompasses other areas of interventions, especially those focusing on supporting the livelihoods of people who lost their jobs during the pandemic. In this direction, UNDP has established a new digital platform called “Tashbeek” an Arabic word that refers to “Networking”. The platform hosted a virtual career fair where jobseekers were able to directly connect with employers. As a result, more than 5,600 job applications have been received so far.
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With unemployment estimated close to 50%, COVID-19 heavily impacted employment opportunities across Syria.
Using gaming and digital technology, UNDP supported job seekers by creating the first virtual career fair in Syria where employers and job seekers can meet with a click of a button.
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As part of the fruitful partnership with the Government of Finland, UNDP Syria is implementing a programme to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs). The integrated approach promotes equal opportunities for people with disabilities to ensure improved access to health services and livelihood opportunities, in addition to an accessible and inclusive environment.
UNDP's strategy to support PWDs in Syria is based on the human rights-based approach to disability in line with the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the principle of leaving no one behind.
The strategy consists of four interlinked pillars that are implemented in an integrated approach:
- Physical and mental well-being
- Socio-economic integration
- Legislative framework and social norms
- Capacity development
Thanks to the generous financial contribution of the Government of Finland over the last four years, UNDP has improved the resilience of PWDs, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
UNDP is supporting 5 centres in different parts of Syria that focus on the rehabilitation and livelihoods of persons with disabilities. Four of these centres receive funding from Finland.
In an effort to support youth with disabilities, a solidarity crowdfunding campaign has been launched to support a group of students with disabilities. The support has helped the students prepare for the national matriculation exam. The support included access to internet, including necessary educational and learning resources during the difficult time of the COVID-19 lockdown, and beyond. This campaign is part of a diverse programme to raise awareness on disability inclusion and connect young people with disabilities.
In 2021, and through a communication for development project, UNDP focused on empowering and facilitating networking among young PWDs to enhance their role as change actors for inclusion. UNDP developed several interventions such an online web application, social media campaign and online competition on inclusive content creation.
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“A car accident left me paralyzed. Doctors told me I won’t be able to walk again. I went through a lot of hard times, but with will power and determination, I was able to move using a walker and then crutches. The most beautiful feeling for me was the first time my feet touched the street” (Fatima, 29, Aleppo).
UNDP’s intervention provided Fatima with essential physical and psychosocial therapy that helped her overcome the physical and mental scars of the accident which left her paralyzed.
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In Syria, 11-year-old Hanin takes a step forward with support from Japan-funded UNDP disability programme.
Hanin was just five years old when a shell exploded and lodged a piece of shrapnel into her left leg in her hometown of Deir-Ez-Zor in eastern Syria.
“My body was covered in blood,” recalls Hanin, now 11. “I looked down, discovered my leg was not there, and burst into tears.” Children like Hanin often require multiple medical and surgical interventions as their bodies grow. UNDP’s support ensured that Hanin was able to take bold steps forward.
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Enter any Syrian household and you will find that, by force of habit, they have stores of recyclable materials; a big plastic bag full of smaller plastic bags, a corner under the sink reserved for reusable plastic bottles, empty metal cans full of old screws and nails, and neatly flattened & stored carton boxes… The reason why this “junk” is being stored is because “who knows, one day they might come in handy”. That is the main message behind the accelerator lab campaign #الا_ما_تنفع (#itmightbeuseful). Follow their story to understand how solutions mapping, exploration and experimentation helped us better understand what makes people tick when it comes to waste.
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Meet Mayas and learn more about his journey with UNDP’s disability inclusion bootcamp and how he promotes a human-rights based approach to disability inclusion.
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This brief provides a comprehensive overview of UNDP Syria’s work on disability inclusion.
Inclusive policies and programmes are sound investments in society, and both the SDGs and the CRPD are mutually inclusive and critical for developing an effective disability inclusion and overall recovery and resilience programme. The brief touches upon UNDP’s strategy and approach, elaborates some key results and presents our vision for the future.
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