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Reversing realities UNRWA’s commitment to people with disabilities > Kirstin Lange
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Sustainable Livelihoods
Reversing realities
UNRWA’s commitment to people with disabilities
Around the world, people with disabilities are often marginalised in society and denied
access to basic services; due to stigma, a lack of awareness, physical inaccessibility and
other barriers. Australian Volunteer Disability Policy Adviser, Kirstin Lange, writes about
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East, and their efforts to reverse these realities and embed their work with people with
disabilities as one of the agencies’ fi ve cross-cutting issues.
» UNRWA has operated in Jordan, Syria,
Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza for over 60
years to provide essential services to
Palestinian refugees, in the areas of health,
education, social services, microfi nance and
job creation. A recent agency review of its
strategic delivery areas saw UNRWA
strengthen their work with people with
disabilities as one of its cross-cutting issues,
placing greater focus and attention on its
disability services and programs.
UNRWA identifi ed the agency needed to build
its own capacity to improve and develop its
response and services to people with
disabilities. AVI has worked with UNRWA to
achieve this and has informed my work as an
Australian Volunteer Disability Policy Adviser
with UNRWA. Developing UNRWA’s fi rst
Disability Policy and Strategy was a core
objective of my role.
The fi rst few months of this assignment were
focused on gaining a better understanding of
the situation in each of UNRWA’s Fields of
Operation, which varies both in terms of
UNRWA operations and the broader political
context. This followed with the policy drafting
process, which was carried out in
consultation with local and international
staff. My challenge was to ensure policy
balanced the needs of the overall agency, its
fi eld offi ces and various areas of service
provision.
In October 2010, it was rewarding to witness
UNRWA adopt the Disability Policy by its
senior management, which was the catalyst
for the Agency to move forward in more
practical ways to enhance service delivery to
people with disabilities. It also was the
impetus for my assignment objectives to move
from a policy focus to identifying opportunities
to support the implementation of practical “on
the ground” initiatives.
This has seen disability receive greater
attention in agency biennium planning
processes; promoted cooperation between
departments to deliver rehabilitation services;
provided a series of awareness raising
activities on International Day of People with
Disabilities; and inspired the development of
project proposals related to the rights of
people with disabilities.
On completion of my assignment, UNRWA has
made a real commitment to people with
disabilities in Palestinian communities
throughout the Middle East. They have taken
those vital steps to improve services, increase
participation and to promote rights of people
with disabilities.
The more visible this work by UNRWA, the
greater the awareness of the issues facing
people with disabilities and the more positive
their role will be in communities. As steps are
now underway to turn this commitment into
action, AVI will continue to work in partnership
with the Agency to make this movement a
reality. <
This is a position of the Australian Volunteers for
International Development program (AVID). AVI is
working in partnership with AusAID to deliver AVID.
Top > UNRWA delivers disability services to
Palestinian communities in Gaza.
Photo > Courtesy UNRWA
Above Right > Australian Volunteer Kirstin Lange.
Photo > Courtesy Kirstin Lange