Syrian refugees with disabilities in Jordan and Turkey

Abstract

<p>According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency charged with caring for the world's refugees, by the end of 2013 there were over 51 million displaced persons 'of concern' across the globe.¹ This report shares findings from a project which seeks to shed light on the experiences of an oftenoverlooked subsection of this group: refugees who have disabilities.² The project evaluates the protection and assistance given to persons with disabilities in displacement situations in six different host countries. To assist us in this task we have developed and tested a tool for identifying persons with disabilities within displaced populations. Adopting the functionality approach mandated by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), our tool draws heavily from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).³ The project began in 2012 with fieldwork in Malaysia and Indonesia. In 2013, our team undertook research in Pakistan and Uganda. Finally in 2014, we travelled to Jordan and Turkey to complete the project fieldwork.⁴</p>