From November 13 to 19, 2023, the International Disability Alliance (IDA), CBM Global, and UNICEF under the Reference Group on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (DRG), is conducting the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Module 3 on CRPD Article 11— Situations of Risk and Humanitarian Emergencies for French Speaking African Countries. The training is taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, in partnership with National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda (NUDOR), African Disability Forum (ADF), and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC). The training is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and supported by the International Organization form Migration (IOM), making this third training after sessions for South Asia and Pacific in Nepal and for MENA countries in Jordan.
The training is hosting 19 participants from OPDs (Organizations of Persons with Disabilities) and 9 participants from Humanitarian Organizations including UN Agencies, INGOs and NGOs from French speaking African countries, particularly from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote D'Ivore, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Niger, Rwanda.
This workshop profits from the expertise of seven dedicated facilitators representing esteemed organizations, including the Federation Nigerienne des Personnes Handicapees (FNPH), WAFOD, FEMAPH, Enable the Disabled Action (EDA), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and CBM Global. Drawing from diverse backgrounds and experiences, these facilitators contribute valuable insights to the discussions, enriching the learning experience for all Bridge CRPD-SDGs participants.
During the opening session, Dr. Beth Nasiforo Mukarwego, Chairperson of NUDOR, welcomed participants from different countries, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in humanitarian actions. "NUDOR's commitment to inclusive humanitarian actions is strong. Let's work together to address challenges and bring positive change in Africa," she added.
On behalf of IDA, Idriss Maiga, President of the African Disability Forum and Board Member of IDA, expressed gratitude to NUDOR for their support in the preparation and assured that the knowledge gained would be disseminated to reach persons with disabilities. “This training serves as an opportunity to build strong collaborations and networks for implementing the outcomes,” he added.
Christian Modino Hok, Humanitarian Director, CBM Global, acknowledged IDA's commitment to mobilize resources for such trainings, emphasizing the importance of networking and interaction with humanitarian actors.
The first substantive session of the day was the Game of Life exercise where participants explored and experienced barriers encountered by different impairment groups during humanitarian emergencies. The additional impact of persons with disabilities facing intersectional discrimination was also demonstrated. One of the participants, shared his experience, emphasizing the need to develop resilience and enhance the capacity of persons with disabilities for self-autonomy. “The exercise opened minds to the importance of being prepared to confront various situations encountered throughout life,” he added.
This exercise and the debrief that followed prepared the ground for the rest of the training, with humanitarians spending the rest of the day delving into the CRPD, and OPDs deepening their exposure to humanitarian mechanisms. They will then come together to collectively develop a shared understanding of disability inclusive humanitarian action in situations of complex emergencies.
In Kigali, this workshop will be followed by a consultation on the Global Disability Summit for OPD participants. Other workshops that will take place alongside this event are a workshop on Assistive Technology for Rwandan OPDs, and a regional workshop on SDG report writing in line with the CRPD.
