Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons with Disabilities

On December 4, 2020, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate and frame their collaboration. Building on the unique status of UNHCR as the main coordinator of global refugee response, and IDA unique representation of persons with disabilities and their organizations, this MOU has initiated a key collaboration toward enhancing equal protection, inclusion, and participation of forcibly displaced and Stateless persons with disabilities.

According to this MOU, UNHCR and IDA commit to joining efforts and exchange expertise to actively promote the rights of persons of concern with disabilities and affected communities through a partnership to strengthen the capacity and cooperation between organisations of persons with disabilities and UNHCR HQ, Bureaus and country offices. The expected outcome of this collaboration will be enhanced visibility and respect for the rights of persons of concern with disabilities across the capacity-building, coordination, advocacy, human rights monitoring and strategic efforts undertaken by both Parties.

The document below provides a  general overview of the areas of collaboration, as well as roles Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, can play and the achievements they can expect.

• Please download the English version of the document in MS Word here and in PDF here. 
• Please download the Arabic version of the document in MS Word here and in PDF here. 
  
• Please download the Spanish version of the document in MS Word here and in PDF here.
• Please download the French version of the document in MS Word here and in PDF here.
• Please watch the International Sign version here.