Statement of CD4Peace for the 40th Session of the Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council 40th Session, 2019.
Statement of Cultural diversity and Sustainable Development for Peace.

Dear President and participants,

Cultural Diversity and Sustainable Development for Peace -CD4Peace- wants to express its concern regarding children with disabilities in zones of conflict. These children are affected by their countries’ situation in their daily life locally, as well as in the context of migration and displacement.
In Yemen, the situation of these children has become critical. With the impairment of humanitarian access, the destruction of schools, the cut in medical and food supplies and the lack of accessible medical facilities, children and especially the ones with disabilities are extremely vulnerable.
Some of them, who need ongoing medication or services, are facing an absence of such treatment and are unable to engage in basic day-to-day activities and even struggle to survive.
With regard to the recent Syrian war, due to the difficulty of transporting a handicapped person, many children with disabilities and their parents have been unable to flee to safe areas.
For those who succeeded, the lack of specialized services and facilities during their arrival in host countries and in refugee camps was a serious issue.

CD4Peace wants to reaffirm the importance of protecting all children, including the ones with disabilities, in the context of warfare and in the process of conflict resolution.
Therefore, our main recommendations are:
– to shift from an ‘assistance approach’ to a ‘development approach’ based on rights, through inclusive policies and education;
– to invest in recovery programs for those children and allocate resources for long-term rehabilitation services such as emotional healthcare and psychosocial aid;
– for those involved in providing aid, to collaborate with people with disabilities and the mechanisms representing them in order to adopt more inclusive and adapted actions.

Thank you for your attention.