9 May 2019 18:00 - 19:30

First to be Forgotten - Persons with Disability and Armed Conflict

On 9 May the ICRC and the Geneva Academy launched a new research report on the situation of persons with disabilities, International Humanitarian Law and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in states experiencing armed conflict. This discussion featured an expert panel from the ICRC, Geneva Academy and humanitarian organisations.

Video

Speakers & panellists

Marco Sassòli
Opening Remarks

Marco Sassòli

Director, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Alice Priddy
Key Note Speaker and Panelist

Alice Priddy

Senior Researcher, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Hugo Slim
Panelist

Hugo Slim

Head of Policy, International Committee of the Red Cross

Ezequiel Heffes
Panelist

Ezequiel Heffes

Thematic Legal Advisor, Geneva Call

Shahrzad Tadjbakhsh
Panelist

Shahrzad Tadjbakhsh

Deputy Director in the Division of International Protection, UNHCR

Mina Mojtahedi
Moderator

Mina Mojtahedi

Disability Inclusion Adviser, International Committee of the Red Cross

About the event

Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence compared to persons without disabilities. Support mechanisms for accessing basic services such as water, sanitation, food, shelter and health care may be disrupted as well as existing environmental, communication and attitudinal barriers in accessing services may be further exacerbated. Moreover, humanitarian services are often not adapted to ensure that persons with disabilities can access them, and as a result, persons with disabilities are too often left out and left behind.

Following a three-year research project, the Geneva Academy is releasing a report focused on the situation of persons with disabilities in five states experiencing different levels of armed conflict or its aftermath (the DRC, Colombia, Palestine, Ukraine and Vietnam). The research investigates the impact of armed conflict on persons with disabilities and the application of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The report assesses the relationship between the CRPD and IHL and makes recommendations regarding a range of conflict specific issues including the proportionality assessment, effective warning systems, evacuation procedures and the treatment of prisoners of war and internees from a disability inclusive perspective.

On 9 May the ICRC and the Geneva Academy launched the research report at the ICRC Humanitarium. Alice Priddy, Senior Researcher at Geneva Academy, presented the key findings and recommendations from her report. This was followed by a panel discussion with key experts on IHL, CRPD and humanitarian response. The Geneva Academy research project is accompanied by a photography exhibition by Giles Duley on persons with disabilities and armed conflict which will take place on Quai Wilson from April 30 to May 30, 2019. During the event, Stephen Wilkinson, Global International Humanitarian Law Advisor at Diakonia, provided an introductory overview of the photography exhibition.

This event was jointly organised with the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.

Date & Time

9 May 2019 18:00 - 19:30

Venue address

ICRC Humanitarium
Avenue de la Paix 17, 1202, Genève