DRG Newsletter - March 2023

Monthly Newsletter | Issue 29

Welcome to the DRG Monthly Newsletter!

Woman sitting on a wheelchair on the scattered street

©Nadia Doloh

Dear DRG Members,

April is now round the corner and with it comes a very busy month in which humanitarian organizations will come together once again during the Humanitarian Network and Partnership week (HNPW) to share learnings, good practices, and debate how to best go about the significant challenges the sector faces addressing the increasing impact humanitarian crisis have on the most at risk communities around the world. It was at the HNPW 2020, that the DRG was officially launched as a platform to foster collaboration, coordination and exchange of ideas and experiences in response to the global call to bring disability inclusion to the center of humanitarian action. Three years have now passed and the DRG has become a diverse community of more than 300 members committed to learn and support uphold the rights of persons with disabilities in crisis situations. This year we wont miss the opportunity to share at the HNPW some of the work we have achieved over this period and keep reflecting on how to best promote the role of and develop partnerships with OPDs. So don’t forget to sign up to our sessions!

Kindest Regards,

Elham Youssefian (International Disability Alliance)
Christian Modino Hok (CBM Global)
Kirstin Lange (UNICEF)

9th Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week

by UNOCHA

9^thHumanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW 2023) will be held in a hybrid format over a two-week period from 17 to 28 April 2023. The first week (17-21 April) will be held remotely, and the second week will be organized face-to-face from 24 to 28 April 2023 at the International Conference Centre (CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The event will include numerous sessions related to inclusion, with 2 sessions being organized by the Disability Reference Group:

Partnership with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities: how to bridge disability inclusion and localization. 17 April 2pm CET. More information and registration here.
Disability Inclusion: Translating Guidance into Action- latest resources and developments. 20 April 9am CET. More information and registration here.

All Inclusion- related sessions can be found at this link.

MORE INFORMATION

Included, Every Step of the Way

by UNICEF

two girls holding a doll and a boy watching them

Children with disabilities and children on the move are among the most marginalized young populations around the globe. But what happens when these two identities intersect?

A new UNICEF report, Included, Every Step of the Way: Upholding the rights of migrant and displaced children with disabilities, asks this question. Whether they live in humanitarian settings or high-income countries, the report finds, children with disabilities who have migrated or been displaced face serious risks and severe deprivations. Many do not have access to the health care, food or clean water they need to survive and thrive. Many are missing from the classroom. Many are exposed to violence and exploitation. And when crisis hits, many of these children will suffer disproportionate harm. Yet, despite these high barriers to equal participation in society, the rights of children with disabilities who are on the move remain overlooked, neglected, and ignored by policymakers and practitioners.

ACCESS THE REPORT

Information on the Upcoming CoSP

by UN

he Conference of States Parties to the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP16) graphic

The 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (CoSP16) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, from 13 to 15 June 2023.

Overarching theme: Harmonizing national policies and strategies with the CRPD: achievements and challenges

Sub theme 1: Ensuring equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities
Sub theme 2: Digital accessibility for persons with disabilities
Sub theme 3: Reaching the under-represented groups of persons with disabilities

Side-events

Applications for side-events will be launched beginning of April, stay tuned!

Civil Society Participation

Registration for NGOs with ECOSOC status and NGOs Accredited to the Conference of State Parties is NOW open: The deadline is now 1 June 2023. For questions related to your indico registration, please contact us by email at [email protected].
Application for New NGO accreditation: The deadline is 20 April 2023. For questions related to your application, please contact us by email at [email protected].

MORE INFORMATION

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN EMERGENCIES

by INEE ECD Working Group

This brief advocates for and highlights the benefits of disability-inclusive Early Childhood Development in Emergencies (ECDiE). It includes examples of good practices in disability-inclusive ECDiE programming from around the world; in addition, it provides recommendations for governments, donors, and programmers for a more inclusive ECDiE. The brief is available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

ACCESS THE BRIEF

Examining intersectionality of children’s violence risk by gender and disability status

by IRC

The article Violent Discipline in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo: The Role of Child Gender and Disability Status in Cross-sectional Analysis, published in Maternal and Child Health, takes an intersectional approach to examining harsh child discipline. It reports findings that compared to women with boy children with no disability, odds of perpetration of violent discipline were higher among those with girl children with no disability (aOR: 2.24; 95%CI: 1.11–4.51) and boy children with moderate or severe disability (aOR: 2.91; 95%CI: 1.14–7.33). In contrast, the interaction of child gender and disability level were not significantly associated with perpetration of violent discipline for men, but disability attitudes were significantly associated (aOR: 1.07; 95%CI: 1.00-1.15). Results suggest that levels of violence in conflict-affected households in North Kivu, DRC are high, with women reporting higher levels of violent discipline overall, and amplified use of violence against girl children with disabilities. More research and programs with an intersectional lens are needed in conflict settings to better understand and address the use of violent discipline and underlying discriminatory norms around gender and disability.