The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Yemen hast reported that 4.9 million persons with disabilities (PWDs) are facing extremely difficult circumstances due to ongoing crisis.
According to a recent report by OCHA, “Yemen’s prolonged crisis has left countless individuals displaced, injured, and traumatized. Among the affected population are persons with disabilities (PWDs), including those with physical and/or mental disabilities, who face a unique set of challenges.”
The report explained that “PWDs face significant barriers to inclusion, exacerbated by the breakdown of community support, conflict, economic hardships, and lack of services,” adding that “Stigma and social isolation are prevalent, with a Humanity and Inclusion (HI) overview in 2023 revealing that 89 percent of PWDs feel disrespected by their communities.”
The UN report also confirmed that access to fundamental services like healthcare and education is inadequate, posing severe challenges to well-being of those people.
OCHA said that “A lack of comprehensive disability data— notably in the north of Yemen—hampers the understanding of their needs and the challenges they face, particularly for women and girls with disabilities. This makes the situation for PWDs in Yemen incredibly challenging, with their needs often overlooked.”
“Displaced PWDs, in particular, face additional vulnerabilities in camps, such as insecurity, violence, and lack of safe, accessible facilities. This situation also affects their ability to partake in humanitarian and recovery efforts, increasing their risk of abuse and neglect,” added the report.
