In a world marked by conflict and division, the quest for sustainable peace has never been more urgent. I can’t listen to the constant barrage of heartbreaking news of violence erupting throughout the world without being struck by the thought: Isn’t there something more that I can do as CEO of a disability-led organization? I believe the answer is: Yes!
Why is it that people with disabilities are often overlooked and excluded from peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery efforts? People with disabilities are not only disproportionately affected by war, but too many of us acquire our disabilities as a result of conflict. And yes, I can hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time: I can be proud to be a person with a disability and, at the same time, I can be a disability rights activist holding the world accountable for all the violence that causes disability.
Disability inclusion is a unique and vital component of effective peacebuilding and conflict recovery. People disabled by war and trauma need treatment and care for healing, and all people with disabilities need accessible humanitarian relief and opportunities to participate in peacebuilding. Inaccessible humanitarian responses make difficult situations worse, as people with disabilities are often devalued, ignored and left behind. Paradoxically, the destruction of buildings, roads and infrastructure also offers the opportunity to rebuild communities that are accessible from the ground up.
For all of these reasons, it is critical for people with disabilities to be involved in, and leading, peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery efforts.
People with disabilities must be at the forefront of the peacebuilding processes. Efforts led by disabled people can highlight the importance of ensuring that rebuilding efforts are sustainable and equitable by prioritizing accessible infrastructure and inclusive governance.
Disability inclusion has been demonstrated to offer an effective “wedge issue,” a shared concern that can lead to rare collaboration among people who are in conflict. In situations in which finding common ground is difficult, access and inclusion of people with disabilities and their families can be a non-controversial issue around which divergent communities can bridge differences to find shared solutions.
Investing in disability-led peacebuilding ensures that initiatives are comprehensive and address the needs of all community members. With this approach, people with all types of disabilities will be able to prosper, alongside their fellow community members, in a new environment and have a stake in the peace we are all seeking.
In my more than 40 years of international experience, I have met disabled activists from conflict-affected countries across the world, including Haiti, South Sudan, Pakistan, El Salvador, Armenia, and others. Through our commonality as people with disabilities, we form bonds that go beyond our national identities and the conflicts that have arisen within and among our countries.
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to travel with a delegation to Sarajevo, at a time when rebuilding from the regional conflict was just beginning. As disabled women activists from the United States, we were able to bring people with disabilities from diverse ethnic identities together, including those newly disabled by the war, to at least begin to talk about how to rebuild a community that would be more accessible and inclusive to all. One notable outcome was a proclamation by the Mayor of Tuzla that all newly constructed buildings in the city would be accessible.
Recently, Mobility International USA (MIUSA) has been partnering with the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP)* to provide trainings to USIP staff on prioritizing disability inclusion in their work. Our trainings highlighted concrete actions and strategies, from creating more inclusive policies and designing accessible programs, to hiring leaders with disabilities and engaging Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs) as partners.
In the MIUSA-led trainings, USIP staff also had the opportunity to learn directly from two disabled women leaders who are engaged in peace processes in their own conflict-affected countries. Caroline Atim of South Sudan and Mause Francois of Haiti, both alumni of MIUSA’s Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD), shared their experiences and advice as peacebuilders with disabilities.
Caroline, who became Deaf as a result of the conflict in her country, founded and is the Executive Director of the South Sudan Women with Disabilities Network. During the USIP trainings, she spoke passionately about her experience participating in the constitution-making process in South Sudan. Caroline described a campaign she had led to build trust between government officials and disabled women on issues of conflict-related sexual violence, as many women and girls with disabilities had been targets of violence during the conflict. Caroline was also deeply involved as a representative of women with disabilities in the Women’s Forum for Peace in South Sudan.
“I was able to push for inclusive participation of women with disabilities in the government formation process. After my strong advocacy, when the peace agreement was signed, I was so glad that we were able to ensure affirmative action for women to be represented in the new government. The Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) affirms that a minimum of 35% of political appointees will be women, including women with disabilities. Notably, the central state government has appointed a woman with a disability as a Member of Parliament, marking significant strides in representation.” – Caroline Atim
Mause, a disability rights activist from Haiti, also presented on her leadership experiences working as Program Specialist for UN Women and the Head of Unit for Women, Peace and Security Humanitarian Action.
“We have been able to create a network of women peace mediators [which includes disabled women] to develop the first National Action plan of Haiti, and we developed a toolkit on peace mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Now we are revising the project to adapt to the current situation in Haiti, for example providing psychosocial support for women who are victims of gang violence.” – Mause Francois
In addition, Mause highlighted ways by which peacebuilding organizations can incorporate disability inclusion as an essential strategy, such as consulting with Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs), ensuring that all media platforms are accessible, and conducting inclusive data collection.
It has been an honor for MIUSA to support USIP on their journey toward disability-inclusive peacebuilding. We look forward to continuing our collaboration, and hope to work with others who are involved in peacebuilding initiatives, to ensure that disabled leaders, especially women with disabilities, are at the forefront of these efforts.
The inclusion of people with disabilities in peacebuilding processes is essential.
As we all move forward in our global peacebuilding efforts, let the strength of people with disabilities, and the global community of disabled activists and their allies everywhere, be a new source of peacebuilding.
The path to peace is complex, but by elevating the unique experiences and expertise of people with disabilities, we can work toward a future where everyone has a stake in the peace we seek to build. That is my prayer for peace.
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