Disabled, injured and older refugees
Within the refugee population from Syria older, disabled and injured refugees face specific challenges that contribute to their vulnerability, yet, studies of humanitarian programming show that these same groups are often neglected in the assessment, data collection, design and delivery of responses.
Therefore, in October and November 2013, Handicap International and HelpAge International undertook a research project to highlight the number and needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon living with impairment, injury and chronic disease – for the purposes of this study these groups are referred to as “people with specific needs”. Throughout the report specific consideration is given to the position of older people with specific needs. Due to access and security constraints it was not possible to collect data in Syria itself, however it is recognised that the needs of refugees identified in the following report will be reflected within Syria, and that in this more extreme humanitarian situation the issues outlined in the report demand further consideration and response.
The findings of this work present a new and critical perspective on the position of the identified groups and the risks and vulnerabilities they face, with far-reaching consequences for the way current humanitarian responses are designed and delivered. As such, the report aims to contribute to the evidence base humanitarians use to design responses, and to support the delivery of inclusive activities which identify and respond to the needs of people with specific needs.
