5.2.5 Humanitarian organizations
The complex humanitarian operational environment should not serve as an excuse for not targeting persons with disabilities or for excluding them from projects. Humanitarian organizations should therefore:
- further invest in capacity-building on disability inclusion of their humanitarian staff at all levels of the response
- continue their awareness-raising activities among local traditional leaders, communities and their own staff and involve persons with disabilities in this process
- promote the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities, including those with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, at all levels and stages of the humanitarian response
- empower persons with disabilities and inform them about their rights
- in inaccessible regions, identify representatives as key informants to have access to qualitative and quantitative data on disability
- use the Washington Group Short Set of Questions in needs assessments and community engagement questionnaires to identify persons with disabilities
- where no evidence on disability is available, assume that at least 15 per cent of the population have a disability
- remember that multiple layers of communication are often needed to consult with persons with disabilities, also taking into account the number of local languages spoken in South Sudan, and include any additional costs in the project proposals/budgets
- support the establishment of OPDs and self-help groups and enhance the cooperation with them, especially in the regions
- make sure that all humanitarian services become fully accessible
- document good practices and engage in knowledge exchange.