Pilot Training on Disability Inclusion in the Humanitarian Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Response 

Category

Capacity Building IASC-Guidelines

The three-day training on disability inclusion in the humanitarian WASH response completed last week received positive feedback from participants, highlighting the need for new knowledge and skills on the topic. 

HI’s project team organised a training for eight humanitarian actors on “Introduction to disability-inclusive WASH: Amplifying changes towards an inclusive humanitarian WASH Response” in Berlin from 11 to 13 June 2024. 

During the training, participants gained a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in accessing WASH facilities and services. They also gained insight into the principles of disability-inclusive WASH programming and coordination, as well as the utilisation of the IASC Guidelines on Inclusion and other useful tools in their work. The training additionally facilitated exploration of specific topics such as menstrual hygiene management and incontinence in a humanitarian context. 

This training was a piloting of our upcoming learning package on inclusive WASH, scheduled for release after the summer. This modularised package has been developed in collaboration with WASH actors, including UNICEF, the German Toilet Organisation, Malteser International, Inclusion Africa, and WaterAid.  

The package is based on and adapted from the previously developed Training Package on Introduction to Inclusive Humanitarian Action from the Disability Reference Group. The existing modules, topics ranging from Introduction to Disability to disability-inclusive Accountability to Affected Populations (DiAAP), are adapted to the WASH sector with the creation of two additional modules on disability-inclusive Menstrual Health & Hygiene (DiMHH) and disability-inclusive community engagement. The collected feedback from the training participants will be used to finetune the learning package and adapt it to the needs of the WASH-actors.