UN shared the problems of IDPs with disabilities

10:18 / 20 Jul. 2016 / 1239

The High Commissioner of the United Nations for Refugees (UNHCR) presented the figures regarding the people with disabilities: approximately 126,700 people with disabilities among refugees, IDPs and non-residents. However, Ministry of Social Policy announces that  71, 8 thousand people are disabled, i.e. 4.3% of the population.

This discrepancy reported could be partly due to the fact that persons with disabilities live on non-controlled by the Government territories, as well as due to lack of verification.

Financial pressure, problems with housing issues have become the major issue that was raised by IDPs with disabilities during the consultation with UNHCR.

The vast majority of refugees and internally displaced persons on the consultations demonstrated a great desire to work, among them people with disabilities. Disability and IDP/refugee status, as well as a lack of transportation to get to the place of work in the cities, and negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities and IDPs are the biggest barriers to employment.

Refugees and IDPs with disabilities also have voiced the need for grants for small businesses and advice and training on entrepreneurship.

Requirement to write application in person to get IDP status is the main problem faced by persons with disabilities as not many could stand for hours in line. Departments of social protection created social orientated programs for the disabled of the 1st group though such programs are out of access for disabled 2nd and 3rd groups. This program allows the family member to submit applications on behalf of persons with disabilities, but such special procedures are quite complex and inconsistently applied.

UNHCR we came to the conclusion to recommend increasing mobile teams of social protection inspectors for improving access to public assistance especially in places with a large number of IDPs.

The lack of places to move was one of the key issues raised during the consultation.

The lack of finance is the biggest challenge to persons with disabilities as they are not able to pay for rent, living independently in the community. IDPs with disabilities focused on the place of their residence, where they would have access to key infrastructure, namely, schools, social services and jobs stated in the UNHCR report.

Earlier, it was reported that the Cabinet has created local offices of the Ministry of ATO and IDPs  in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions.

By the materials: www.novosti.dn.ua

The restoring-donbass.com website - is an interactive platform, which was created by the "Restoring Donbas" community initiative of Oleksandr Klymenko. The latest news, blogs and analysis, background information and useful ads for IDPs and Donbas residents are available on the website.