Supporting disabled young Palestinians

19 October 2011

Physically disabled young people are among the most vulnerable people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They face discrimination, lack of access to schooling and health care, very few employment opportunities and high levels of poverty. A large proportion are unaware of the Palestinian Disability Law and so are denied their rights, unable to take part in society or even to make a living.

How we are helping
The East Jerusalem YMCA, with support from Y Care International and funding from DFID, is running a project, which began in 2010 and which aims to reduce the poverty and social exclusion of physically disabled young people in the West Bank.

Over three years, almost three thousand people will be engaged in the project, which will train disabled youth leaders, community-based organisations and journalists on disability rights. Disabled young people will in turn raise awareness of disability rights amongst their peers and encourage group action to press local authorities to fulfil their obligations towards disabled young people. Journalists and community-based organisations will support the young people in this campaign.

 

A young Palestinian woman shows her drawings about discrimination against disabled people in Palestine. Credit: Anne Paq

Disabled young people will also receive valuable skills training and education, access to employment opportunities, and individual and group counselling for themselves and their families. This will offer practical assistance in supporting disabled people in planning for and achieving their goals for the future. In an effort to tackle stigma and discrimination, the project emphasises the contribution that disabled young people are able to make to their communities.

Young people in the UK will also be trained and supported in advocating for the rights of disabled young people in the West Bank.

What we hope to achieve
By the close of the project, East Jerusalem YMCA and Y Care International intend to support 480 disabled young people through individual and family counselling, at least 350 to have increased educational and employment opportunities, and at least 640 disabled young people to be better able to tackle stigma and discrimination and demand their rights.

This project is funded by the Department for International Development