Research
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The Centre for Disability and Inclusive Development is a joint research initiative between Leonard Cheshire Disability and University College London. The Centre provides research on all our key priority areas – education, livelihoods, health and rehabilitation - and has global research expertise in qualitative and quantitative research. The centre also specialises in research on post-conflict and emergency situations. For more information on the Research Centre, please click here.
Below is an abstract of a chapter on conflict recovery in the Leonard Cheshire Disability book publication 'Disability and Inclusive Development'.
Conflict and Disability
The WHO estimates that of the over 600 million disabled people worldwide, 80% live in developing countries, and less than five per cent have access to rehabilitation services. Conflict, poverty and disability are inextricably linked, partly as a result of exclusion, but also conflict-related injuries, lack of maternal care/screening programmes, and the low priority of service provision for disabled people in comparison to other post-conflict needs. In war-affected areas disabled people are more likely to be excluded from emergency relief and development programmes, as well as education, employment housing, medical care and community rehabilitation programmes, and even their families. These situations cannot be comprehended without an understanding of the social, political and economic context. Leonard Cheshire Disability responds to post conflict and post disaster situations to provide technical assessments and advice on the rebuilding of medical systems and to start practical work assisting people to rebuild their areas. The Conflict Recovery Centre provides training and research for health professionals in posy conflict and post disaster countries, in addition to developing capacity for early detection and intervention of treatable conditions that would otherwise result in disability.
Trends in Modern Conflict
The end of the Cold War has seen increasing shift to intra-state conflicts, resulting in an escalating number of civilian deaths and casualties. These wars are often characterised by ethnic cleansing and genocide, causing people to flee their homes and land. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable to state vicissitudes, as they have not crossed international borders and are not protected by international laws, unlike refugees. All of the possible solutions to displacement result in an enormous sense of uncertainty and insecurity. Some refugees and IDPs are seen as particularly vulnerable - women, children, the elderly, the disabled, the sick, and minority groups; however, they should not be treated as victims. For example, for many disabled people, barriers to participation within communities are primarily social and cultural, rather than a direct result of impairments. Community participation is a vital part of social inclusion, promoting social and economic regeneration, equality and human rights. The chapter author is Maria Kett , Assistant Director,The Leonard Cheshire Disability Centre for Research in Disability and Inclusive Development , University College London.
The WHO estimates that of the over 600 million disabled people worldwide, 80% live in developing countries, and less than five per cent have access to rehabilitation services. Conflict, poverty and disability are inextricably linked, partly as a result of exclusion, but also conflict-related injuries, lack of maternal care/screening programmes, and the low priority of service provision for disabled people in comparison to other post-conflict needs. In war-affected areas disabled people are more likely to be excluded from emergency relief and development programmes, as well as education, employment housing, medical care and community rehabilitation programmes, and even their families. These situations cannot be comprehended without an understanding of the social, political and economic context. Leonard Cheshire Disability responds to post conflict and post disaster situations to provide technical assessments and advice on the rebuilding of medical systems and to start practical work assisting people to rebuild their areas. The Conflict Recovery Centre provides training and research for health professionals in posy conflict and post disaster countries, in addition to developing capacity for early detection and intervention of treatable conditions that would otherwise result in disability.
The end of the Cold War has seen increasing shift to intra-state conflicts, resulting in an escalating number of civilian deaths and casualties. These wars are often characterised by ethnic cleansing and genocide, causing people to flee their homes and land. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable to state vicissitudes, as they have not crossed international borders and are not protected by international laws, unlike refugees. All of the possible solutions to displacement result in an enormous sense of uncertainty and insecurity. Some refugees and IDPs are seen as particularly vulnerable - women, children, the elderly, the disabled, the sick, and minority groups; however, they should not be treated as victims. For example, for many disabled people, barriers to participation within communities are primarily social and cultural, rather than a direct result of impairments. Community participation is a vital part of social inclusion, promoting social and economic regeneration, equality and human rights. The chapter author is Maria Kett , Assistant Director,The Leonard Cheshire Disability Centre for Research in Disability and Inclusive Development , University College London.
