Empowering People with Disabilities to Claim Their Rights and Entitlements

“Empowering People with Disabilities to Claim their Rights and Entitlements”

Learning 1 Report

Birzeit University Center for Development Studies - In partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians, funded by UKAID

Prepared by: ImadSayrafi, Shatha Abu Srour, ArhafZanateet

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….3

Project Areas………………………………………………………………………………...5

Methodology of Field Work………………………………………………………………...6

Analysis of Findings………………………………………………………………………..13

Trainings on disability frameworks, rights, and community mobilization…………………26

Annex (1) Results of Organization Survey…………………………………………………38

Annex (2) Main Results of Household Survey……………………………………………..41

Annex (3) Main Results of Focus Groups………………………………………………….50

Annex (4) The Palestinian Law for the Rights of PWD (1999)…………………………...56

Introduction about the project

The projectEmpowering People with Disabilities to Claim their Rights and Entitlements, which began on September, 2010; aims to empower People with Disabilities (PWD) to become key agents of change within their communities, enabling them to effectively self advocate using national and international legal frameworks and Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) practice guidelines. Specifically to lobby and support local government and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in how to adopt and implement accessible and inclusive standards of practice, creating positive examples of successful inclusion which can be used to influence change at a national level.

The project is being implemented by the Center for Development Studies- Birzeit University, in partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians (UK), over a duration of three and a half years. The project is considered the first of its kind in Palestine, through dealing with the issue of disability within an academic, community, and developmental framework. It aims to create an active example in dealing with disability and its details; in order to create a larger change in the disability movement and improve the reality of people with disabilities through a rights based movement.

The project preparations and first stages aim to formulate a true picture of the reality of people with disabilities through numerous field activities. This stage of the project aimed to design a database that can be a reference for the team while implementing other stages of the project, aiming to give the project more ability to respond to the needs expressed in the field. The obtained information, is used within the project through training a core group of people with disabilities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in field work skills, activism, advocacy, and community mobilization.

The field work included a mapping of organizations in the project areas, a household survey targeting people with disabilities, and in depth focus groups with people with disabilities and other relevant groups and stakeholders. After gathering the data the project team proceeded to implement trainings for PWD, and community activists; dealing with disability laws and frameworks, in addition to community mobilization and advocacy. The findings of the project, in addition to the methodologies used, and the implementation in general are discussed with relevant stakeholders through learning workshops aiming to incorporate this feedback into the project and its findings.

Steering Committee:

The project is supported by a steering committee made up of representatives of CDS, MAP, the project team, and experts in the field of disability who have an experience with disability. The committee meets once every 3 months to review progress of the project, and discuss future activities. The committees role is important as it enables the project team to make use of diverse experiences in the field of disability, and incorporate them into the project; this, in addition to the views and assessments’ of PWD in the project areas, provide ongoing feedback and opportunities for self assessment and changes to the project as necessary to address the needs and reality of people on the ground.

Disability advisers and trainers (DATS)

The project aims to be an empowering opportunity to its employees who are youth with and without disability. In fact, “nothing about us without us“is one of the most important basics and perceptions in the project. When the position of the disability advisers and trainers in both West Bank and Gaza strip was specified to be taken by qualified people with disability, taking into consideration all the reasonable adjustments which needed for them to implement their work fully, effectively and, independently.

DET Trainings

As part of the project, the project team offers Disability Equality Trainings to institutions, organizations, and interested persons or groups, which is considered the first of its kind, based on two main principles : redefining disability according to the social model and, disability is human-rights issue. It aims to challenge the prejudiced attitudes towards people with disability among different groups, to enforce equal participation for people with disability in all programs and policies and, to raise awareness on issues related to disability, such as : disability definitions and different models, the major types of discrimination, disability from a human-rights perspective, language and terminology, disability etiquette…etc. The training is tailored to each group’s\organization’s needs and is a continuous effort in the project. The trainings were also given to all members of the project team, and MAP and CDS staff, before beginning the implementation of the project. This provides an ongoing opportunity for raising awareness on issues related to disability in the community, and provides a networking opportunity for the project as well. These trainings, are not restricted to the project areas, and are given upon request. Furthermore, the trainings are held and facilitated by people with disability themselves who work or involved in the project.

Project Areas

The project targets 4 areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Rafah area in Southern Gaza, BeitHanun area in Northern Gaza, Jenin area in the Northern West Bank, and Dura area in the Southern West Bank. In each area 3 clusters are targeted;1 urban site, 1 rural site, and 1 refugee camp site. The choice of the clusters (urban, rural, camp) was chosen according to each area, and taking into consideration the geographic proximity for purposes of the project; and ability for the participants to travel between the areas within one district. The project team has discussed possible areas and decided on the following:

Camp / Rural / Urban / Region
Jabalya / Im Nasr / BeitHanun / North Gaza
Rafah / Al Nasr / Rafah / South Gaza
Jenin Camp / Sanour / Qabatya / North West Bank
Al Fawar / Khursa / Dura / South West Bank

Field Work Methodology

The field work stage includes a number of activities tailored to assess the situation of PWD in the project areas, and identify main barriers in these communities; this helps the project’s later stages be better suited towards creating positive interventions that target these barriers, aiming to create positive examples for activism and advocacy for disability rights. These activities include a mapping of organization in the project areas, a household survey targeting PWD in these areas, and in depth focus groups with PWD, stakeholders, and community members to help further identify barriers and assess the reality on the ground. Furthermore, the methodologies used are assessed and analyzed by PWD, and stakeholders in the community through learning workshops that aim to assess the impact of project activities.

Organization Mapping

The aim of the institution mapping was to build a database of community organizations working in the project areas, and probe the areas of their work and target groups, in addition to their interest in working and getting involved in the issue of disability. This would be helpful in the later stages of the project, as this data will be available to people with disabilities working within the project. Later in the project, the core cadre of PWD (referred to as Community Disability Awareness Trainers - CDATs) are trained through different stages on disability models, rights and legal frameworks, community mobilization, and field work skills. Furthermore, the CDATS then proceed to implement a second mapping of community organizations in their areas, aiming to investigate the barriers faced by PWD.

The mapping used a snowballing sampling method using key informants and

field researchers who are locals each area. A basic questionnaire was developed aiming to gather information related to institutions in the areas, their areas of work, their employees, employed people with disabilities, and interest in working in disability. Furthermore, it was also important to identify the scope of work of organizations in these areas in general, and the types of disability related projects that are being implemented in these areas.

Indicators:

The main goal of the mapping is to gather information regarding institutions working in the project areas; and thus a number of indicators were defined as important for the project, and for studying the project areas:

• Projects and Programs implemented in the target areas.
• Projects and Programs related to disability in the target areas.
• Projects and programs that include people with disability in the project’s areas.
• Challenges and barriers that face institutions regarding working in disability and challenges towards the mainstreaming of the issue of disability.
• Employment of people with disabilities in these institutions.

Questionnaire:

The questionnaire was developed in order to address the indicators that the project team defined in addition to other aspects of the institution’s work. The questions aimed to have a picture of the nature of the organizations, their work, interests and goals, programs, projects, policies, target groups, geographical scope of work, number of employees, employees with disabilities, relationship with other institutions, and information related to disability projects and challenges. This information is for later use in the project, and enabling PWD who will work in the project to have a clearer picture of institutions in their areas in general, as the project also aims to mainstream the issue of disability as a cross sector issue.

Household Survey:

The survey targeted 600 households with people with disabilities in the project areas and the field work was carried out in January, 2011- with the questionnaire being addressed directly to the person with disability him/herself, with the use of mediators in some cases; such as sign language translators for people with hearing difficulties, or the parents in the case of learning and communication difficulties. The survey targeted people with disabilities between ages 15 and 35. In addition, the survey aimed to target 50% females and 50% males with disabilities. The survey also targeted other members in the family who have disabilities if they met the age requirements. Furthermore, the questionnaires are divided in each region to: 70 in the urban areas, 50 in refugee camps, and 30 in rural areas, reflecting population figures of the different types of localities.

Sample Size:

The survey targeted 600 householdsin total, 150 for each region: North West Bank, South West Bank, North Gaza Strip, South Gaza Strip

Population Figures
Urban / Rural / Camp
North Gaza Strip
BeitHanun
38,047 / Im al Nasr
2,811 / Jabalya
41,933
South Gaza Strip
Rafah
121,774 / Al Nasr
6,308 / Rafah
34,558
North West Bank
Qabatya
19,197 / Sanour
4,067 / Jenin Camp
10,371
South West Bank
Dura
28,868 / Khursa
3,440 / Al Fawwar
6,544

Disability Indicators and Screening Questions:

A number of indicators for screening disability were used for the survey based on CDS’s experience in disability research, the needs of the project, the goals of the survey,

Furthermore the survey makes use of the activity limitation and participation models to assess the degree of participation of people with disabilities in the community andthe daily life activities. The models used are drawn from CDS’s prior experience, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and domains suggested by the Washington Group for screening disability from that model; such as the “Activity Limitation and Participation Restriction Matrix”, adapted to the local context and the needs of the survey. The ICF represents a classification system developed by the World Health Organization, aiming to create a more comprehensive tool for dealing with disability, and creating standardized classifications for international use.

Indicators

• General Background
• Disability Screening
• Information and perceptions of local services, and laws
• Activity limitations and Participation
• Barriers to accessing services
• Education
• Health
• Work
• Social and Civil
• Empowerment and access to information on the rights and, the legal services
• The motivation among the target group in the household survey in being involved in empowering projects and, disability movement.

The Questionnaire

The project team developed a questionnaire that dealt with the types and degrees of difficulties in performing basic daily life functions, and the ability of the respondent to carry out a number of activities without assistive devices or personal assistants. Besides, it explored the respondents’ access to and, awareness on needed assistive devices. In addition, it questioned the reasons of the difficulties the respondents have. Furthermore, the questionnaire focused on identifying barriers and participation in a number of main domains: health and rehabilitation, education, labor market, social and civil life, empowerment and rights, in addition to probing the respondent’s interest in lobbying and advocacy and his interest in participation in future lobbying and advocacy activities. Additionally, the questionnaire was designed to focus on exploring the influence of the environmental, physical, attitudinal and, institutional barriers on the respondents’’ access to services and rights.

Furthermore, the team has designed a guide for field researchers related to field work, and dealing with the questionnaire in the field, in addition to a number of concepts related to disability. Furthermore a training, including DET, was carried out targeting 14 field workers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip dealing with the concept of disability from the project’s viewpoint, and how best to communicate with the target group within a positive framework to create a positive environment and realistic response.

The project team has gathered lists of people with disabilities in the project areas which were provided by a number of institutions and community organizations working in the project areas. However, researchers were not provided with these lists, aiming to reach people who were not targeted by these institutions. Researchers have used information from some institutions, village councils, and known locals in the areas, in addition to the snowballing methods. In some cases, where they found difficulty reaching people, the project team had provided them with information related to a person of disability from the available lists, but this was kept as a last resort.

In Depth - Focus Groups

As the mapping of institutions, and household survey were the first steps in the beginning of this project, and aim to investigate the reality of people with disabilities, their lives, rights, barriers they face. This however, does not give us all the needed information for the project. There is a need for the project team to have in depth discussions with different groupsin the targeted areas, including people with disabilities from different age groups, relevant stakeholders, and other groups relevant to the project.

Accordingly, the project team held twenty four focus group in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in total, in the month of February, 2011.In the different project districts, with six focus groups held in each district, targeting: persons with disability of different age groups, parents of persons with disability, local advisory groups-local advocates, civil society\community organizations, and community members.

Focus groups’ objectives

• To gather as much information as possible about the needs and priorities among people with disability, this will provide the project team with the needed information, to prepare for the trainings based on the needs of the community.
• To analyze capacities and gather the information regarding the ability to achieve real change in the disability community, and analyzing the impact of the disability movement in the targeted areas.
• To identify the challenges and the opportunities regarding the relationship between persons with disability and other groups and organizations in the society.
• To build networks between the project’s team and different groups and organizations at the local level.

Focus groups’ specific objectives

1. People with disability focus groups

Three focus groups were conducted in each of the project’s 4 districts with people with disability, taking into consideration the full representation of different areas, types offunctional difficulties/disabilities, and PWD who are members in organizations and PWD who are not. The focus groups were divided into different age groups. One of these focus groups targetedPWD aged between 15 to 35 and, anotherfocus group targeted PWD agedabove 35, while another focus group targeted children with disabilities aged 6-14.

The objectives

• To discuss the outputs of the households survey, specifically results related to challenges and obstacles facing people with disabilities’ inclusion and participation. This helps the project team with formulating a more in depth analysis of the reality.
• To identify priorities and needs for people with disabilities, that can enable them to fully participate in the project.
• To test the relationship between age andthe participation process, needs and priorities.
• To build deeper understanding on the disability community in the project’s areas.

1. Parents of people with disability focus groups

One focus group targeting parents of people with disability was conducted in each of the project’s 4 district. They were selected representatively from the gathered data from the household survey.

Parents of people with disability focus groups’ objectives