In the extremely poor, rural areas in Mozambique where Handicap International works, people with disabilities often leave school very early and fail to find employment. Others, disabled by accidents with landmines in the formerly war-torn country, lost their ability to perform physically intensive work like farming. A new Handicap International project is changing that, by helping put people with disabilities into the workforce. 

Mozambique was declared free of landmines in September 2015. Handicap International played a leading role there since launching its demining efforts in 1998. Deminers have since cleared more than 16 million square meters of land, neutralized 6,000 antipersonnel mines and 5,000 unexploded remnants of war. Grégory Le Blanc, Handicap International’s Head of Mission in the country, explains the benefits of this demining for the people of Mozambique who, until very recently, lived under the constant threat of mines. 

Maputo, Mozambique — Handicap International is urging governments to significantly increase funding to support victims of landmines, as the Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention (Mine Ban Treaty) begins today in Maputo, Mozambique.

The location of the conference is particularly symbolic: once the world’s most heavily landmine contaminated country following decades of war, Mozambique is mere months away from being declared mine free—an 18-year effort of historic proportions. The people of Mozambique will be free to farm their fields and walk across land without the fear of being killed or injured by a landmine

While demining operations are coming to a close, Mozambique’s work is far from over. A comprehensive Handicap International study in 2013, found acute needs among Mozambique’s thousands of landmine survivors[1]. The results are unequivocal: 86% of survivors interviewed had limited or no access to work. More than 96% stated that there are no adapted care services close to their community. Yet, worldwide funding earmarked for victim assistance has been dramatically reduced in the last few years, constituting less than 5% of the funds designated for mine action.

Mozambique has a duty to assist the thousands of mine victims among its population, as stipulated under the Ottawa Convention. “We hope that governments will take into consideration the still very real needs of the people of Mozambique and continue helping us after the demining operations have been completed,” says Adérito Ismaël, Head of Handicap International’s demining operations in Mozambique.

During the week-long, Third Review Conference of the Convention, the States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty will review recent advances and lessons, and form a new, five-year plan with which States Parities will be expected to comply. A Handicap International delegation will work to see that the commitments made by the States address the current needs of affected populations, including a significant increase in the funds allocated to assist victims of landmines.

Handicap International will also continue its pressure on the 34 States that have yet to join the treaty, such as the U.S., to make a firm commitment to banning anti-personnel landmines by joining the treaty without delay.

President Barack Obama launched a landmine policy review in 2009, to determine if the country should join the Mine Ban Treaty. Five years on, no announcement has been made as to its findings.

The U.S. position contrasts with its otherwise exemplary behavior. The U.S. is the leading funder of anti-mine action. The U.S. has not used anti-personnel mines since 1991, has not produced any since 1997, and ended exports of these weapons in 1992.

About Handicap International’s work in Mozambique

Present in Mozambique since 1986, Handicap International has been one of the country’s leading mine action operators since 1998. Today, the demining team consists of 136 people. Its goal is to clear mined areas in the provinces of Sofala and Inhambane, home to almost 82% of the country’s contaminated sites. In 2012, Handicap International decontaminated more than 3.7 million square meters of land and restored it to the local population as part of a large-scale manual and mechanical demining operation, assisted by dogs trained to detect the presence of these weapons. The organization combines these operations with mine risk education activities to help prevent accidents. Handicap International also provides support to survivors of accidents caused by mines and explosive remnants of war, including the promotion of inclusive education and employment practices.

When meningitis finished running a brutal course through little Shany Hermínio’s body, she was left with physical and mental developmental delays. At first, her family lived close to a hospital, and her mother could bring Shany to a rehabilitation clinic for physical therapy. But when the family moved to Malhangalene, one of Maputo, Mozambique’s poorer, rundown neighborhoods, trips to the hospital proved too costly. Shany’s rehabilitation stopped.

Let's break silos now! Achieving disability-inclusive education in a post-COVID world

A world where inclusive education can flourish is also a world that can nurture inclusive societies. Working towards this vision is critical for reducing the vast levels of inequality and discrimination currently faced by millions of persons across the globe. This is especially so for the millions of children with disabilities, many of whom struggle to receive even the most basic of educations. Global progress in building inclusive education systems is now threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely disrupted the educations of most children, and has seen funds diverted away from the education sector. Despite this setback, governments and the global community are now in a unique position to learn from the pandemic and to renew efforts to improve education. Download Humanity & Inclusion's report on inclusive education in a post-pandemic context.

A principled and inclusive response to COVID-19, focused on the most vulnerable

As of now, the response to the COVID-19 crisis has been mainly national. High income countries facing the health crisis on their territory have so far limited consideration for the global impact, especially the impact of the crisis on developing countries with limited resources and fragile health systems. Download Humanity & Inclusion's policy paper which includes a summary of our main concerns and recommendations for an inclusive response to COVID-19.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action (2019)

Developed by Humanity & Inclusion, the International Disability Alliance (IDA), and UNICEF, the Guidelines assist humanitarian actors, governments and affected communities to coordinate, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate essential actions for the full and effective participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all sectors and in all phases of humanitarian action. Download the Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action.

Humanitarian inclusion standards for older people and people with disabilities (2018)

Developed by the Age and Disability Capacity Program (ADCAP), the inclusion standards will help organizations responding to crises to successfully identify and reach those most at risk, upholding the humanitarian principles by which they all must abide. Humanitarian organizations are committed to providing assistance and protection solely based on need and without discrimination. Yet older people and people with disabilities are routinely excluded from humanitarian responses, despite being among the most vulnerable. The Humanitarian inclusion standards for older people and people with disabilities provide guidance across all areas and at all stages of emergency response to ensure older people and people with disabilities are not left out. Download the humanitarian inclusion standards for older people and people with disabilities.

Good for Business: Promoting Partnerships to Employ People with Disabilities (2017)

Written in conjunction with Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD), this white paper provides practical information and lessons learned on how multinational corporations can fully include people with disabilities into the workplace. Building off of information provided in HI’s 2016 white paper, Situation of Wage Employment of People with Disabilities: Ten Developing Countries in Focus, this paper offers six steps for companies to follow to ensure they're ready to welcome more colleagues with disability.

The paper explains how partnerships between businesses and NGOs are becoming more frequent as multinational companies stretch into new, middle-income markets. Together, they're collaborating to successfully recruit, hire and retain people with disabilities. This access to meaningful, waged labor helps to chip away at the unfortunate statistic that less than 20% of people with disabilities are working worldwide . Case studies from HI and LCD projects in North Africa, West Africa, South Asia, East Asia and South Africa are highlighted. View the report here.

Situation of wage employment of people with disabilities: Ten developing countries in focus (2016)

The white paper is based on the results of a qualitative study of Humanity & Inclusion's inclusive livelihoods programs in 10 developing countries. The paper's goal is to increase wage employment of people with disabilities by providing employers with the best practices showcasing successful wage employment facilitated by Humanity & Inclusion and partner businesses, enterprises, and organizations. View the report here.

Pilot Testing of 3D Printing Technology (2017)

From January-October 2016, Humanity & Inclusion implemented a pilot testing of 3D printing technology for transtibial prosthesis in Togo, Madagascar and Syria. The aim of the study was to explore and test how physical rehabilitation services can be more accessible to people living in complex contexts via innovative technologies (such as 3D printing, treatment processes that use Internet technology, and tools) and decentralized services by bringing them closer to the patients. This scientific summary provides the context, the objectives, the methodology, the results of the study, and perspectives for the future.

Disability in Humanitarian Context (2015)

This report is based on the results of a global consultation carried out in 2015 as a contribution to the World Humanitarian Summit and is intended to better identify the changes needed for a disability-inclusive humanitarian response. A total of 769 responses were collected through 3 online surveys targeting persons with disabilities, disabled people's organizations and humanitarian actors.

The responses show that persons with disabilities are strongly impacted when a crisis occurs: 54% of respondents with disabilities state they have experienced a direct physical impact, sometimes causing new impairments. 27% report that they have been psychologically, physically or sexually abused. Increased psychological stress and/or disorientation are other effects of the crisis for 38% of the respondents with disabilities. View the report here. 

Out from the Shadows (2011)

Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, an issue which is rarely talked about. This groundbreaking report by Humanity & Inclusion and Save the Children aims to shed some light on the problem. View report here.  

Inclusive Education (2012)

This policy paper describes Humanity & Inclusion’s mandate and values in operational terms as applied to to the theme of inclusive education. View report here and brief format here.

La représentation et l’évaluation du handicap en Haïti (2012)

A report on Haiti’s representation of disability. View report here and brief format here (In French).

Inclusive employment: How to develop projects which promote the employment of people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations (2011)

This paper applies the mandate and values of Humanity & Inclusion to inclusive employment activities. View report here and brief format here.

People with disabilities in the suburban areas of Maputo and Matola (2010)

This research publication provides an assessment of the socio-economic circumstances facing people with disabilities in two Mozambique cities. View report here.

Accessibility: how to design and promote an environment accessible to all? (2009)

This policy paper defines accessibility and presents the operational strategy of Humanity & Inclusion in this area. View report here.

Inclusive local development: how to implement a disability approach at local level (2009)

This is an action guide that presents approaches and reference tools in the field of inclusive local development. View report here.