West Africa: Working Toward Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities
Since 2012, Handicap International has been improving the school enrollment and attendance of 170,000 children with disabilities in nine West African countries through the “Promoting the Full Participation of Children with Disabilities in Education” (APPEHL) project. Sandra Boisseau, who coordinates APPEHL from Dakar, Senegal, explains what the organization is doing to remove obstacles to education for these children.
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Senegal
Humanity & Inclusion in Senegal
In Senegal, Humanity & Inclusion's team has worked to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities and improve their social and economic inclusion in the country since 1995.
Senegal is a major economic power in West Africa, but a substantial percentage of the country's population lives in a situation of extreme poverty. People with disabilities are often discriminated against. The country is stable politically and economically dynamic, although the Covid epidemic hit growth in 2020.
Despite this stability, the crisis in Casamance, which has lasted more than 30 years, has caused a large number of mine-related accidents. Landmines were widely used in an internal conflict that gripped the agricultural region of Casamance in southern Senegal beginning in 1982. The region is still polluted with mines and other unexploded ordnance, which continue to displace and pose a threat to countless civilians across the country.
Though Senegal ratified the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on September 7, 2010, people with disabilities find it hard to access basic services, attend school or earn a regular income.
Areas of Intervention
- Maternal and newborn child health
- Inclusive education
- Economic inclusion
- Inclusive governance
- Rehabilitation
- Sexual and reproductive health
- Social development and protection
Humanity & Inclusion's 69-member team implements vocational training and the economic inclusion of people with disabilities to advance equal opportunities. The organization also works to protect and promote the welfare of people with disabilities, with a particular focus on reducing violence against women and girls with disabilities.
Through several inclusive education and economic inclusion projects, teams are expanding education and skills-development opportunities to promote the success of young people with disabilities throughout the learning process.
Humanity & Inclusion advances the right to sexual and reproductive health, and the availability of related services, with an emphasis on women and teenage girls.
The organization also implements physical and functional rehabilitation projects and initiatives to improve diabetes care.
Humanity & Inclusion works mainly in areas where needs are greatest. The two principal areas of action in Dakar and and Casamance.
Our Past Work
Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Senegal since 1995, helping communities foster a culture of dignity, access, and inclusion for all people. Our work is continuously evolving to meet the needs of the communities where we serve.
Read on to learn more about our past work in Senegal and consider investing in our future.
Child Abuse Prevention
Humanity & Inclusion's TOGETHER Projects advocated on local and national levels to raise awareness on the prevention of sexual violence against children. The organization also trained health professionals to deal with the physical and psychological obstacles faced by victims.