News

The third Global Disability Summit (GDS) will be held in Berlin, Germany, on 2 and 3 April 2025. Friederike Römer, Disability-Inclusive Development and Social Policies Officer at Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion (HI), explains the importance and the challenges of this new summit, as well as the results expected by HI.

Born with a congenital malformation in her left leg, 5-year-old Enas has been fitted with a prosthesis and is receiving follow-up care at Aqrabat Hospital, HI's partner in Northwest Syria.

Mohamed, aged 12, lost his leg in the explosion of an explosive remnant of war. HI is working to protect civilians and reduce the dangers in areas contaminated by years of conflict.

Ada is Ángela’s cousin, but also her caregiver. She takes part in support groups and awareness-raising events to help her in her fight for inclusion.

Srey Neang, whose leg had to be amputated after she was injured by an explosive device, was one of the speakers at the Fifth Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Omran, a 9-year-old boy from the Darfur region of Sudan, has cerebral palsy. He was forced to flee his home with his family to escape the armed violence.

Kaltouma, 35, and her sister Hassaneih, 25, have fled the war in Sudan. Both women live with disabilities but despite difficult conditions, they are rebuilding their lives in Chad.

In November 2024, the Handicap International (HI) Federation obtained once again the IDEAS Label. Awarded for the next three years, it attests to the association's implementation of good practice in governance, finance and evaluation.

From 25 to 29 November, the Fifth Review Conference (5RC) of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention) took place in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion (HI) was represented by a delegation that took part in the Conference's panels and side events.

The US announcement that it would be delivering anti-personnel mines to Ukraine came as a shock to NGOs and governments that have been involved in the fight against landmines for over 30 years. The conference to review the Mine Ban Treaty, held in Cambodia at the end of November, served as a reminder that civilians are the main victims of landmines in wartime, but also long after the fighting has ended.

Channa has been in the care of HI's teams in Cambodia for 12 years. Born with only one leg, she has been receiving regular rehabilitation treatment and prostheses all of her young life.

HI / Atlas Logistique has been deploying the Signal project since 2021 in support of vulnerable populations in fragile contexts. The objective of this innovative project, currently underway in nine countries – Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Haiti, Madagascar, Mozambique and Nepal – is to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid by providing the humanitarian community with tools for collecting and analysing data on logistical environments: the Logistics Vulnerability Index (LVI) and the local logistical environment assessment. These tools are designed to identify the logistics vulnerabilities and resilience of local communities.

Like many other civilians, Espoir fell victim to the conflict in North Kivu, DRC. He lost his leg to a bomb and was forced to flee his hometown. Today, his new prosthesis is helping him make plans for the future.

In Madagascar, where the impact of the climate crisis is considerable, HI is working to strengthen community resilience and reduce the risk of disasters.

Elena, 53, was injured in a bomb attack last March. A few days later, her daughter was also injured. Thanks to HI's support, her daughter is now being looked after in a rehabilitation centre.