Ref: 146/2021
Date: 4 Dec 2021
Press release,
On the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons
ICSPR warns against the serious deteriorating conditions of disabled persons in the occupied Palestinian territories.
December the 3rd of each year marks the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, which was approved by the United Nations in resolution 3/74 of 1992, with the aim of contributing to the promotion of the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in various societal and developmental fields, including working to raise global and national awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in political, social, economic and cultural aspects.
This occasion comes while disabled persons in Palestine live catastrophic humanitarian conditions that have exacerbated the deterioration of their conditions, especially since they live in different exceptional situations. For example, the occupation continues to commit multiple violations of the rights of persons with disabilities, including exposing them to direct or indirect injury. In addition to daily arrest campaigns, violations of freedom of movement, and other different types of violations practiced by the Israeli military occupation authorities against Palestinian civilians, including the wounded and disabled persons.
At the national level, Palestine is one of the countries with a high percentage of disabled persons, where statistics indicate that there are about 92,710 persons with disabilities in Palestine, 20% of whom are children under 18.
Statistics also showed that motor disability is the most prevalent type in Palestine due to the conditions of Palestinian society, and that 27% of disabled persons (18-64 years old) have never been married, and have been subjected to violence at least once from a family member.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the burdens placed on the shoulders of disabled persons at various levels, and the internal Palestinian division has exacerbated their suffering, as it has impeded the possibility of adopting more just and equitable policies and law, and has often led to their rights being violated, and the best example is the delay in the payment of social development checks that they benefit from, where during 2021, they received only one payment of only 750 shekels, contrary to the philosophy of the cash assistance program and the obligations of the State of Palestine towards its citizens.
ICSPR commemorates the International Day of Disabled Persons, and renews its support for them in all places of their presence, and stresses that the disabled persons in Palestine are experiencing severe human suffering in light of the violations of the Israeli occupation, the internal Palestinian division and the spread of the Corona pandemic. Therefore:
1- ICSPR calls on the international community to exert pressure on the Israeli military occupation authorities in order to fulfill its obligations towards Palestinian civilians, especially persons with disabilities.
2- ICSPR calls on the Human Rights Council and the contractual bodies of international conventions, especially the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to work on conducting serious and transparent investigations into the patterns of Israeli violations of the rights of persons with disabilities.
3- ICSPR stresses the need for the Palestinian National Authority to truly integrate the rights of people with disabilities into its governmental policies and agendas, and to adopt and issue the “disability card” stipulated by law, with the aim of achieving the greatest possible degree of equality, and provide a decent life.
4- ICSPR calls on all government agencies to take serious measures to enhance the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, enhance their political, economic and social participation, and provide all forms of support and services that ensure their support in overcoming the challenges they face.
5- ICSPR calls for action to amend national legislation to ensure its compatibility with the international conventions to which Palestine has become a party, including the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
