How we work in emergencies

From emergency relief to development

© William Daniels for Handicap International

Emergency intervention in the wake of a natural disaster or major conflict is a core part of Handicap International’s work. For Handicap International, emergency intervention is linked to long-term development, because in a crisis the most vulnerable are often forgotten while, at the same time, the building blocks of future development are being laid. We work to ensure that the most vulnerable people receive support during emergency situations, and that the needs of people with disabilities are included in the process of reconstruction.

Worldwide, over 50% of Handicap International’s programmes started out as emergency projects.

Ensuring that there is a balance between relief, rehabilitation and development activities is an integral part of our approach. Alongside direct intervention, Handicap International works to support local stakeholders from the start of a crisis. We also work to ensure that cooperation between local stakeholders during the crisis management stage continues through to the rehabilitation stage. By building local capacity, we aim to gradually decrease our activities and transfer them to local partners, ensuring sustainability over the long term.

Depending on the specific situation, our emergency activities include:

• Caring for the injured and preventing disabilities.
  Providing pre- and post-operative care and rehabilitation for victims of physical trauma, as well as psychological support, and training local health and rehabilitation staff to guarantee long term care structures.
• Supporting people with disabilities to access the aid and support they need.
• Transport, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid to ensure that the most vulnerable are not forgotten.
• Setting up camps for refugees and displaced persons and ensuring shelter, water and sanitation are accessible to people with disabilities .
• Working with partners to raise awareness about making aid and services inclusive.
• Mine-risk education in post-conflict situations to prevent disabilities.
• Disaster-preparedness in areas at risk to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are taken into account in local and national disaster response planning.