Delegates and rights experts call for urgent humanitarian aid and disability-inclusive response in Gaza, Ukraine and other conflict zones

Delegates, rights experts and civil society speakers at the Conference of State Parties called for urgent humanitarian assistance and disability-inclusive responses in conflict zones, highlighting Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and other areas where war has increased disability and left people without basic supports.

Several speakers described the scale and severity of need. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed noted that armed conflict is producing "countless civilians with sustained permanent injuries and deep psychological trauma." She added that "Gaza alone has the highest number of child amputees in modern history," a point echoed by other speakers who linked conflict to spikes in disability and to long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction needs.

The representative from the State of Palestine told the conference that persons with disabilities in Gaza and parts of the West Bank are facing "extreme" conditions, citing lack of food, water, medicine, shelter and assistive devices. "Most of the people injured in Gaza are becoming disabled people, especially women and children," the representative said, and described government measures to provide permanent cash assistance and rehabilitation services for tens of thousands of people.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities said testimonies from persons with disabilities in conflict-affected areas show they are "cut off from the most basic necessities like crutches and hygiene items" and feel "utterly abandoned." She recommended using upcoming global summits to secure commitments to inclusive humanitarian action and called for dedicated resources to operationalize protections spelled out in Security Council instruments for persons with disabilities in armed conflict.

Civil society speakers and national delegations urged that rebuilding and humanitarian plans prioritize accessible services, assistive devices, and culturally appropriate care. Several speakers asked for international coordination to ensure that rehabilitation, psychosocial support and inclusive reconstruction are integrated into emergency responses.

Delegates at COSP urged that the rights and needs of persons with disabilities be mainstreamed into humanitarian planning, that organizations of persons with disabilities be included from the outset, and that donor and multilateral financing mechanisms allocate resources for inclusive emergency response, rehabilitation and long-term recovery.