Online Reporter
Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
ZIMBABWE recently joined the rest of the world in commemorating the United Nations World Refugee Day, which ran under the theme “Solidarity with Refugees”.
A refugee is generally defined as a person who has fled their country to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.
The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol are the primary international instruments that holistically define a refugee, outline their rights and detail the legal obligations of states to protect them.
This article focuses on the critical intersection of disability and migration, particularly among refugees.
Disabilities may be pre-existing or they may develop during displacement due to various factors, including trauma.
Many refugees suffer from war-related injuries, such as amputations or mobility impairments from bombings or other forms of violence. Conditions like arthritis, the carpal tunnel syndrome and spinal injuries can also affect mobility. The psychological toll is also significant; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often experienced by refugees due to traumatic experiences, including violence, loss and displacement.
Depression and anxiety are prevalent due to stress from uncertainty and the challenges of adapting to new environments in host countries.
Furthermore, visual impairments (ranging from partial sight to total blindness) can occur due to a lack of medical care or injuries during displacement.
Hearing impairments can result from infections or injuries.
Children with disabilities often experience inadequate access to educational and therapeutic services during displacement. Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy or cardiovascular diseases are also common, often exacerbated by stress or insufficient healthcare during displacement.
International organisations and host countries have a responsibility to ensure that the rights of all refugees, including those with disabilities, are protected and their needs are met.
The commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe to respecting, promoting and protecting the rights of refugees is evidenced by the ongoing robust implementation of the Refugees Act (Chapter 4:03). This crucial piece of legislation governs the status and rights of refugees within Zimbabwe. Among other things, the Refugees Act (Chapter 4:03) outlines procedures for determining refugee status, the rights and obligations of refugees and the responsibilities of the Government in protecting and assisting refugees.
It also establishes relevant frameworks, including the Zimbabwean Refugees Committee.
At present, Zimbabwe is reportedly home to 17 200 refugees. Implementation of the Refugees Act (Chapter 4:03) and associated policies enables Zimbabwe to meet its international obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its Protocol.
Some countries, including Zimbabwe, have a formal refugee camp system.
Through this system, refugees have access to land, livelihood projects, healthcare, education and clean water, though some refugees with distinct permission live in communities.
Other countries, such as South Africa, do not have formal refugee camps. In these nations, refugees, including those with disabilities, live in urban areas where they compete with non-disabled nationals and other migrants for economic opportunities and social services.
Whichever approach is taken, addressing the needs of all refugees, including those with disabilities, ensures a more inclusive approach to refugee support that recognises diverse experiences.
Globally, migrants with disabilities often attract negative perceptions associated with a lack of documentation, dependency, illness, deformity, mental health challenges and crime, rendering them seemingly unworthy of acceptance.
Relevant to crime (minor offences or serious felony), Article 2 of the 1951 Refugee Convention acknowledges that “every refugee has duties to the country in which he finds himself, which require in particular that he conforms to its laws and regulations, as well as to measures taken for the maintenance of public order.”
There is a critical need to strengthen research in this understudied area of disability and migration, which encompasses refugees. Such research is vital to inform policy and practice, and to help eliminate the global generalisation of migrants with disabilities as unnecessary vehicles of community destabilisation and burdens to host countries.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
Online Reporter