Paper details
| Paper authors | Arifa Widyasari, Pradytia Putri Pertiwi |
| In panel on | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Humanitarian Action: Anyone Still Interested? (Roundtable) |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
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Abstract
Refugees with disabilities are among the most vulnerable populations in humanitarian settings, often experiencing compounded risks due to systemic, cultural, and structural barriers. This scoping review aims to map the types and evaluate the implementation of psychosocial support for refugees with disabilities globally. A systematic search was conducted across three academic databases—Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest- and Google Scholar, yielding a total of 12,049 articles. After deduplication and two-stage screening, 34 peer-reviewed articles published between 2001 and 2024 were included for analysis, mostly studies from Europe and Middle East.
The findings reveal that psychosocial support is most commonly delivered through basic services (e.g., inclusive health care and education) and specialist interventions (e.g., psychotherapy and trauma-focused care). However, community-level and non-specialist services remain underdeveloped despite their potential to improve accessibility and cultural relevance. Evaluations indicate persistent barriers including inaccessible infrastructure, complex health systems, legal uncertainty, and cultural and linguistic mismatches. Additionally, dual stigma—attached to both disability and refugee status—further restricts access and meaningful participation.
The review underscores the need for more inclusive, decentralised, and culturally responsive approaches, including the integration of trained non-specialist and community actors, task-sharing models, and participatory programme design. Stronger legal frameworks and intersectoral collaboration are also needed to ensure continuity and equity in psychosocial support. This highlights a critical regional gap and the need for more context-specific research and inclusive service models in underrepresented settings.
