Panel details

Panel organiser(s) will be presenting	In-Person / Online
Number of paper presentations	3
Location	Istanbul

Abstract

While the calls to shift the power are by now well established in the sector, how are these calls being heard by those undertaking work on disability? How are humanitarian researchers and practitioners viewing this shift in relation to persons with disabilities? We know that despite several decades of law, policy, guidance and advice, persons with disabilities are often still left out of humanitarian action, and even more likely to be left out of research. While there has been some progress in the field of disability-inclusive humanitarian action, this has tended to focus on the technical aspects of inclusion, with limited application of critical disability theories to humanitarian research (though there are some notable exceptions, including some recent work from Gaza) – these question ‘mainstreaming’ as a method of approach without any critique of the underlying structures that create disabilities, and continue the invisibility of people with disabilities.
Following the recent Global Disability Summit, there have been calls to create a dialogue to better understanding what these systemic structures are that continue to prevent persons with disabilities from fully accessing their rights, and how can they be broken down by collective actions. This roundtable will bring together academics, activists and practitioners. The dialogue will be framed by a set of questions that will support:
• identification of barriers
• how can we shift from working in silos to building true, cross-sector collaboration?
• what does it take to move from consulting persons with disabilities to supporting their leadership?
• how can we build transparent, inclusive, accountable mechanisms for real progress?

Paper presentations