Protection & Inclusion

• Conflict, violence & natural disaster all threaten the protection of individuals. When individuals take action towards peace & development in these contexts, they often face risks to their safety & wellbeing. Our programs, people & operations as peacebuilders, development workers & humanitarian responders also can potentially bring harm to our participants & communities. Young people, women & those with minority or underrepresented identities face elevated risks due to power imbalances & exclusion. Safeguarding & protection of the wellbeing, safety & rights of all people involved is our duty of care. The meaningful inclusion of the diversity of identities & groups affected in the responses to conflict is essential for sustainable impact. Protection & inclusion are necessary for effective peacebuilding & enduring change. 

• The United Nations states, “persons with disabilities face discrimination & barriers every day that restrict them from participating in society on an equal basis with others.” Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was enacted to promote full & equitable inclusion & participation of people with disabilities as well as provide “standards of protection for the civil, cultural, economic, political & social rights.” 
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 15% of the global population lives with a disability. Physical, personal & environmental factors can indicate the existence of disability in society. However, the Disabled can also serve as an identity marker for members of the community. To learn more, click here. 

• Refugees are people who have crossed an international border after fleeing their homes. This could happen due to a variety of reasons, but most include fear or inability to return in the near future. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are very similar to refugees, but they do not cross a border when fleeing. Migrants do not move due to violence or conflict but rather by personal choice. They could cross borders or stay inside the country. Learn more at Concern Worldwide here.

• To start conversations about & provide insight on topics related to protection & inclusion, please explore & contribute to our Discussion Forums.

For a collection of protection & inclusion resources, please visit our Resource Library.

For a list of protection & inclusion organizations around the world, please see our Collaboration Map.