GCRF Network Plus: Disability under Siege
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Education
Abstract
There is an established link between conflict and protracted instability, and poor development outcomes (World Bank, 2011) . For many Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) the presence, and legacy, of violence within their own borders or in neighbouring states hinders existing efforts to enhance development, while also placing additional burdens upon the state.
The consequences of conflict and crisis echo throughout society, but the challenge it poses for education provision for those with disabilities is particularly acute. Instability erodes existing capacity, whilst simultaneously increasing demand, as the proportion of the population with a disability, either as a result of physical or psychological trauma, rises. Research commissioned by UNICEF indicates that over 85% of children with disabilities have never attended school (Mizanoya et al. 2016), yet despite this, the link between conflict, disability and access to education is under-examined.
The 'Disability Under Siege' Network Plus, has the overarching objective of providing the intellectual, financial and logistical resources required by local practitioners to deliver a transformational step change in education provision for children with disabilities in conflict affected states. By achieving this, the project will challenge the status quo that currently results in the majority of children with disabilities in conflict affected LMICs never attending school, and will significantly improve education provision for those that do receive education.
In order to maximize the impact of this Network Plus the project will focus on one specific region: The Middle East, and specifically the countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip). This region has been chosen as the following factors make it an excellent location to deliver improved outcomes for those with disabilities: i) there is significant under-reporting of disability, in part due to societal stigma, and in part due to dominant narrow medical models of disability; ii) there are high rates of conflict-related disability in all three locations, with refugee flows from the wider region (Syria and Iraq) creating an additional burden; iii) the locations have a large youth population; iv) 95% of children with disabilities are excluded from primary school (HRW, 2016); v) There is an effective, but under resourced, network of local partners who are able to effectively engage with the opportunities offered by the Network plus.
In order to truly understand and make progress against this challenge, a cross disciplinary approach is necessary. How disability is understood in the various domains of health sciences, law, religion and culture underpins education policy and practice as well as the prioritisation and allocation of resources. Furthermore, the role of arts and humanities have a significant potential for shaping public knowledge on disability, for example, the 1970s Disability Arts movement in the UK, contributed substantively to the culmination of 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. Consequently, the project team comprises of researchers from a range of disciplines, based in both the Global North and Global South, all with a shared commitment to transforming education provision for some of the most vulnerable populations in fragile and conflict affected states.
The consequences of conflict and crisis echo throughout society, but the challenge it poses for education provision for those with disabilities is particularly acute. Instability erodes existing capacity, whilst simultaneously increasing demand, as the proportion of the population with a disability, either as a result of physical or psychological trauma, rises. Research commissioned by UNICEF indicates that over 85% of children with disabilities have never attended school (Mizanoya et al. 2016), yet despite this, the link between conflict, disability and access to education is under-examined.
The 'Disability Under Siege' Network Plus, has the overarching objective of providing the intellectual, financial and logistical resources required by local practitioners to deliver a transformational step change in education provision for children with disabilities in conflict affected states. By achieving this, the project will challenge the status quo that currently results in the majority of children with disabilities in conflict affected LMICs never attending school, and will significantly improve education provision for those that do receive education.
In order to maximize the impact of this Network Plus the project will focus on one specific region: The Middle East, and specifically the countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip). This region has been chosen as the following factors make it an excellent location to deliver improved outcomes for those with disabilities: i) there is significant under-reporting of disability, in part due to societal stigma, and in part due to dominant narrow medical models of disability; ii) there are high rates of conflict-related disability in all three locations, with refugee flows from the wider region (Syria and Iraq) creating an additional burden; iii) the locations have a large youth population; iv) 95% of children with disabilities are excluded from primary school (HRW, 2016); v) There is an effective, but under resourced, network of local partners who are able to effectively engage with the opportunities offered by the Network plus.
In order to truly understand and make progress against this challenge, a cross disciplinary approach is necessary. How disability is understood in the various domains of health sciences, law, religion and culture underpins education policy and practice as well as the prioritisation and allocation of resources. Furthermore, the role of arts and humanities have a significant potential for shaping public knowledge on disability, for example, the 1970s Disability Arts movement in the UK, contributed substantively to the culmination of 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. Consequently, the project team comprises of researchers from a range of disciplines, based in both the Global North and Global South, all with a shared commitment to transforming education provision for some of the most vulnerable populations in fragile and conflict affected states.
Planned Impact
The Disability under Siege programme has been developed collaboratively with partners and stakeholders from the Middle East, specifically in Jordan, Lebanon and the West Bank. This spirit of co-production coupled with a commitment to multidisciplinarity maximises the potential of the programme to deliver meaningful impact in the focus countries and beyond.
The main impact goals of the Network Plus are:
i) Re-shaping public understanding of disability in contexts of conflict and crisis;
ii) Supporting research and evidence building to change public policies ad practices regarding disability inclusion in education;
iii) Enhancing local, regional and international capacity to address issues of access, quality and participation in education for those with disabilities in formal and non-formal educational settings;
iv) Legacy-building through the coordination and integration of outputs from the programme and scaling/transferring findings to other relevant global contexts.
It is envisaged that the reach and scalable impacts of this initiative will extend to other conflict-affected regions of the developing world in the longer term.
The key intended beneficiaries are children with disabilities and their families, as they will experience improved social and economic prospects as a result of inclusive education provision. Other stakeholders with whom the Network Plus team is already engaged include:
i) Non-governmental actors and disability groups including Action on Armed Violence (London), Qattan Foundation (Ramallah), Legal Agenda (Beirut), the Special Kids Clinic at AUB Medical Center (Beirut) and a supporting parent-led network, and EMPHNET (East Mediterranean Public Health Network) based in Jordan. The Palestinian General Union of People with Disability and the Community-Based Rehabilitation Network operating in 250 locales across Palestine are also closely linked with the programme through existing relationships with Birzeit University.
ii) Educational partners, most notably Edraak, Queen Rania Foundation.
iii) Cultural partners, including Ashkal Alwan (Beirut), and the Palestine Museum (Palestine).
iv) Government partners such as Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Jordan), Humanity and Inclusion, Ministry of Education and Higher Education (Lebanon), and the Health Department within the Palestinian Ministry of Education (alumni links) are also engaged with the Network Plus.
v) International Organisations including UNESCO, UNRWA, UNHCR which are already active in the area of disability and education in the region.
Our Theory of Change (see Pathways to Impact document) contains mechanisms for continual engagement and testing of insights with local stakeholders on an equitable and mutually beneficial footing.
Impact will be realised in a range of fora, including practice based outputs that will improve the ability of education providers to deliver their services. Specific outputs will include training courses (Distance learning/ MOOCs), technological innovations, co-developing new curricula, pedagogical practices in formal and non-formal educational settings and creating school-school and school-community partnerships. The project will also facilitate co-development of national and school databases on inclusion, and co-development of a classification system of Disability based on the Washington Group (WG) questions and the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
The main impact goals of the Network Plus are:
i) Re-shaping public understanding of disability in contexts of conflict and crisis;
ii) Supporting research and evidence building to change public policies ad practices regarding disability inclusion in education;
iii) Enhancing local, regional and international capacity to address issues of access, quality and participation in education for those with disabilities in formal and non-formal educational settings;
iv) Legacy-building through the coordination and integration of outputs from the programme and scaling/transferring findings to other relevant global contexts.
It is envisaged that the reach and scalable impacts of this initiative will extend to other conflict-affected regions of the developing world in the longer term.
The key intended beneficiaries are children with disabilities and their families, as they will experience improved social and economic prospects as a result of inclusive education provision. Other stakeholders with whom the Network Plus team is already engaged include:
i) Non-governmental actors and disability groups including Action on Armed Violence (London), Qattan Foundation (Ramallah), Legal Agenda (Beirut), the Special Kids Clinic at AUB Medical Center (Beirut) and a supporting parent-led network, and EMPHNET (East Mediterranean Public Health Network) based in Jordan. The Palestinian General Union of People with Disability and the Community-Based Rehabilitation Network operating in 250 locales across Palestine are also closely linked with the programme through existing relationships with Birzeit University.
ii) Educational partners, most notably Edraak, Queen Rania Foundation.
iii) Cultural partners, including Ashkal Alwan (Beirut), and the Palestine Museum (Palestine).
iv) Government partners such as Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Jordan), Humanity and Inclusion, Ministry of Education and Higher Education (Lebanon), and the Health Department within the Palestinian Ministry of Education (alumni links) are also engaged with the Network Plus.
v) International Organisations including UNESCO, UNRWA, UNHCR which are already active in the area of disability and education in the region.
Our Theory of Change (see Pathways to Impact document) contains mechanisms for continual engagement and testing of insights with local stakeholders on an equitable and mutually beneficial footing.
Impact will be realised in a range of fora, including practice based outputs that will improve the ability of education providers to deliver their services. Specific outputs will include training courses (Distance learning/ MOOCs), technological innovations, co-developing new curricula, pedagogical practices in formal and non-formal educational settings and creating school-school and school-community partnerships. The project will also facilitate co-development of national and school databases on inclusion, and co-development of a classification system of Disability based on the Washington Group (WG) questions and the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Organisations
- University of Birmingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- Islamic University of Gaza (Collaboration)
- United Nations (UN) (Collaboration)
- Birzeit University (Collaboration)
- UNICEF (Collaboration)
- Paris Institute for Advanced Study (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Al-Quds University (Collaboration)
- AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT (Collaboration)
- United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Collaboration)
- Centre for Lebanese Studies (Collaboration)
Publications
Abu Srour, S
(2021)
Social action to achieve a dignified life for people with disabilities in the occupied Palestinian territory
in The Lancet
Al Masri, N.
(2021)
Inclusive Education in Occupied Palestinian Territories Literature Review
Al-Masri N
(2024)
Sectoral challenges and negative feelings experienced by Palestinians with disability in besieged Gaza during COVID-19 pandemic
in Disability & Society
Al-Masri N
(2023)
Accessible and Inclusive Higher Education for Palestinian Students with Disability: Policies and Practices Review
in Cambridge Educational Research eJournal
Attia, M.
(2021)
Jordan Literature Review on Disability
Dagher, R.
(2020)
Inclusive Arts Practices in Lebanon
Foqahaa, Y.
(2020)
Inclusive Arts Practices in Jordan
Giacaman R
(2023)
The Limitations of Deinstitutionalization: The Case of the Israeli-Occupied Palestinian West Bank
in Journal of Palestine Studies
| Title | AM Qattan Foundation - Steadfastness art exhibition |
| Description | The project, funded by the Disability under Siege Network, is an artistic forum which brought together three emerging female artists with disabilities, Randa Mansour, Walaa Masalmeh and Lana Kawash who attended workshops, led by Samar Ghattas, to enhance their artistic skills and create their artworks in different artistic styles for exhibition at Dar Al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Artist Faten Fawzi Nastas Mitwasi, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Dar Al-Kalima University, emphasized "the importance of these projects in motivating and supporting an authentic segment in our Palestinian society, which has latent capabilities and talents, which unfortunately increases our suffering and adds physical disabilities to many of us. Our role as artists and academics is to resist the occupation through art and to strengthen the role of art in raising the immunity of Palestinian society and strengthening its steadfastness." |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Exhibition of paintings by girls with disabilities Workshop with disability movement and other social movements The impact of the project and the artworks resulting from it was evident on the invitees and the public who attended the exhibition, during and after the opening, and the discussion began to expand on the role of art in society, and that this project and the exhibition confirm that "art is not only for art" but art for society as well. |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/daralkalimaUniversity/posts/612516744242816 |
| Title | AM Qattan Foundation pilot projects - "Love Language" |
| Description | Funded by the Disability under Siege Network, artists Basel Elmaqosi & Maysaa Yousef from Gaza, in partnership with the Jabalia Rehabilitiation Association, produced artworks with different techniques from 100 children with disabilities. These children are in dire need of such initiatives that integrate them with their community and help them express their opinions freely and empty their feelings on a small board that the community can read and interact with. They acquired new skills that enhance the value of individual work in collaboration with the group, and the value of cleanliness and tidying up the place. The aim of this activity is to teach participants a new way to release negative energy and help them be patient and boost self-confidence. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The children have acquired new skills that enhance the value of individual work in collaboration with the group. The aim of this activity is to teach the participants a new way to release negative energy, help them to be patient, enhance their self-confidence and get rid of fears. The children talked about their paintings and displayed them at an exhibition held at Jabalia. Basel Almaqqosi continues to give art classes to children from the refugee camp in Rafah where he and his family are now living. Future plans are on hold |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/watch/?extid=CL-UNK-UNK-UNK-IOS_GK0T-GK1C&mibextid=v7YzmG&v=743861990487128 |
| Title | AM Qattan Foundation pilot projects - View of Nabkus, mosaic by artist Fida Shfi |
| Description | Funded by the Disability under Siege Netowrk, Artist, Fida Shafei, led a group of 10 children with hearing impairments in the design of a mosaic to honour the life and work of the prominent Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed while reporting in 2022. After many training workshops, the children mastered the art of mosaics and created a portrait of Shireen. The mural stands in Nablus as a "thank you note to the Martyr of truth Shireen Abu Aqleh, not only as a distinguished journalist but also a loving and loved human being". The image of Shireen represents the experiences of children living under occupation. This project is a major step to make art inclusive, and alter stereotypes of children with disabilities and spark conversation on their unlimited potential within the community, not just in Palestine. |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Mosaic training and production of mosaic arts to be installed in public space in Nablus Documentary film on all activities Working paper and cooperative network - A signed agreement between Passion for Arts and Crafts and the Red Crescent in Nablus. It is worth mentioning that Passion for Arts and Crafts is registered with the Ministry of Economy and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nablus, which contributed to the development of an operational plan based on networking and building up a group of alliances and partnerships, in the northern West Bank. This project was carried out in that manner to enhance partnerships including the Red Crescent and art to Heart at an earlier stage, to engage children with disabilities in mosaics initiatives aiming at mosaics revival as such in Nablus as well as collaborative relations with the ministry of Tourism and Antiques. - Media coverage: 2.5 minutes TV report by Palestine TV was produced with focus on children with disabilities potentials and reasons for engagement in this project. Further, a longer full report is being developed by al Jazeera. However, the final product will be produced later, with the presence of children with hearing impairment, and after handing Shireen mosaics mural to al Jazeera in a closing ceremony next month. Once again, it will take place in al Jazeera office beyond the project period as agreed upon with all parties. A one minute video documenting the role of the participants in all activities, and praising their achievement was also developed by the trainer. Finally, the Red Crescent will also produce a media report and publish at their website in two weeks period. This coverage in particular will take place at their organization with the presence of children with hearing impairments, the manager and staff. |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070426632422 |
| Title | AM Qattan Pilot Project - Sharihan Hadweh & Al Harah Theater/Qadar for Community Development |
| Description | Funded by the Disability under Siege Network, "No Cheri" is a stand-up comedy performance performed by Sharihan Hadweh, an actress with visual disability. The show was produced by Al-Harah Theater in partnership with Qader for Community Development, and is based on the stories and daily challenges of Sharihan as a person with disability where she taps on the very basic rights of people with disability in a black comedy way. Six performances of "No Cheri" were organized in cooperation with several universities and local community organizations in Bethlehem and Hebron. Through Al-Harah Theater, Sharihan was invited to perform in Shubbak Festival in the UK in July 2023. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | 3 performances organised at universities and community centres, around 270 attended in total, 6 further performances with women's orgs, universities, and a refugee camp in Betlehem and Hebron, audiences between 35 and more than 1000 people Through Al-Harah Theater, Sharihan was invited to perform in Shubbak Festival in the UK in July 2023, however further tours have been postponed due to the unrest in West Bank. |
| URL | https://www.qader.org/news-blogs/4961.html |
| Title | Change Makers |
| Description | Liwan Youth Space, one of our partners in Jordan has produced a series of short films called "Change Makers" that focusses on young change-makers who are expanding the space for youth participation in governance, rights and influence on their issues. In 2020, 5 short films were produced documenting the role and influence of 5 young people on the rights of people with disabilities. These films are part of a broader series that are posted via Liwan online. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | Impacts as yet unknown. |
| Title | Lifecycle disability video |
| Description | This video was produced to raise awareness of the challenges and barriers facing people with disabilities in Lebanon at different stages throughout their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | Impacts still unknown. |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0DyWexeoec&t=52s |
| Title | NK&E 63 days of sit-in (Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre, West Bank) |
| Description | In October 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, people with disabilities in Palestine initiated a movement to administer their right to have a just and an inclusive health insurance. 63 days after their sit-in in the Palestinian Legislative Council under difficult circumstances, the social movement of people with disabilities were able to realise their first goal of providing an inclusive health insurance for the people with disabilities. "63 Days of Sit-In'' is an attempt to creatively document and reflect on the powerful experience of the movement led by people with disabilities in Palestine. A series of talks and workshops with people with disabilities from the movement were conducted, followed by a collaboration with artists and activists to participate in intensive workshops to conceptualise the performance. The output was a creative documentation of the sit-in, through an artistic recollection of visual and auditory material, accompanied by a story-telling performance. The work was presented live to the public at A.M. Qattan Foundation, and was filmed. Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center and Basta Theatre in collaboration with the leaders of the movement, brought this idea to life, with a shared belief in this project's capability of providing an added value to the field. |
| Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The main output of the project is a documentary artwork of the movement's 63 days of sit-in. There is visual and auditory material documentation that was accompanied by a one-man theatrical performance The theatrical performance was fully filmed. However, plans for further dissemination have been curtailed by the war in Gaza and unrest in West Bank |
| Title | Narratives of Resilience: Shaima's Story |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 23 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sUVxXD2Lac&list=PLC2J-f6Iy-he8T8RC9_b8T3jTQCxmoW6v |
| Title | Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Realities of People with Disabilities in the Gaza Strip - Hiba's Story |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 25 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM0IT4laWM0 |
| Title | Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Realities of People with Disabilities in the Gaza Strip - Imad's Story |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 19 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl-d2UFfslY |
| Title | Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Realities of People with Disabilities in the Gaza Strip - Maysoon's Story |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 116 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtR6_XDYMkM |
| Title | Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Realities of People with Disabilities in the Gaza Strip - Shireen's Story |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 31 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvr3JaK8aVQ&t=12s |
| Title | The longest nightmare in the life of every Gazan - Ghada's story |
| Description | Video of Ghada Zomlot is a person with visual impairment, a journalist, and a community activist in the disability sector. On September 27, 2023, she left Gaza to participate in a regional conference in Tunisia. During her return to Gaza via Egypt, she was forced to stay in Cairo due to the closure of the Rafah border crossing and the inability to reach Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip, where her family lives. Ghada shared with us her experience as a woman with disabilities on Monday, February 26, 2024. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | awareness raising |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgSONQ4qOBE |
| Title | Through Our Eyes art exhibition, National Gallery, Amman, Jordan |
| Description | Through Our Eyes is a conversation about disability in our communities. Young people with disabilities documented what is important in their lives and share those insights with the wider Amman community in this special photography exhibition. Our goal is to bring disabled and non-disabled youth together through conversation and art- so this is an interactive exhibition. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | Requests for further involvement with arts and disability through the Disability under siege network |
| Title | What does it mean to be 'displaced' in UNRWA schools? |
| Description | The disability team has undertaken the task of documenting the harsh living conditions endured by individuals with disabilities amidst the relentless siege and attacks in the Gaza Strip, commencing on October 7, 2023. This relentless effort has resulted in the creation and dissemination of six impactful short videos, shared across the CLS social media platform. These visual narratives compellingly illuminate the daily struggles and challenges faced by people with disabilities in the tumultuous environment of Gaza, offering a powerful and unfiltered glimpse into their lives. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The short video has an notable impact and was circulated in social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, twitter and LinkedIn 52 views on YouTube and requests for further information made |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQinjt-3aCU |
| Description | The Network Plus Programme has funded 14 project across four calls focusing broadly on the areas of disability, education, inclusion, and arts and culture. The projects have produced evidence on the lived experience of people with disabilities who live in conflict. It has already provided learning on how arts, media, and culture can be made more inclusive and can support change in how disability is thought about it in local contexts. We have also documented the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities in Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine, and produced evidence on how people with disabilities were marginally across Low- and Middle-Income Countries during the first wave. The learning from each p roject is as a follows: - Qattan Foundation pilot project awards (4 projects): The four projects engaged young people with disabilities in arts and creative methods, and have produced learning in how arts-based activities (painting, mosaics, stand-up comedy) can help people with disabilities communicate their experiences, as well as changing perceptions of them in wider society. - Network and Knowledge Exchange award (5 projects): 1. The Arts Advocacy project produced learning on how photovoice and bringing together youth with and without disabilities can challenge negative stereotypes around disability. 2. The Mainstreaming in HE project produced best practice guidance for Palestinian higher education institutions on how to include students with disabilities. 3. The 63 Days Sit-In project produced evidence on how arts can support activism by producing a performance based on a successful protest by Palestinians with disabilities for better healthcare access. 4. The Al-Harah theatre performance produced evidence on the state of disability inclusion in the theatre economy as well as learning on how the arts economy can be made more accessible. 5. The Inclusive Media project demonstrated how disability awareness training for journalists can improve media representation of people with disabilities. - Early Career Researcher Fellowships (2 projects): Ongoing - Research & Engagement projects (3 projects): Ongoing By bringing funded projects together to learn from each other, we have built a strong network with equitable and sustainable partnerships between South-South and North-South partners. We are currently working with commissioned projects to consolidate and broaden, while documenting the learning across the different funding strands. We are also delivering broader impact activities across education, culture, and methdologies to ensure a longlasting legacy for the project. |
| Exploitation Route | The funding provided to projects in the region has contributed to capacity building. Some projects have been successful in gaining further funding or are in the process of applying for this, and we have supported this where we can. As part of our impact phase, we will be producing a bilingual archive to make the findings and outputs from the project publicly accessible, and this resource will be invaluable for researchers, creatives, NGOs, and activists to continue building on the evidence created by the project. Through funding fellowships specifically for Early Career Researchers, we have provided opportunities for promising scholars in the field to establish their careers and gain positions where they will be able to continue working on research on disability, thereby creating further capacity for these conversations to be led by scholars in the region. The outcomes from the project will be shared both through academic publications and a conference, as well as public-facing resources. These will enable both researchers and practitioners to build on the learning from the project regarding the state of inclusive education in the region, and the use of arts and creative methodologies in changing discourses around disability. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Education Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://disabilityundersiege.org/ |
| Description | Our findings have been used by UN organisations - namely UNRWA and UNICEF who have drawn on our work in their media campaigns for the promotion of inclusivity. This has raised public awareness and thought-provoking dialogue pertaining to how the general public, as well as policymakers and practitioners understand disability. Our work on the exclusion of people with disabilities during COVID-19 and recommendations for disability-inclusive recovery has informed the programming by the UNPRPD in how they conduct situational analyses. Our findings have supported the disability movement in oPT to achieve significant gains with respect to universal health benefits for people with disabilities. Our findings have led to the establishment of an active community of practice among media professionals in Lebanon, discussing and sharing best practice on accessibility and representation of people with disabilities. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Construction,Creative Economy,Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Al Harah Theater report on theatre inclusion |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Guidelines on inclusive reconstruction for Beirut |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | NK&E - Towards inclusive media production policy paper (CLS) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The project advocates and raises awareness about the notion of disability. It offers tools and trainings to enable media producers, TV reporters, and journalists to adopt inclusive portrayal and representation of people with disabilities in their work and to produce media content that uses inclusive language, correct disability terminologies based on the social model of disability, in addition to producing inclusive media content whether audio-visual, softcopy written format, or other. 30 media specialists have been trained and further funding has been secured to offer further training as demand so high |
| URL | https://lebanesestudies.com/projects/towards-inclusive-media-production-training-workshops-for-media... |
| Description | National social protection policy Lebanon review |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Network & Knowledge Exchange - Report on best practice in Higher Education inclusion |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | R&E - #Disabledvoicesfromgaza training guide |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Impact curtailed due to war in Gaza |
| URL | https://disabledvoicesgaza.org/studies/narrative-methodology-and-media-information-literacy-capacity... |
| Description | Comparative case study of impact of covid-19 on persons with disabilities in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine: awarded as supplement to Disability Under Siege Main award |
| Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2021 |
| End | 08/2021 |
| Description | Deinstitutionalisation Under Siege: A network for deinstitutionalisation of persons with disabilities in the Middle East |
| Amount | £100,748 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/X009467/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2022 |
| End | 02/2023 |
| Description | ESRC IAA (Festival of Social Sciences) |
| Amount | £500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2021 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Description | ESRC IAA Mentoring Scheme award |
| Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2020 |
| End | 08/2021 |
| Description | GCRF Consolidation Account Deinstitutionalisation of Persons with Disabilities in the Middle East: Mapping of organisations |
| Amount | £21,836 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | GCRF Consolidation Account Impact Workshops |
| Amount | £26,164 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Impact Accelerator Fund, ESRC |
| Amount | £6,260 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Sussex |
| Department | ESRC Impact acceleration Fund |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) Inspection and Initial Analysis of the MICS UNICEF data - Birzeit |
| Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Description | UNPRPD analytical framework project for a Disability Inclusive Recovery from Covid-19 |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | Awarded as supplement to Disability Under Siege Main award |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2020 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Title | Analytical Framework for Situational Analysis |
| Description | In collaboration with the UN Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) we have developed an analytical framework to carry out situtational analyses in UNPRPD programming countries to assess status of the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The framework we have developed provides a clear and robust way to generate evidence as well as methods for co-producing data and involving persons with disabilities and their organisations throughout the situational analysis process. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The analytical framework is being incorporated into the process UNPRPD utilises to carry out situational analyses in target countries as a first step in their programming. |
| Title | Arts and Culture Disability Mapping - Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine |
| Description | This consists of a mapping of all arts and cultural institutions and practices engaging with disability in the region. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This is be available shortly through the disability under siege website, and is the first mapping database of arts and cultural engagements with disability in the middle east region. It will enable other researchers and practitioners to collaborate with one another in order to promote inclusive education. |
| Description | CLS Advisory Research Committee membership (Dina Kiwan) |
| Organisation | Centre for Lebanese Studies |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Membership of the Center for Lebanese Studies Research Committee involves giving strategic advice on the programme of work and future priorities of the Centre, and selecting for postdoctoral funding scholarships and mentoring. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Identifying synergies between programmes of work |
| Impact | Award of postdoctoral fellowships |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CLS Research Committee membership |
| Organisation | Centre for Lebanese Studies |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | As a member of the committee for the Center for Lebanese Studies (Beirut Lebanon, and Amman, Jordan) associated with the University of Cambridge, I contribute to setting the strategic research leadership of the Center. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Coontributions include the continued development of the Disability Hub, which coordinates initiatives across DPOs, academic institutions, and other strategic partners including government ministries and the UN in the field of disability in Lebanon. |
| Impact | Influencing research agendas on disability in Lebanon through networking with the main social sciences funder for the region, ACSS - the Arab Council for Social Sciences. This brings together disciplines of education, refugee studies, disability studies and public health. Contributing to building of research infrastructure through the establishment of early career research fellowships in disability. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Covid-19 campaign in development with the American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon |
| Organisation | American University of Beirut |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We have worked with the American University of Beirut's Department for Architecture in producing a campaign on the needs of persons with disabilities in the context of the covid-19 pandemic. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The department of architecture at AUB has contributed its expertise in relation to inclusive design. |
| Impact | Campaign materials. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Disability and Leadership Project |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | A University of Birmingham coordinated group has been set up to focus on the theme of Disability and Leadership. |
| Collaborator Contribution | See above. |
| Impact | Some initial funding of £1,000 has been secured by a University of Birmingham group of which PI, Kiwan and Kubenz (Research Fellow) are members. A literature review is underway, so no outcomes as yet. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Early Career Researcher - Joelle Boutros, CLS |
| Organisation | Centre for Lebanese Studies |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The Disability under Siege team awarded a fellowship of £50,000 to Joelle Boutros towards a research project entitled "Mapping the Lebanese Disability Social Movement: its role in mobilising society towards the full inclusion of people with disabilities". The Disability Under Siege Network has provided commissioning funding under our Early Career Researcher-focused call, as well as training workshops and mentoring to the ECR. |
| Collaborator Contribution | .The Early Career Researcher, Joelle Boutros at the Centre for Lebanese Studies, has taken on leadership of the project and has engaged and shared her learning with the wider Disability Under Siege network at relevant events, as well as undertaking additional work around developing methodologies for accurately measuring disability prevalence. |
| Impact | None yet- work still ongoing |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Early Career Researcher - Rula Ghandour, Birzeit |
| Organisation | Birzeit University |
| Country | Palestine, State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Disability under Siege team awarded a fellowship of £50,000 to Rula Ghandour for a research project concerned with adolescent girls with disabilities are generally a marginalized segment of the population. They are typically isolated from the community, face significant stigma and discrimination, have few educational and employment opportunities, and their needs are typically unmet. Little is known about Palestinian adolescent girls with disabilities. This study seeks to understand the disability lived experience of adolescent girls (15-18 years old) and how patriarchal relationships and gender norms at home and in the community affect this experience. The Disability Under Siege Network has provided commissioning funding under our Early Career Researcher-focused call, as well as training workshops and mentoring to the ECR. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Early Career Researcher, Rula Ghandour, at Birzeit University has taken on leadership of the project and has engaged and shared her learning with the wider Disability Under Siege network at relevant events, as well as undertaking additional work around developing methodologies for accurately measuring disability prevalence. |
| Impact | None yet - project still active |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | International Panel for Social Progress Advisory Board |
| Organisation | Paris Institute for Advanced Study |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | the International Panel on Social Progress (IPSP) was launched in 2014 and gathered 350+ social scientists around the world to harness the knowledge produced over the past quarter century to address the current and future challenges facing our societies. The work of the Panel materialized in 2018 with the release of a final Report "Rethinking Societies for the 21st century" published by Cambridge University Press (3 volumes, 1.200 pages, 4.000 bibliographical references) and fully accessible online (www.ipsp.org). Now in the second cycle for the period 2023-2027 and onwards, I have been invited o the Advisory Board comprising of globally leading social scientists, including international scholars, civil society organizations actors, social innovators, business leaders, experts in international organizations, (former) policymakers, philanthropists, etc. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are working together fundraising and developing a programme of work for the next cycle. |
| Impact | Still in progress. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Mainstreaming Strategies and the Application Mechanisms in Higher Education Institutions (Al Quds et al) |
| Organisation | Al-Quds University |
| Country | Palestine, State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Disability under Siege project has funded research (£29,800.00) into Mainstreaming Strategies and the Application Mechanisms in Higher Education Institutions, a collaborative research project with the following universities; Al Quds, An Najah and Islamic University Gaza. This partnership was commissioned under the Disability Under Siege call for Network and Knowledge Exchange. The research team provided mentoring, project supporting, and regular workshops for the partners. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners delivered the work locally, providing regular updates to the project team. They also engaged with and shared their learning with the wider Disability Under Siege network at relevant events |
| Impact | A series of training workshops for upto 20 people have been held in West Bank and Gaza, studying the mainstreaming of people with disability in higher education institutions, and identifying strategies followed by higher education institutions for educational quality and mainstreaming facilities for different types of people with disability. - Literature and Desk Review: (01/07/2022 to 15/08/2022) After determining the research project's three dimensions, researchers worked on reviewing relevant international and local research in the three dimensions, to prepare the literature review section. Data regarding local mainstreaming policies and strategies were gathered through visits to the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education. All policies, statistics, records and relevant publications were shared on the project's folder. While data on international mainstreaming strategies and policies were collected through revision of publications and conference outputs in the field. - Design of data collection tools: (15/08/2022 to 30/09/2022) In light of the dimensions defined in the first step, the researchers designed a questionnaire form. The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect detailed information about policies followed and services provided for people with disabilities in all Palestinian higher education institutions. In addition, the researchers designed two sets of interview questions for the focus groups: a set for the decision makers and another set of questions for the students with disabilities in Palestinian higher education institutions. All data collection tools were checked and reviewed by all researchers |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Media campaign |
| Organisation | American University of Beirut |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This was a social media campaign on the use of terminology and language use in relation to the topic of disability, and when talking about persons with disability. The research team brought the intellectual expertise to this campaign. |
| Collaborator Contribution | AUB contributed in terms of social media expertise. |
| Impact | Social media campaign materials. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Research & Engagement - Human Centred and Community Based Participatory Research (Suzan Mitwalli) |
| Organisation | Birzeit University |
| Country | Palestine, State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | A Human Centred and Community Based Participatory Research Approach to Education Among Young People with Disabilities Living Under Occupation, is a Disability under Siege funded research project (£124,000) which aims to understand the lived experience of young people with disabilities (PWDs) in the West Bank of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), with a focus on their educational trajectories, through a socio-ecological (and political) approach, and using human centred design and community based participatory research. The DIsability Under Siege Network has provided commissioning funding, as well as training workshops and mentoring to the Early Career Researcher leading the project at Birzeit University. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project is led by Suzan Mitwalli, an Early Career Researcher, at Birzeit University. Suzan has taken on leadership of the project and has engaged and shared her learning with the wider Disability Under Siege network at relevant events, as well as supporting the development of training materials for Disabled People's Organisations. |
| Impact | None yet as work still in progress |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Research & Engagement project - #disabledvoicesfromgaza |
| Organisation | Islamic University of Gaza |
| Country | Palestine, State of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | In partnership with Action on Armed Violence, a charity which seeks to reduce the impact of armed violence through monitoring and research of the causes and consequences of weapon-based violence, and the Islamic University of Gaza were awarded £125,000 from the Disability under Siege network to research narrative methodologies with media and information literacy (MIL) to empower university students with disabilities in Palestine. The project was funded under the Disability Under Siege Research and Engagement commissioning call and the research team organised workshops and events for the funded projects to facilitate mutual learning. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The project is led by Prof Nazmi Al-Masri who has worked in close partnership with Iain Overton from Action on Armed Violence, to deliver the planned work to students with disabilities in Gaza. The partners have engaged and shared their learning with the wider Disability Under Siege network at relevant events. |
| Impact | None yet - project ongoing |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | UNDP collaboration |
| Organisation | United Nations (UN) |
| Department | United Nations Development Programme |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | UNDP has invited our CoI in Lebanon to a consultation on transportation, and a simulation of future crises in order to prepare to inclusive planning. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As stated above. |
| Impact | No outcomes as yet. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | UNICEF collaboration |
| Organisation | UNICEF |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | UNICEF is a member of our Lebanon Co-Is Disability Hub. We are in discussion with UNICEF about plans for screening the Lifecycle video on national TV in conjunction with support by UNICEF. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As above |
| Impact | Ongoing - planned TV screening of video. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | UNRWA collaboration |
| Organisation | United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East |
| Country | Jordan |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We are in the process of an agreement with UNRWA who have approached us for our video on inclusive design and language use/terminology in their campaign working in schools, and we are advising them. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As detailed above. |
| Impact | Ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | "All In" - Fabian Review Article (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | "All In" article published in Fabian Review Magazine by Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network, 14/12/21. National, incl 7,000 members of the Fabian Society and > 4000 impressions on Twitter |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://fabians.org.uk/all-in-2/ |
| Description | "Theatre and Palestinian Arts: Women and Inclusive Peace" (IUG, Nazmi Al Masri) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 2 out of 8 theatrical sketches were performed by school children with hearing disability using sign language and interpretation to Arabic in this event at IUG "Theatre and Palestinian Arts: Women and Inclusive Peace" Celebrating International Women's Day (March 8 2022) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/nazmi.masri.5/posts/10225236344752289 |
| Description | #DisabledVoicesfromGaza & Action on Armed Violence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The initiative led by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), titled "#DisabledVoicesfromGaza," successfully conducted a series of 8 seminars, each lasting 4 hours, focused on engaging with social media and storytelling. This educational venture was part of a broader mission to leverage the creativity of learners with disabilities to address Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to quality education and reducing inequalities, particularly in conflict-affected areas like Palestine. Purpose and Achievements: The primary aim of the program was to mobilize the creativity of learners with disabilities, addressing educational inequalities and supporting the sustainable development of the creative economy through international partnerships. It aimed to empower students with disabilities in higher education in Palestine, enabling them to effectively communicate their experiences of life in Gaza amid the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflict. Throughout the seminars, students learned not only how to engage effectively with social media but also how to tell their stories in compelling ways, thus amplifying their voices on a global platform. The initiative empowered these students to take ownership of their narratives and share their lived experiences, thereby contributing to a more inclusive representation of disability in conflict zones. Outcomes and Impacts: The seminars resulted in a significant impact on the participants and the broader community. Students with disabilities developed valuable media and information literacy skills, becoming creators of knowledge and champions for their own stories. This empowerment led to the creation of a robust online presence, where these students could share their experiences and perspectives, challenging dominant discourses on disability in conflict and crisis. Furthermore, the project fostered a sustainable legacy by equipping a cohort of students with the skills to produce and disseminate knowledge, which was then cascaded to their peers through peer-learning initiatives. This approach not only enhanced local capacity but also provided an evidence base for future development and engagement programs, showcasing the power of narrative as a means of empowerment for marginalized communities. The success of the "#DisabledVoicesfromGaza" initiative demonstrated the vital role of creative narrative methodologies and media literacy in empowering students with disabilities, enhancing educational inclusivity, and challenging global perceptions of disability and conflict. Sadly, the terrible mass killings of civilians and the countless disabilities created in Gaza since the ending of this activity has meant not only its relevance is deeply profound, but an entire new cohort of students will be faced with the challenges of how to articulate their trauma on social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://disabilityundersiege.org/funded-projects/ |
| Description | #DisabledVoicesfromGaza BBC news interview with Iain Overton (AOAV) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Dr Iain Overton appeared on BBC News Worldwide on 6th November to talk about the #DisabledVoicesfromGaza project which was funded by the Disability under Siege Network and how the war in Gaza has affected the study and its participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bankDPMGPvc&t=3s |
| Description | #disabkedvoicesfromgaza - challenging obstacles and developing capabilities in Gaza |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 200 August 2023 Professor Nazmi Al-Masri, Co-I on the Disability under Siege project gave an online report and interview to the New Arab Newspaper about training and empowering Palestinian university students with disability in Gaza to use narrative methodologies with media and information as part of #DisabledVoicesfromGaza project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.alaraby.co.uk/society/%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA-%D8%B0%D9%88%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B9%D8%... |
| Description | 6th International Conference on Disability and Development: Disability and COVID-19 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (IUG, Nazmi Al Masri) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | co-participated in the 6th International Conference on Disability and Development: Disability and COVID-19 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the "Education of learners with disabilities under siege in Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. Mon14 - Thurs 17 March 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | A Learning Curve: How The Middle East Is Catering To Neurodiverse Students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Contribution from Dina Kiwan (PI) and Rita Giacaman (Co-I, Disability under Siege) to an online article published by Forbes Middle East entitled "A Learning Curve: How The Middle East Is Catering To Neurodiverse Students" Raising awareness and promoting debate |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/industry/education/learning-curve-how-the-middle-east-is-catering-t... |
| Description | AHRC-UN webinar on the impact of Covid-19 on persons with disabilities (30/04/21), |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This webinar presented the key findings of the systematic literature review conducted to identify the impacts of covid-19 on people with disabilities globally. It was attended by an international audience of academics, policymakers, students and practitioners, and reported widely inn the press. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Advisory Group, UNPRPD project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An advisory group has been established consisting of disabled stakeholder experts across a number of lower and middle income countries (LMICs) from Asia, South America, the Middle East and Africa. Their role is to feed into and advise on the findings emerging from the literature review conducted to inform the development UNPRPD analytic framework for a disability-inclusive recovery from Covid-19 in LMICs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Arab News Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Opinion article entitled "Arab youth must be harnessed in climate change fight" by Professor Dina Kiwan, PI Disability under Siege, as a result of speaking at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), January 2023. Raising awareness on climate change and youth involvement |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.arabnews.com/node/2238231 |
| Description | BBC Newsnight appearance - Professor Nazmi al-Masri |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Professor Nazmi Al-Masri tells Victoria Derbyshire, BBC Newsnight, how he felt seeing the Islamic University of Gaza, where he teaches, bombed by Israel on October 11th 2023. Raise awareness and prompted further discussion |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1712232521776193965 |
| Description | Back to School Campaign - Lebanon Video Campaign (Itab Shuayb) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Awareness campaign in support of inclusive education and learning during times of multi-fold crisis in Lebanon. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buhSCwu59RQ |
| Description | COVID-19 and disability in the Global South webinar (Organiser, Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | COVID-19 and disability in the Global South online webinar, organised by Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network. Over 100 participants attended globally to learn of the impacts of Covid-10 on persons with disabilities (PWDs). The webinar intended to raise awareness around the subject and gave PWDs a platform to discuss their lived experiences. Request for 2 interviews post event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5C-_NZq-cc&t=1s |
| Description | Citizenship Life in the UK test |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On Tuesday 29th March Professor Dina Kiwan (PI), was invited as an expert witness to the Justice and Home Affairs Select Committee to discuss the Citizenship Life in the UK test. You can watch the proceedings on the parliament TV channel. Raising awareness and prompting debate |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/67a70421-a370-4236-80ee-ce7788a0733b |
| Description | Covid-19 disability inclusive campaign Lebanon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This campaign raised the key issues and barriers for those with disabilities in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Deep education reforms needed to get youth more engaged in climate action |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Professor Dina Kiwan was invited to participate in the panel discussion at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, January 2023, attended by +100 international delegates. Raised awareness of the topic and promoted debate |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/deep-education-reforms-needed-to-get-youth-more-engaged-in-cl... |
| Description | Disability Movement in Lebanon Roundtable (CLS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our partner institution, Centre for Lebanese studies held a roundtable on 7th February 2024 entitled Disability Movement in Lebanon, which examine the Lebanese disability rights movement, its development since its establishment in the1980s and its role in promoting the full inclusion of people with disabilities in society nowadays 1. requests for further information 2. plans made for future related activity 3. change in attitude/behaviour among colleagues and audience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Disability Under Siege RNIB Radio Interview (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network, interview by RNIB Radio on 3rd December 2021. Raising awareness of Disability and Covid-19 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://audioboom.com/posts/7989857-disability-under-siege |
| Description | Disability Under Siege in Palestine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This conference event brought together academics, DPOs and practitioners of disability in Palestine to discuss the topic from different disciplinary angles of education, health, and disability activtism, organised by University of Chicago's Posen Centre for Human rights, May 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Disability Under Siege: An Analytical Framework for a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Recovery (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Disability Under Siege: An Analytical Framework for a Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Recovery paper presented at World Pandemic Research Network online conference on 10th December 2021. Raising awareness around the subject of Covid-19 and disability |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://wprn.org/item/407052 |
| Description | Disability and COVID in Low and Middle-Income Countries AMI Radio (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewee on AMI Radio to discuss Disability and COVID in Low and Middle-Income Countries on 08/05/21, Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network. Raising awareness of Covid-19 and disability in the global south |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://podcast.app/disability-and-covid-in-low-and-middle-income-countries-e136819137/ |
| Description | Disability and COVID-19 in the Global South (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The impact of COVID-19 on disabled people in Low- and Middle-Income Countries paper presented at the Presentation at Midlands Graduate School conference 2021, Warwick University, Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mgsdtp/news/seminars/mgsstudentconf2020/ |
| Description | Disability and COVID-19 in the Global South AMI Radio (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewee on AMI Radio to discuss Disability and COVID in Low and Middle-Income Countries on 20/05/21, Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network. Raising awareness of Covid-19 and disability in the global south |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Dr Sarah Benson Keynote speaker at Inclusive Education Conference in Jordan (8-9 March 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Dr Sarah Benson, recipient of Network and Knowledge award, gave a keynote speech to the Inclusive Education Conference in Jordan on 8th March. The conference was hosted by the German Institute for International Collaboration (GIZ) was attended by 300+ headteachers from Jordan, NGO representatives (including Higher Council for the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, HI.org, UNCHR), The Norwegian Ambassador to Norway, HRH Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein and representatives from the Jordan Ministry of Education. The Disability under Siege project received requests for further international collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/86767.html |
| Description | Education Under Siege: Challenges to inclusive education facing pupils and students with disabilities in Palestine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 22 people attended an in person lecture held by Nazmi Al-Masri (CO-I, Islamic University of Gaza) in October 2022 at the University of Birmingham Raised awareness of inclusive education under siege and prompted discussion afterwards |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Enabling knowledge for societal change workshop (Rula Ghandour & Suzan Mitwalli, Birzeit University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | "Enabling knowledge for societal change workshop: Research activities - Institute of Public Health and Community - Birzeit University, and Activities of the Disability Under Seige (DUS) network in the West Bank - Palestine" organised by Early Career Resaerchers, Suzan Mitwalli and Rula Ghandour, under the mentorship of Professor Rita Giacaman, prompted discussion among audience and led to further participation and interest in the research of DUS and Birzeit University. Birzeit University now has an informal disability hub for people with disabilities who are keen to learn more about Disability under Siege and their research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Engaging with the PWD movement at Palestinian Legislative Council |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Providing information and research support to PWDs engagement with the Palestinian Legislative Council. This led to the promulgation of a decision to provide PWDs and their families with free health care. A written commentary on the social action process of the sit-in is published in the Lancet. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00356-1/fulltext |
| Description | GCRF Education Regional Networking event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This networking event enabled dialogue opportunities for interested stakeholders in the Middle East to learn about and engage with the Network Plus programmes working in the region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Global Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreting: The role, education, and professionalization of Arabic & International Sign Language interpreters in Lebanon & Jordan (Itab Shuayb) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Online webinar, with panel member and Co-I, Disability Under Siege Network, Itab Shuayb Global Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreting The role, education, and professionalization of Arabic and International Sign Language interpreters in Lebanon and Jordan Monday 8 November 2021, 4:00 - 5:30 PM Beirut-Amman / 2:00 PM UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://disability-hub.com/global-perspectives-on-sign-language-interpreting/ |
| Description | How has the pandemic deepened existing inequality in employability? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under siege Network, research on "How has the pandemic deepened existing inequality in employability?" gained media coverage on FE News. Raising awareness of Disability and Covid-19. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/how-has-the-pandemic-deepened-existing-inequality-in-employabilit... |
| Description | How pandemic responses neglected disabled people's rights (Vera Kubenz |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | How pandemic responses neglected disabled people's rights article written by Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege network, for The Conversation. 6,500 reads incl. 8 reposts on other platforms, >100 social media shares |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/how-pandemic-responses-neglected-disabled-peoples-rights-158591 |
| Description | Impact and publications workshop - Disability under Siege |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | 6 March 2023 the Disability under Siege Network hosted a Policy Impact and Publications training workshop for all 12 funded researchers of the Early Career and Research & Engagement projects in order to offer guidance to researchers on the project to gain maximum impact from their research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Inclusive Communication protects Rights and Eliminates Discrimination Video Campaign (Itab Shuayb) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Video Campaign aiming to promote rights-based language and inclusion by raising awareness on the correct inclusive terminologies that one should use. The campaign recounts the story of 7 individuals who have disabilities. Working with partners, United Nations Relief and Works Agency to disseminate research on disability in the global south. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_NFPPYdNs0 |
| Description | Intersecting crises in besieged Gaza: Socio-economic and health challenges facing Palestinians with disabilities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Hybrid lecture entitled Intersecting crises in besieged Gaza: Socio-economic and health challenges facing Palestinians with disabilities by Nazmi Al-Masri (CO-I, Islamic University of Gaza held in person and online at the University of Birmingham, October 2022. Raising awareness and provoking discussion after the lecture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Let's talk about social inclusion podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Podcast interview as part of the "Let's talk about social inclusion" series by the Social Inclusion journal. It aimed to share the findings of our research in a format accessible for lay audiences. It was shared by the Social Inclusion website and has led to follow up requests for interviews around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/wp/lta/covid-19s-toll-on-disabled-people-in-low-and-middle-income-cou... |
| Description | Lords Committee requests urgent review of the Life in the UK Test |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | In response to Professor Dina Kiwan's recommendations for the Citizenship Life in the UK test the Lords Committee have published their findings in an open letter letter to Home Office Minister, Kevin Foster MP, stressing the need for the Government to begin immediately a review of the Life in the UK Test. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/519/justice-and-home-affairs-committee/news/171778/lords-... |
| Description | Modifying Moodle platform to meet the needs of Persons with Disability (IUG, Nazmi Al Masri) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Modifying Moodle platform to meet the needs of PWDs Feb 2021- March 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | NK&E - Mainstreaming Strategies and the Application Mechanisms in Higher Education Institutions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This research project, funded by the Disability under Siege Network, sought to identify mainstreaming strategies for people with disabilities in higher education institutions and assess the extent to which these strategies are adopted to safeguard the right to education for individuals with disabilities. It was led by researchers at Al Quds University, An-Najah University and the Islamic University of Gaza. Workshops were held in West Bank and the Gaza Strip and the project developed training materials to raise awareness and provide guidance on disability mainstreaming in higher education institutions. These materials were used in the training sessions conducted for decision makers and other stakeholders. Impact curtailed due to the war in Gaza |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NK&E Al Harah Theater - giant puppet making workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Funded by the disability under Siege Network, the Al Harrah Theater project enhanced enhanced the inclusion of people with disabilities into the performing arts sector while opening further and new opportunities for people with disabilities for work and participation. The project also aimed at creating awareness and changing social stigmas through theater where people with disabilities are included and their messages are conveyed and included training for a group of hearing impaired young men and women on moving giant puppets and activating work done with children in Theater performances and festivals. In addition, conducting a drama training for a group of young men and women with different abilities to enhance self-expression, building confidence and communication skills, and compel stories and issues that need to be addressed. The arts project produced a theater performance that was inspired by the results of the assessment and the conclusions of the drama sessions to be performed for varied audiences and communities in different areas in the West Bank. Increased engagement between cultural orgs and DPOs, adoption of recommendations by other organizations Increase in people with disabilities employed or engaged with cultural activities Measurable change in attitude towards people with disabilities The main outputs resulted from the project are: • 9 young men and women, 4 of who have hearing impairment, gained capacities in moving giant puppets and activation work with children • 10 people with different disabilities enhanced their personal skills through Drama training • A report that highlights the status of inclusion of people with disabilities within the Performing Arts Sector • A theater performance advocating for the rights of people with disabilities Again, further funding and impact activities have been put on hold due to the unrest in West Bank |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://alharah.org/en/?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=252 |
| Description | NK&E Art Advocacy: Youth Views of Disability. Art Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In March 2023 an exhibition was held a the National Art Gallery in Amman, Jordan for the 6 students with disabilities who were the recipients of the Disability under Siege Network and Knowledge funding led by Sarah Benson at the University of Birmingham at Dubai. Students with disabilities engaged in a week of photovoice activities documenting their lived experience, while students without disabilities will shared their understanding of disability through a workshop. The two groups came together in conversation to share and disrupt the current narrative surrounding disability at the art gallery in Jordan. The project gave a platform to youth with disabilities in Amman to share their stories while disrupting the assigned labels youth without disabilities and adults often attribute to them. Interdisciplinary methods of data collection that foreground the experiences of disabled youth will drive this research and the broader public conversation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2023/art-young-people-with-disabilities-in-jordan |
| Description | NK&E Award: Towards inclusive media production (CLS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The project aimed to advocate and raise awareness about the disability notion and knowledge to be portrayed inclusively to enable media production organizations, TV reporters, producers, journalists. etc. to produce inclusive media content that uses inclusive language, correct disability terminologies based on the social model of disability, in addition to producing inclusive media content whether audio-visual, softcopy written format, etc. A series of workshops were be delivered to different Lebanese media organizations, and media education program coordinators to train them to deliver their media content inclusively by using one of the Disability Hub guidelines: Inclusive Audio-visual media and information services. 60 participants attended the 2 workshops |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Nothing About Us Without Us - What can the COVID-19 pandemic teach us about disability justice? (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Vera Kubenz, Research Fellow, Disability Under Siege Network hosted an online webinar for over 100 participants globally on9th November 2021. The event was part of the ESRC's Festival of Social Sciences held by the University of Birmingham. A mall stipend of £600 was awarded to the webinar from the ESRC to assist with the dissemination of the research into Covid-19 and disability in the global south. Request for interview post event and further information on the research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/socsci/events/esrc-festival-2021/events/nothing-abo... |
| Description | Online rally all day radio coverage - International Disability Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | he programme was hosted by Batool Muheisen and Dr. Omar Abu Haniya (who are people with disabilities) as well as Ms. Suhair AbdulKader. It was also supported by two sign language interpreters. The rally interviewed, discussed and reflected on several topics regarding disability such as follows: - Terms (Say but don't say) - Human Interest stories of persons with disability (social media influencers usch as Majd, black belt in Karate such as Hana) - Interventions that supported and mobilized for an inclusive community - Persons with disability (how they get over their challenges) - The role of religion in supporting people with disability Several speakers and guests were hosted during the rally including Dr. Suha Tabbal, Maha Barghouthi, Awatef Abu AlRub (initiative focusing on Dabkeh (folklore dance) with disabilities), Omar Arabiyat, Laila Qusous and many other guests and initiatives. Find the links below: Rally Liwan - Session 1 https://web.facebook.com/1411704742378472/videos/774570319939178 Rally Liwan - Session 2 https://web.facebook.com/1411704742378472/videos/1091042938012173 Rally Liwan - Session 3 https://web.facebook.com/1411704742378472/videos/163719828798227 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation at GCRF coordinated workshop for UNHCR on education research programmes in the Middle East |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The workshop was convened by AHRC to provide a policy audience (initially arising out of a request from UNHCR) with information regarding ongoing GCRF Large-scale programmes focussing on education in the Middle East. I was invited to present on the work of Disability Under Siege. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Project Launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was the official launch of the Disability Under Siege Main Award which was held online. Over 100 participants took part from across 15 countries, as the event was held online. The Network Plus programme of work was introduced by PI Kiwan, with country presentations from CO-Is and from the Project CO-I Cultural Lead. Discussion and questions followed, and details provided about the research commissioning stage. There was positive engagement with participants who were invited to indicate their interest in contributing to the commissioning development through co-consultations workshops planned for March 2021. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | R&E: #DisabledVoicesfromGaza (IUG & AOAV) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This capacity-building oriented research project brings together academics and third sector organisations from the creative and advocacy sectors, based both in the UK and Palestine. In collaboration, the team will empower 100 Palestinian university students with disabilities living in besieged Gaza, Palestine, to effectively communicate and produce narratives about their lived experiences. Mainly UNRWA registered refugees, these students will gain skills and experience in narrating stories of their lives during ongoing conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic using creative and storytelling methods bolstered by media and information literacy (MIL) training. Using peer-learning approaches, this 15-month project will begin through the conducting of a literature review on empowerment and the creative voice, specifying interdisciplinary students prioritised needs; then it will develop and deliver creative writing and media workshops. It will create local capacity by equipping two cohorts of 32 students with disabilities with valuable skills to produce knowledge through their own stories. These skills will be further cascaded to another 68 students through peer-learning (4 groups: 17 each). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | http://disabledvoicesgaza.org |
| Description | Recruitment of new PhD students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 2 additional PhD students have been accepted at University of Birmingham affiliated to the Disabilty Under Siege Programme, one of whom is part funded by the University of Birmingham. These students are supervised by PI Kiwan, and Co-I Woodcock both University of Birmingham, and Co-I Giacaman. An additional PhD student has been recruited to the Crerative Writing Department, University of Birmingham to work on disbility Studies, and is currently down to the last round of M4C funding. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| Description | Safeguarding Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 7th July members of the Rights 4 Time and Disability Under Siege GCRF Networks held a workshop to discuss safeguarding in the context of developmental research, identify key challenges and core principles in designing applying appropriate frameworks. The workshop discussions were structured around the following topics: 1. Who is being safeguarded and from what? 2. What are we safeguarding from? 3. Overview of UK Collaborative on Development Research Safeguarding Guidelines. 4. What are the core principles/values that should underpin our safeguarding approaches? 5. Key considerations in designing safeguarding frameworks |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Safeguarding Workshop - Disability under Siege |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | March 2023 the Disability under Siege Network hosted a Safeguarding training workshop for all 12 funded researchers of the Early Career and Research & Engagement projects in order to highlight procedures and pitfalls of conducting research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Shubbak Festicval, London (June 2023). ART & DISABILITY UNDER SIEGE in conversation with Dina Kiwan and Maha Shuayb |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A virtual conversation, to centre Disabled artists and cultural practitioners from Jordan and Palestine as they discuss the challenges and opportunities of living and working at the intersection of Disability and geo-political instability, held by Shubbak Festival, hosted by Professors Dina Kiwan and Maha Shuayb, Disability under Siege Network |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.shubbak.co.uk/art-disability-under-seige/ |
| Description | The impact of COVID 19 on Persons with Disabilities in Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan Video (Itab Shuayb) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Video presenting finding of the research on the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities and their families in gaining access to online education and healthcare services, and on the challenges they have encountered during the pandemic in Lebanon and Jordan. Information video, raising awareness of the impact of Covid-19 on Persons with Disabilities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwzzACFQ9DQ |
| Description | The impact of COVID-19 on disabled people in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (Vera Kubenz) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The impact of COVID-19 on disabled people in Low- and Middle-Income Countries paper presented at Presented at Environments by Design: Health, Wellbeing and Place Conference on 2nd December 2021. Submission of full article to follow. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://architecturemps.com/design-health/ |
| Description | The targeting of high-rises in Gaza: an analysis of Israel's air strikes on tall buildings in 2021 (Iain Overton) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | "The targeting of high-rises in Gaza: an analysis of Israel's air strikes on tall buildings in 2021" blog article written by Network partner Iain Overton (Action on Armed Violence). Article inspired by research undertaken by Disability Under Siege Network Co-I, Dr Itab Shuayb. Discussion provoking and awareness raising for the DUS Network's research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://aoav.org.uk/2021/the-targeting-of-high-rises-in-gaza-an-analysis-of-israels-air-strikes-on-t... |
| Description | Through our Eyes exhibition at the National Gallery of fine arts, Jordan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Opening evening of photo exhibition "Through our Eyes" held at the National Gallery of Fine Arts, Jordan (13th-21st March 2023), organised by Drs Sarah Benson and Mayada Ntour of the Disability under Siege project. The exhibition presents photographs from 4 young people with disabilities about the world around us. Exhibition attending by the exhibitors and their families, as well as representatives from the German Institute for Collaboration (GIZ), HI.org, EDRAAK.org and the British Council of Jordan. Requests for further information and potential collaboration with the Disability under Siege project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.addustour.com/articles/1335789-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%B6-%C2%AB%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AE%D9%84%... |
| Description | Train the Trainers, Compare Journal (Dina Kiwan) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This is a Compare Writing-for-Publication programme run for the Compare journal editorial board members and British Association for International and Comparative Education (BAICE )executive members, with the idea that they may assist with running future events and/or support the programme as e-mentors. This TOT event will also be useful for Compare editorial board members and editors to reflect on and revisit the journal's often taken-for-granted practices from the perspective of potential contributors in the Global South. Dina Kiwan, member of editorial board of the peer-referred journal Compare attended this training, and this expertise will be used for the mentoring of Global South commissioned projects within the DUS programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | UNPRP - AHRC Partnership Advisory Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This is the joint advisory board of the UNPRPD - AHRC partnership of which we are members. The remit of the advisory board is to advise on the AHRC-funded UNPRPD analytic framework project on the impact of Covid-19 on people with disabilities in LMICs across all sectors (a supplement to the main award). The aim of the project is to provide empirical evidence from a systematic research review of existing evidence, in conjucntion with the coordination of 7 AHRC-funded case studies, whose evidence will also feed into the development of the UNPRPD analytic framework for a disability inclusive recovery in LMICs. We have presented to the board twice on the emerging findings of the literature review. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| Description | UNPRPD Covid Case Studies Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Workshop bringing together a network of 8 case studies to deliver workshops on working with children with disabilities, working with DPOs, creative and cultural methods, and doing research during multiple crises. This was aimed at researchers, students, NGOs, disability activists and their organisations, and policymakers, with a specific focus on development work. Videos were recorded and made publicly available afterwards |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Virtual Workshop: Innovative methods for researching disability and COVID-19 in the Global South (Nazmi Al Masri) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Virtual Workshop: Innovative methods for researching disability and COVID-19 in the Global South 03/03/22 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://disabilityundersiege.org/?page_id=981 |
| Description | Workshop on inclusive reconstruction of Lebanon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The panel webinar "What Would an Inclusive Beirut Look Like? A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Inclusive Reconstruction in Lebanon", was hosted in February 18th 2021 by the Lebanon CO-I organisation and chaired by PI Kiwan. Speakers included experts on inclusive education, mental health and inclusive design, and the sharing on an inclusive practices video. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://disability-hub.com/what-would-an-inclusive-beirut-look-like-a-multi-disciplinary-approach-to... |