Report on the Status of the Rights of PwD’s in the Palestinian Society

QADER issued a report on the "Status of the Rights of PwD’s in Palestinian Society" as part of the project "Disability Rights Monitoring & Promotion Initiative" which was funded by NDC. It was launched as a new initiative that addresses the rights of PwD’s in Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jericho Governorates. The project aims at establishing a mechanism for monitoring, reporting and follow up of violations of PwD’s rights, in addition to promoting capacity and awareness of relevant stakeholders on the rights of PwD’s and enhance their role in promoting and protecting PwD rights.

The report aims to emphasize the important role in monitoring the violations experienced over PwD’s.  In addition, it spots the light on the monitoring process which reflects principles, ethics and mechanisms that facilitate obtaining responsible and accurate facts on the violations against PwD’s.

The report concluded a number of key conclusions.

Issues of PwD’s and their rights need to be placed among the national priorities by decision makers and not to be postponed for any reason.

PwD’s continue to suffer from discrimination, and that the principle of equality is not applied.

There is a high rate of disability in Palestine as a result of genetic and health factors, and due to the continued violations by Israeli occupation.

Although the Palestinian Disabled Law Act (4) has been approved, but discrimination is being continued against PwD which is represented in getting jobs. The Law lacks deterrent penalties for violators, which cause not applying its provisions. As well as Palestinian Disabled Law Act (4) lacks the representative of women with disabilities and the laws that protect their rights.

A large number of PwD’s do not get their right to education, health, and social rights. As still the majority can’t get jobs because of their disabilities.

There is no report on violations against PwD’s. This might be either because of ignorance of the law or the conviction of that complaints are not valuable. This led to the continued violations of the right of PwD’s.