Actions taken:
The Republic of Poland undertakes to act for the widest possible inclusion of protection of persons with disabilities in the context of armed conflicts to international standards relating to the protection of persons with disabilities. It also undertakes to support internationally initiatives to promote and protect persons with disabilities in the context of armed conflict.
Action plan:
– continuation of the work of the Commission for International Humanitarian Law, operating at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the area of exchange of knowledge on initiatives to protect persons with disabilities in the context of armed conflict
– raising the issue of protecting people with disabilities in international fora, including United Nations, and the desire to incorporate provisions regarding the protection of persons with disabilities into the documents accepted by these forums
– in the context of humanitarian aid, recognizing the special needs of people with disabilities in crises, and striving to address these needs in humanitarian activities at bilateral and multilateral levels
– continuation of advocacy on respect for international humanitarian law
Indicators for measuring progress:
– development of initiatives to protect persons with disabilities in the context of armed conflict, including through the dissemination of international humanitarian law
Resource implications:
– an increased interest of the international community in the issues of persons with disabilities in the context of armed conflicts
Implementation:
- Poland has been very actively promoting the protection of persons with disabilities across the available international fora. It has always made efforts to include this issue in negotiated documents adopted by international organisations and has underlined its importance during the UN SC open debates. Moreover, Poland is a member of the Geneva-based Group of Friends of Humanitarian Disability Charter. On 20 June 2019, on Poland’s initiative, the UN SC adopted Resolution 2475 on the protection of persons with disabilities in armed conflict;
- In 2023, a virtual side-event was held at the UN on the situation of persons with disabilities in armed conflict, co-organised by Poland, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). In 2020, on the first anniversary of the adoption of the UN SC Resolution 2475, Poland initiated common statements of UN member states. Poland has made voluntary humanitarian contributions to help persons with disabilities: a) contribution to the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) for the purpose of drafting a handbook for peacekeeping missions staff (on the rights and situation of persons with disabilities), contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross to aid persons with disabilities in Syria;
- When carrying out assistance programmes, the Polish Red Cross takes into account the criterion of disability in the distribution of goods and services. Following the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine, the Lublin Regional Branch of the Polish Red Cross launched in 2022 the Special Needs Fund to support migrants from Ukraine in addressing their special needs: prostheses, insulin pumps, hearing aids, wheelchairs, orthoses, orthopaedic shoes. A total of 303 migrants received help.