| Country: |
Lebanon |
|
Organization: |
Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union (LPHU) |
| Address: |
P.O. Box: 15-5473
Beirut - Lebanon. |
| Tel: |
961-1-650 417 |
| Fax: |
961-1-650 417 |
| E-mail: |
lphu@inco.com.lb |
| Coverage: |
National Organization comprising 1200 members and volunteers, with six main Branches in: Beirut, Machghara, Bar Elias, Arsal, Al Nabatiye and Jbeil.
|
| Objectives: |
1. Empowering women and young women to defend their own interests and rights, improve their life situation and actualize their potential;
2. Promoting and advocating equal human rights for disabled young women in order to ensure equality and non-discrimination under the law and practice;
3. Fostering social integration through the adoption and dissemination of information on successful pilot projects. |
| Approach: |
Training & raising awareness; advocacy programs; development projects. |
| Intervention Sectors: |
Disabled young women:
1. Social Integration;
2. Health;
3. Rehabilitation;
4. Literacy and vocational programs;
5. Equal opportunities in education & employment;
6. Participation & Rights;
7. Gender based violence. |
| Networking: |
Partners at the national level:
1. Members of the Inclusion Network;
2. Youth Association of the Blind;
3. Lebanese Down Syndrome Association.
Partners at the regional /international levels: Regional Network for disabilities, and International Disability Organization.
Member of national / regional platforms:
1. Inclusion Network;
2. Anti-Globalization Network.
|
| Involvement: |
Involvement in designing, implementing and evaluating national youth policies:
1. Joining forces with other women’s organizations to support legislation for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and young women;
2. Involved in all advocacy efforts for the formulation, and the adoption of a comprehensive disability legislation.
|
| Project: |
Capacity Building for Young Women with Disabilities. |
| Objectives: |
Empowering young women with disabilities to address their own socio-economic needs and advocate for their own rights and interests. |
| Brief: |
This program is an integral part of the gender mainstreaming strategy adopted by LPHU. Through rehabilitation, counseling, and a comprehensive training program, LPHU seeks to enable disabled women and young women to combat their physical and social isolation, and take control of their own lives. |
| Duration: |
Ongoing |
| Location: |
On a national scale covering the different regions where LPHU operates: Beirut, Jbeil, Machghara, Bar Elias, Arsal, and Al Nabatiye. |
| Results: |
Many young women who benefited from this program have reached leadership positions within the association. |
| Project 2: |
Legal Campaign on a National Scale. |
| Objectives: |
1. Building an inclusive society that will not only benefit people with disabilities, but also society at large;
2. Raising awareness on the rights of the disabled towards their full participation at all social, economic and political levels;
3. Lobbying for the rights of persons with disabilities, and in particular young women, to ensure non-discrimination under the law and practice. |
| Brief: |
To achieve these objectives, LPHU has adopted an action program, with a gender-sensitive approach, focusing on three main components:
1. Training in advocacy techniques to enable disabled persons to defend their own rights and interests;
2. Lobbying efforts to amend discriminatory legislation;
Building awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities to achieve social integration. |
| Location: |
On a national scale. |
| Results: |
1. The Lebanese parliament adopted in 2000 a comprehensive legislation (Law 220) that ensures equal opportunities and integration to persons with disabilities. This new law entitles persons with disabilities with full employment opportunities and social benefits, equal opportunities in education, and health, rehabilitation and support services.
2. Establishing dialogue with the private sector through workshops and round tables. As a result, more than 100 disabled persons are currently employed by private enterprises.
The empowerment of persons with disabilities to advocate for their own rights. |
| Future Plans: |
Raising awareness and advocating for the full implementation of legislation 220. |
| Project 3: |
Educational Inclusion |
| Objectives: |
1. To build an inclusive society by supporting families, combating discriminatory attitudes and promoting the rights of children with disabilities to an independent living and education;
2. To induce parents to assume their role and defend their children’s rights and interest;
To demonstrate effective methods of combating exclusion at the school and community level. |
| Brief: |
LPHU and other NGOs joined efforts to integrate children with disabilities in a number of selected private schools from rural areas. This involves networking, training and raising awareness among parents, educators and school boards, in order to adapt methods, material and the physical environment to meet the needs of disabled children. |
| Location: |
The Bekaa valley. |
| Target Group: |
Children (girls and boys), parents, teachers, and the entire community. |
| Results: |
This project proved to be successful as it enabled children, with disabilities to gain self-confidence and participate in class life and group interaction. Due to the success of this project, the Ministry of Education is working on elaborating similar models in public schools. |
