Minimum standards for age- and disability-inclusive humanitarian responses launched

People outside the Municipal Nursing Home (Asile Communale), Haiti, 2010. Photo © Leah Gordon / HelpAge International.

By Irene Van Horssen

Some 12.3% of the world’s population are aged 60 and over while 15% are living with some kind of disability. The share of older people in the population is growing while the risk of disability often increases in conflicts and disasters. These people, therefore, make up a significant and growing proportion of disaster-affected communities.

The Minimum Standards for Age and Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action are intended to inform humanitarian organisations about the actions needed to ensure that their responses are as inclusive as possible. They are comprised of key standards and include sections on shelter, nutrition, food security and livelihoods, education, health and protection.

“These new minimum standards provide guidance that will allow humanitarian actors to review, develop and monitor their progress in supporting the needs of these two highly vulnerable groups,” says Justin Derbyshire, Director of Programmes at HelpAge International.

“As such, they make a direct contribution to supporting the quality and accountability of future humanitarian programming.”

The document draws on existing standards, including the  as well as materials developed by specialist age and disability agencies.

As the Minimum Standards were published as a pilot version, feedback is still welcome.

Sphere Project Director Christine Knudsen welcomed the document, recognising the role it can play in supporting humanitarian service delivery: “With the publication of these minimum standards for age and disability, practitioners and organisations have even stronger support and clear illustrations of what this means in practice and what actions can be taken.”

For Paul Valentin, International Director at Christian Aid, “The standards give practical support and advice on how to adapt emergency responses to meet the needs and build on the capacities of those who are often left out in disasters.”

“The clear guidance and format gives extra depth to the Core Humanitarian Standard and will go a long way to help us support our partners in inclusive programming.”

Dr M Ashmawey, Chief Executive Officer of Islamic Relief, also praised the document: “This report will add value to the response and guide humanitarian workers to fully achieve impartiality and humanitarian principles.”

The Minimum Standards for Age and Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action has been developed as part of the Age and Disability Capacity-Building (ADCAP) programme led by HelpAge International as part of a portfolio of capacity-strengthening projects under the Start Network.

ADCAP is an initiative of the Age and Disability Consortium, a group of seven agencies working to promote age- and disability-inclusive humanitarian assistance. The programme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

[A slightly longer version of this article was originally published on the HelpAge website.]