Support for disability rights should expand beyond the those affected by conflict to include everyone with disabilities, say youth

The workshop on disability rights, led by UNSMIL’s Human Rights Section and supported by the UN Youth Office in New York, provided a comprehensive overview of Libya’s obligations towards persons with disabilities as rights-holders, particularly under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Libya ratified in 2018. Speakers also emphasized the UN’s role in supporting government to enhance accessibility and empowering civil society, particularly youth, to advocate for this issue.

“To enable independent living – a fundamental human right – accessibility and support systems are essential,” said Maria Stoffregen, UNSMIL Human Rights Officer. “The state must ensure persons with disabilities have equal access to services and assistive technologies to fully enjoy their rights. Libya, like other states, have committed to providing these necessary provisions, including to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities. But more needs to be done,” she added.

Seven of the participants in the workshop identified as disabled. They discussed key challenges facing young people and those with disabilities and stressed the importance of including the voices of persons with disabilities in all discussions and campaigns about the issue.

The recommendations of the fourteen young men, and thirteen young women included:

• Raise awareness among the public and Libyan officials on the definition of disability and on state obligations towards persons with disabilities.
• Expand government support to be more inclusive of everyone with disabilities, regardless of cause, moving beyond the current focus on those affected by conflict in Libya, including working to reduce the lack of support and societal integration for disabled women compared to men.
• Allocate resources and increase outreach to better support persons with disabilities living outside of the main coastal cities, to ensure equal access to community-based services, healthcare and education.
• Support the establishment of an independent body to regulate and evaluate initiatives which support those with disabilities.
• Raise awareness about the capabilities of persons with disabilities to counter discrimination, stigma and unequal access to services, including education. Raise awareness about the support networks available to persons with disabilities and their needs.
• Provide gender-sensitive educational and psychosocial support to those with disabilities from conflict to help rehabilitate them into society.
• Ensure disabled people are guaranteed representation in decision-making institutions across Libya.
• Review and revise legislation in Libya to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities while engaging them fully in the process.
• Upskill civil society organisations through cooperation and collaboration internationally and nationally to enhance their capacity to advocate for the implementation of conventions and national agreements.
• Empower civil society, including youth, to better raise awareness on disability rights within communities and foster an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities.
• Collate and share data regarding the number of young people with disabilities and initiatives set up to support them. Share best practice within the community and secure more ethical media coverage on the issue.

The participants highlighted that women with disabilities face greater challenges than men. All agreed that the focus on disability support in Libya – both from the state and in society – has been primarily centered on men affected by conflict. “Women are also affected by the conflict but do not receive the same amount of support,” one female participant noted.

“The level of awareness of rights is low in general,” said another male participant. “International conventions and agreements supporting disability rights should be implemented to guarantee the inclusion of persons with disabilities and provide them with specific support needed to access information and participate fully in society,” he added.

Meaningful youth engagement – where there is active, genuine engagement with young people in decision-making, recognizing their voices and leadership – is a key element of the UN’s Youth 2030 strategy, and the Pact of the Future agreed by all UN member states in September. This initiative focuses on eliminating barriers to participation and using assistive technologies to increase inclusion.

The workshop was a part of a series organized by UNSMIL under its YouEngage initiative, aiming to engage 1,000 young men and women across Libya on different topics. The goal is to gather their ideas and recommendations to inform UNSMIL’s youth-oriented strategies, promote inclusion, and amplify the voices of those who are traditionally excluded.