Report: Hidden victims of the Syrian crisis: disabled, injured and older refugees
Jointly published by HelpAge International and Handicap International
April 2014 48 pages

Executive summary excerpt
The Syrian crisis has generated the largest refugee movement since the Rwandan genocide and is described as the defining refugee crisis of our era. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, Syrian refugees are about to replace Afghans as the world’s largest refugee population. Within this refugee population older, disabled and injured refugees face specific challenges that contribute to their vulnerability, yet, studies of humanitarian programming show that these same groups are often neglected in the assessment, data collection, design and delivery of responses.

Therefore, in October and November 2013, Handicap International and HelpAge International undertook a research project to highlight the number and needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon living with impairment,2 injury3 and chronic disease4 – for the purposes of this study these groups are referred to as “people with specific needs”. Throughout the report specific consideration is given to the position of older people with specific needs. Due to access and security constraints it was not possible to collect data in Syria itself, however it is recognised that the needs of refugees identified in the following report will be reflected within Syria, and that in this more extreme humanitarian situation the issues outlined below demand further consideration and response.

The findings of this work present a new and critical perspective on the position of the identified groups and the risks and vulnerabilities they face, with far-reaching consequences for the way current humanitarian responses are designed and delivered. As such, the report aims to contribute to the evidence base humanitarians use to design responses, and to support the delivery of inclusive activities which identify and respond to the needs of people with specific needs.

The study shows that of the Syrian refugees surveyed:
:: 30 per cent of refugees have specific needs: one in five refugees is affected by physical, sensory or intellectual impairment; one in seven is affected by chronic disease; and one in 20 suffers from injury, with nearly 80 per cent of these injuries resulting directly from the conflict.
:: Older people account for 10 per cent of refugees with specific needs, yet they make up 4-5 per cent of the surveyed refugee population meaning they are disproportionately affected; 77 per cent of older refugees surveyed have specific needs.
:: Refugees with and without specific needs have the same basic concerns –a lack of income, availability and quality of shelter, and access to basic healthcare, food and essential household items.
:: The difficulties faced by those with specific needs in addressing basic concerns and accessing adequate levels of assistance have more severe consequences for their health and living conditions than the general refugee population.

While the psychological impact of the crisis on children has received significant attention, the same is not true for other potentially highly vulnerable population groups. The survey findings paint a bleak picture for refugees with specific needs:
:: They are twice as likely as the general refugee population to report signs of psychological distress.
:: 65 per cent of older refugees present signs of psychological distress.
Finally, the study provides an insight into the challenges faced by refugees with specific needs in undertaking basic daily activities. The assessment of challenges faced in conducting such activities forms a crucial part of the evidence base on disability in the refugee population, and suggests a higher level of disability among refugees than assumed to date…