Short Presentation abstract

Post congress workshop(2012)

CBR in the Gaza Strip
Prepared by: Haneen.A. ALSammak

The Gaza Strip is the southern part of Palestine and has border line with Egypt, with
approximate 1.6m population and a density of 4380 inhabitants; the majority reside in eight
refugee camps under the mandate of UNRWA .

National Society for Rehabilitation (NSR) as a pioneer and innovative organization, has been
working in the field of disability using the strategy of community Based Rehabilitation
(CBR) since 1991, at 25 residential locations in 4 governorates (Gaza, Midzone, Khan-
younis, and Rafah). The vision of NSR is looking to be a leading institution in the activation
of people with disabilities, their families and their local communities in a democratic society
to adopt the principles of equal opportunity and social justice, and a mission that seeks to
activate the role of people with disabilities, their families and their local communities in a
democratic society through the strategic direction of prevention and awareness of
rehabilitation, research and training, capacity building, networking and advocacy with
relevant parties.

Diakonia/Nad as strategic partner with NSR have a great on the development of Gaza CBR
programme through capacity building of technical staff ,widening the scope of services and
developing the concepts of CBR to be sustainable program.

Over the last 20 years Gaza CBR program has achieved the following:
Organizing and empowering people with disability ( PWD ) to be an active
independent . productive people at their societies and defend their rights .
Increase access to services through partnership agreements with local and
international donors and services providers .
Establishing computerized database system about disability issues
Establishing wheelchair maintenance workshop .
Developing partnership agreements with disability based organization , civil based
organizations , and both official system ( governmental and UNRWA ).
Adoption CBR matrix ( the five CBR new guidelines of W.H.O , education , health
,livelihood, social . empowerment ) .

Based on Gaza CBR experience on promoting intimacy , affective relationships and sexuality
in addition to prevention of exploitation ,abuse and violence towards disabled people , Gaza
CBR has good experience in promoting of intimacy and affective relationships through
supporting the philosophy of mainstreaming in all life aspects such as educational settings,
empowerment and recreational activities at inclusive summer camps , trips and participation
at cultural events as well , Gaza CBR encourage PWD and their families to talk and express
their feelings and needs freely with protective privacy about their own personal problems
during home visits like marriage and building family ,sexuality and other problems consider
as taboos issues where CBR set plan of intervention to resolve these problems alone or with
other professionals through referring system ,at the same time Gaza CBR adopt new policy to
prevent violence ,abusing and exploitation towards PWD through compliant box or directly
during home visits , soon CBR team open an investigation and set plan of intervention and
document progress , really Gaza CBR believe that critical areas which consider as taboos still
blocked with barriers like cultural background social stigma but we consider that as challenge
to overcome.