“More than ever, we have realized over the past years that all vulnerable groups face the same issues and struggles but they are affected differently. Therefore, an intersectional response to these challenges must take place,” shares Amal Charif, founder and managing director of HalTek, an advocacy and awareness association working for disability justice.  I spoke with Charif for the “Stories Behind the Headlines” series as it aims at highlighting initiatives that support vulnerable groups during the ongoing war on Lebanon.

HalTek, which Charif leads, is a grassroots organization formed by and focusing on persons with disabilities, specifically women. Over the past few years, it has provided support and training for women with disabilities, whom Charif describes as “the most vulnerable among the whole disabled community.”

The impact of war on the disabled community

When asked how the war has impacted the disabled community, Charif explains that even prior to the 2019 economic crisis, unemployment was high amongst the community.

“Those who had a job were usually individuals with mobility impairments, as others faced even greater marginalization”, she adds thus hinting at the multi-layered complexities that folks with disability face. Furthermore, essential items like wheelchairs, which organizations used to provide occasionally to initiatives like HalTek, are now either no longer distributed or, when they are, of poor quality.

With the current war, the situation has deteriorated for the community. Charif  predicts that the number of people with disabilities will rise and reach over 3000, especially after Israel’s latest pager attacks, which led to many permanent injuries, with some people losing limbs and becoming disabled.

Reconnecting with the community: HalTek’s response to the crisis

In response to these difficult circumstances, HalTek is preparing to launch, in the coming weeks, an initiative to reconnect with the people they had been in contact with before the war, and with whom they lost touch due to the conflict. This includes approximately 80 people, mostly women. “We will not be supporting all members of our community the same way,” Charif says. “What is most important is that they communicate to us their particular needs,” highlighting how some NGOs dehumanize and disrespect people with disabilities in the way they treat them.

“We might also launch crowdfunding campaigns to support our community,” she adds. To do so, HalTek plans to call for volunteers and partner with other associations working on similar issues in different cities.

Post-war concerns: Will vulnerable groups be finally heard and will justice materialise?

Finally, reflecting on what could happen after the war, Charif fears that history will repeat itself and justice will not be served. She is concerned that the government, which has failed to create an efficient emergency plan, will not be held accountable, and that all vulnerable communities will be in a more difficult situation than ever. “The priority is to have vulnerable groups sitting on the tables where decisions are made and be part of any justice process after this war”, she tells me, “We have been marginalized for long. I think for once, it is high time for us to be a priority”.

Reflections

As I continue to interview inspiring individuals working on initiatives to support their marginalized communities, I find myself thinking about what justice should look like once this war ends. How will those who have been affected live again? How will they heal? What constitutes transitional justice for them?  Can we talk about justice if they are not part of it? We need to consider these questions. Through these articles and stories, the Asfari Institute aims to document the struggles faced by “invisible” groups, in order to respond to some of the questions raised.

Charbel Chaaya

Charbel Chaaya earned his bachelor’s degree in French and Lebanese Law, followed by a master’s 1 in Public Law from Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth. He then obtained a master’s 2 in Constitutional Law and Fundamental Rights from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. He is a trainee lawyer, a senior research assistant at the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at AUB, and a program manager at the Arab Association of Constitutional Law.