CAPACITY STATEMENT

Humanity & Inclusion (HI), formerly known as Handicap International, works alongside people with disabilities and
vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve
their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. Founded in 1982 in refugee
camps on the Thai-Cambodian border, our work quickly expanded across borders and continents. At present,
Handicap International works in 59 countries globally, with additional offices in 8 high-income countries.

HI has been operating in the Philippines since 1985, implementing emergency and development actions aimed at improving
protection, quality of life, and the promotion of rights of vulnerable individuals, their families, and communities in different
locations throughout the country. HI is working from offices in Makati, Davao City, and Roxas City, in collaboration with
government, international, and local partners. In the last three decades, HI has been carrying out a range of projects in
different thematic areas such as socio-economic inclusion, support to civil society organizations, access to rehabilitation,
access to health and prevention, inclusive disaster risk reduction, and emergency response, integrating disability, age,
gender, and other vulnerability factors in all its actions. HI’s projects in the Philippines have been supported by the Big
Lottery Fund, World Diabetes Foundation, UK Government Department for International Development (DFID), the
European Union (EU), Australian Red Cross, UNHCR, and the START Fund, among others. Based on this extensive
experience working in the Philippines, HI has not only developed the technical and area-specific knowledge necessary for
successful program implementation, but HI has also built positive working relationships that make it a trusted organization
to implement inclusive programs, through specific approaches that have been developed, tested and used with good
outcomes within the Philippines and in other countries.

Thematic Capacities
Inclusive Livelihoods
HI ran 37 inclusive livelihood projects across 30 countries, and our livelihood specific portfolio continues to increase. Current
and past donors for livelihood include USAID, AFD, DFID, Global Affairs Canada, ECHO, EU, NORAD and others. Our staff
tend to be livelihood experts with a deep understanding of reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Our
projects primarily target people with disabilities as the primary beneficiary and wage earner within projects, rather than
their parents or family members. Since 2011, Handicap International has implemented and developed a disability-inclusive
extreme poverty graduation approach. While other projects working with extreme poor people with disabilities often
provide income generating assets (IGAs) to other household members, this project emphasized an inclusive approach
whereby household members with a disability are the target beneficiaries, become livelihood asset holders themselves and
run IGA when possible. In addition to providing adapted livelihood support, Handicap International utilizes our personalized
social support approach to livelihood to ensure that people with disabilities receive a response that is adapted to their
individual needs and that they are able to graduate at the same rate as people without disabilities.

In the Philippines, HI, in consortium with Plan International, is implementing a project titled “Restoring Livelihoods and
Building the Resilience of Most Vulnerable People Affected by Typhon Haiyan, aimed at partnering with the local
government agencies and other stakeholders of the Province of Capiz to address the recovery needs of typhoon-affected
communities in a way that is resilient, inclusive and sustainable.
Inclusive Employment
In 2015, HI has counted 37 projects that worked to increase access to work for people with disabilities globally. The next
year, HI has partnered with the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement, coming up with initiatives such
as the Harkin International Disability Employment Summit. In the same year, Humanity & Inclusion becomes a member of
the International Labor Organization (ILO) Global Business Disability Network that brings together Multinational business
networks to share experiences and promote tools towards decent employment for people with disabilities. In the
Philippines, HI has launched events such as “Inclusion Works” which featured Jessica Cox, HI global ambassador
advocating for Inclusive Employment in the country together with the sharing of best practices from partner corporate
organizations. HI has also provided technical assistance through disability sensitivity awareness sessions in the workplace
to global companies such as TELSTRA and Royal Caribbean Cruises. Starting 2018, HI will implement a regional project
called “Forward Together: Empowering Youth with Disabilities in Asia” funded by FWD Insurance which aims at improving
access to employment and entrepreneurship for youth with disabilities in the Philippines and in Indonesia, putting a strong
emphasis on supporting access to formal employment in both countries, working with the private and government sectors,
civil society organizations and disabled people’s organizations.

Inclusive Education
Globally, HI has been working on Inclusive Education since 1998, specifically focusing on children with disabilities who
represent one of the most vulnerable and excluded learners worldwide. HI’s work focuses on implementation in low income
countries in both emergency and development contexts, promoting access to quality education, learning environments
responsive to the needs of children with disabilities and diversified policies.

In the Philippines, HI is actively engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, experts and the Philippine Network for
Inclusive Education (PNIE). HI currently conducts project development and research efforts on contributing to improved
educational outcomes of children with disabilities in the poorest areas of the country, looking into improving access to
services through direct support, improvement of services and policy development. Coming from experiences in Togo,
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso and Indonesia, HI Philippines is ready to take on the challenges children with
disabilities, parents, and teachers face in the country.

Access to Health and Prevention

HI has been working on access to health and prevention in the Philippines particularly on Diabetes and Cardiovascular
Diseases. Starting in 2007 as a pilot, the cardiovascular/diabetes project has the objective to scale-up, consolidate and
evaluate the access to quality, multidisciplinary diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) risk factors management. This
project is the first and only large scale effort to put in place integrated services for CVD/diabetes prevention and control in
the existing primary health care system in the Philippines. It’s implemented in line with the Philippines Package of Essential
Non communicable diseases protocol (PhilPEN), proposing an operationalization of these guidelines, in close coordination
with local, regional and national health authorities. The project ended in March 2016 but the implementation of the services
has been continuous due to their integration into the services of the Regional Department of Health. Its new phase has
started in November 2016 and aims to replicate the experiences of Davao Region in Western Visayas Region. The project
will also strengthen access to multidisciplinary diabetes care with the integration of a diabetic retinopathy component in
Davao City.

Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
HI has been working on inclusive DRRM in the Philippines since 2009 before the enactment of Republic Act 10121 or the
Philippine DRRM Law in 2010. HI’s IDRRM expertise cover community based DRRM (CBDRRM), advocacy, governance,
DRR in the work place, peer to peer DRR. HI has mainstreamed CCAM in DRR through livelihood resilience interventions,
urban DRR interventions and community resilience adaptation projects. HI has also been working with private sector
institutions to provide technical support on inclusive DRR in the work place. HI participates in national and sub-national
advocacy platforms to influence DRR and Climate Change policies to be more inclusive. In 2016, HI’s Lahat Handa training
manual for facilitator’s on inclusive CBDRRM for children, older persons, women and persons with disabilities was
approved by the National DRRM – Office of the Civil Defense (NDRRMC-OCD).
Emergency Response (Humanitarian Action)
HI has been present in all major disasters in the Philippines in the past 18 years since 2001 responding to Typhoon Lingling
disaster (2001), returnees to Malaysia (2003), landslide in Quezon Province (2004), mudslide in Guinsaugon Leyte (2006),
Typhoon Reming in Bicol (2006), Typhoon Ondoy in Rizal Province (2009), Super Typhoon Megi in Isabela Province (2010),
Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City (2012), Typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley (2013), Super Typhoon
Yolanda (2013) in Eastern and Western Visayas, Typhoon Nina in Catanduanes (2017) and Marawi Crisis (2017).

HI has been working in emergency and conflict situations implementing a vast range of humanitarian assistance ranging
from providing WASH, shelter, cash and livelihood, protection, health and rehabilitation services, disability and vulnerability
focal point (DVFP) approaches, referral services. Inclusion of vulnerable persons is cross-cutting in all emergency projects
of HI through the formation of an Age and Disability Task Force (ADTF) whose main objective is to advocate and ensure
inclusion of vulnerable persons including children, older persons, women and persons with disabilities in humanitarian
assistance.

Armed Violence Prevention

HI, since its beginning, has implemented a multidimensional response to reduce the impact of arms on civilian populations.
In light of difficulties faced by civilians during open conflicts in Syria, Libya, Iraq or Afghanistan, amongst others, the
organization deploys a comprehensive response to arms-related issues. When clearance is not yet an option, Armed
Violence Prevention activities save lives. They serve as an entry point of a Linking Relief Rehabilitation and Development
(LRRD) continuum: planning – taking action – preparing the future. In this sector, HI highlights 3 priority actions: (1)
including people with disabilities and vulnerable populations; (2) providing inclusive emergency responses adapted to the
needs of the population; (3) and reducing the impact of conflicts on civilians. Activities related to Armed Violence Prevention
are developed in many projects, many contexts and take many forms, keeping the same objective: To keep the population
safer from risks related to arms by changing their behaviors. Thus contributing to a wider outcome: Building resilience and
socio-economic development.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

HI has field experience of mental health and psychosocial support in emergency, post-emergency and development
settings dating back to the 1990s. Although HI’s remit initially covered the prevention and treatment of disabling mental
health conditions resulting from war or genocide (trauma, depression, anxiety, psychosis, mental retardation), the scope
was subsequently widened to take into account psychological distress resulting from numerous social and political issues
(poverty, exclusion, vulnerability resulting from exile, migration, war, genocide). Today, HI’s focus is broader still, taking in
any situation which causes psychological distress and/or mental health disorders, or any situation leading to a deterioration
in the person's “ability to live with themselves and with others.”

Protection and Support to Displaced Populations

For several years, HI has been implementing actions in refugee and IDP (internally displaced persons) contexts in Kenya,
Thailand, Bangladesh, South Sudan, Jordan, and Ethiopia. Projects focus on an integrated approach, providing basic needs
and specific needs to extremely vulnerable individuals, including persons with disabilities. Across all activities, HI monitors
and shares information on protection issues with relevant humanitarian actors and authorities; address issues of protection
including gender, sexual exploitation and abuse, “do no harm”; environmental awareness and protection; and inclusion
including issues of accessibility of service providers.
Humanity & Inclusion has served vulnerable populations for over 35 years worldwide using a strategy based on the
equalization of opportunities, inclusion, and social integration. An inclusive and comprehensive approach to
programming is adopted through the combined efforts of vulnerable individuals themselves, their families and
communities. HI is committed to creating sustainable local ownership and government support, and uses inclusive,
participatory, and community-based approaches to enhance ownership of the projects by affected populations.