International Day of Disabled Persons 2024

On the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, La Chaîne de l'Espoir renews its commitment to inclusion and equal rights for all. This day, celebrated every year on December 3, aims to raise public awareness of disability-related issues and promote more inclusive societies.

A young girl at the Children's Pavilion in Kabul

World Day of Disabled Persons: the 2024 edition

Since 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been charting a course towards a better, more sustainable future for all. Each goal aims to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate, prosperity, peace and justice. The target date for achieving these goals is 2030.

The inclusion of disability in Objective 10, which aims to reduce inequalities at national and international level, is part of this approach.

The theme for 2024, “Amplifying the leadership of people with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”, recognizes the important role that people with disabilities play in creating a more inclusive and sustainable world for all.

80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries.

La Chaîne de l’Espoir commits to International Day of Disabled Persons 2024

For three decades, La Chaîne de l’Espoir has been actively committed to providing access to medical and surgical care for vulnerable populations.

On World Day of Disabled Persons, we are highlighting our program to combat disabilities linked to congenital orthopedic conditions (COD) in Lebanon and Jordan.

Pediatric orthopedics is a priority in these regions due to the high frequency of ACOs at birth. These conditions, such as clubfoot, club hand, brachial plexus syndrome or hip dislocation, lead to lifelong difficulties in the absence of care, including disability, and social, educational or professional exclusion.

Zeinab-and-her-father-at-Khoury-hospital-in-Lebanon

One poignant example is that of Zeinab, a five-year-old girl born with a congenital malformation. Due to financial constraints in her family, she had never been able to benefit from treatment. Her father, Hussein, explains: “To operate on my daughter, the hospitals had asked me for several hundred dollars, but I work as a laborer and I’m Syrian, a refugee in Lebanon since 2014. I’ve lost a lot with the war in my country, I don’t have the means.”
Last summer, Hussein contacted La Chaîne de l’Espoir: “The help we got was life-saving for my little Zeinab. It’s thanks to the association that she was able to undergo surgery.”

With the support of the Agence Française du Développement, La Chaîne de l’Espoir is strengthening the capacities of the Lebanese and Jordanian healthcare systems by creating an ACO referral network. We offer children access to high-quality medical and surgical care, including screening, diagnosis, follow-up, rehabilitation and psychosocial support.

In early 2024, Jordan’s efforts resulted in the launch, in collaboration with the Jordanian Ministry of Health, of the first national screening campaign for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). This initiative led to the organization of three screening sessions at the Princess Basma Comprehensive Health Center in Amman in January, February and June 2024.

A total of 358 children were examined. Of these, 32 were diagnosed with DDH and received appropriate treatment. Over the same period, 42 health professionals from the Jordanian Ministry of Health received training as part of the renewal of their medical licenses, and 10 health workers were trained in screening techniques. The latter conducted 20 awareness-raising sessions, reaching 484 participants. Finally, two surgical missions were carried out, enabling 186 beneficiaries to access medical care.