About the DRG
The Disability Reference Group (DRG) was established as a pivotal initiative following the endorsement of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action in October 2019. These guidelines represent a significant step forward in the humanitarian sector, advocating for a comprehensive and inclusive approach to emergency response and recovery efforts.
At its core, the DRG is committed to facilitating long-term cooperation among United Nations agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, and organizations of persons with disabilities. Our focus is on promoting disability-inclusive humanitarian responses, supporting the dissemination and implementation of essential guidance materials, and enhancing the quality and accountability of humanitarian action to be truly inclusive of persons with disabilities. This commitment underpins our operations, driving us to build on and amplify the efforts of individual member organizations towards a collective impact.
Membership of the Group is open to those committed to promoting inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action.
Co-Chairs
The work of the Reference Group will be facilitated through a tri-partite structure of co-chairs consisting of a UN Agency, an INGO active in humanitarian action, and an organization of persons with disabilities (OPD), represented by the International Disability Alliance (IDA) for an initial period.
The co-chair positions of the UN Agency and the INGO will periodically rotate and be filled through open, transparent election processes. The selection of a new co-chair will be opened every 2 years, based on an expression of interest and a voting process. In order to facilitate regular turnover and smooth transition in the co-chair role, every effort will be made by acting co-chairs to encourage and support organizations expressing an interest in taking on the co-chair role.
Meet our current co-chairs
Kirstin Lange
Programme Specialist (Disability Inclusive Humanitarian Action) at UNICEF
Ulrike Last
Policy & Development Lead, Inclusive Humanitarian Action, Governance and Protection at Humanity & Inclusion
Alradi Abdalla
Humanitarian Action & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Advisor at International Disability Alliance (IDA)
