About IRD

IRD is a national non-governmental organization created in 2012 by a group of urban refugees living in Kigali. The aim of this group of refugees is to provide a response to the issues regarding refugees with disabilities (RWDs), who are confronted with an array of often unconsidered difficulties, and who feel unaddressed specific needs and undergo particular forms of discrimination within the community.

Therefore, some refugees with disabilities, parents of refugee children with disabilities and some activists in refugee communities have come up with the idea of creating IRD in order to unveil all problems faced by the RWDs and plead with key stakeholders and local authorities of the country concerning the rights of the RWDs.

 “Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

(United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006). 

OUR VISION

To have a community where RWDs enjoy equal rights, dignity and protection 

OUR MISSION

IRD is made to advocate for the rights of refugees with disabilities through protection actions to ensure their full development and enjoyment in the community in accordance with the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In short, all our efforts are concentrated on advocacy for improvement of refugees’ living conditions in various camps in Rwanda and in Kigali city.