This project aims to support school-aged children in Lebanon by improving access to the official school system, especially for the most vulnerable children, and enhancing protection services. The role of the LUPD focused on designing and implementing an intensive awareness campaign with school students and parent committees to change their attitudes towards the rights of children with disabilities and their inclusion in schools.

Main Objectives and Outcomes

The project was implemented in ten Lebanese schools across different governorates with the aim of raising awareness about disability, diversity, and inclusion among students and parent committees. The project achieved great success in:

• Enhancing understanding and acceptance: Students and parents showed increased knowledge and positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities.
• Building an inclusive environment: The activities, along with work on some engineering accommodation needs, helped pave the way for a more inclusive school environment, challenging negative stereotypes and removing barriers.
• Empowering participants: Participants became more capable of advocating for inclusive education to promote change.

Main Activities

1. Awareness sessions with students: 617 students were targeted through 30 interactive sessions, focusing on concepts of disability, diversity, and inclusion, challenging myths, and promoting social values. This led to increased awareness, the beginning of a shift towards more positive attitudes, and a group of students starting to express the need for inclusive learning environments and accessible facilities.
2. Field activities: These activities aimed to provide students with a direct experience of living with different types of disabilities (using wheelchairs, canes, and blindfolds) to understand daily challenges. This led to enhancing students’ understanding of the challenges faced by their peers with disabilities. The hands-on experience led to student-led initiatives to advocate for the rights of children with disabilities, such as proposing awareness campaigns and preparing support guides.
3. Open day activities and wheelchair basketball matches: These interactive activities involved approximately 1,200 students, with sports teams from the Waad Wheelchair Team participating to play with the students. These activities broke down barriers of discrimination and fostered acceptance. Students’ attitudes shifted from hesitation to active participation, contributing to creating a more inclusive and empathetic school culture. Some quotes from students: “We are all the same and we do not differ in rights, and school is for everyone,” “Inclusive education is a necessity and a right… do not disable us.”
4. Awareness sessions with parent committees: Targeted 80 parents across 9 schools, covering the rights of children with disabilities, available resources, and advocacy strategies. These sessions increased parents’ understanding of their children’s rights and the legal framework, reinforced positive attitudes, and empowered parents to play a supportive role for inclusive education.
5. Inclusion clubs: These clubs were established in three schools (which showed high interest) to serve as a platform for students, teachers, and parents to discuss inclusion issues and advocate for change.

The project has proven its success in enhancing understanding and empowerment, and we are working to reinforce this impact to ensure the creation of sustainable and inclusive learning environments that meet the needs of all learners in Lebanon. Although further similar effort is needed to work with educational staff and develop their capacities in managing diversity within the school.