Press Office

London, 25th April 2015 . Handicap International has launched an emergency response following the violent earthquake that hit Nepal on earlier today. At least 970 people are reported dead, but that provisional toll is expected to rise given the widespread scale of destruction. Active in Nepal since 2000, Handicap International has already provided emergency wheelchairs to several hospitals. The organisation is calling for donations to help injured and vulnerable people.

London, 12 March 2015. Four years since the Syrian conflict began, the toll continues to rise. More than 190,000 people have died and one million have been injured. Tens of thousands of people urgently require orthopaedic fitting and rehabilitation. An entire generation of injured and disabled people need immediate and long-term care.

London, 15th January 2015. Handicap International today publishes a report “Bombs under the rubble”, evaluating the Gazan population’s awareness of the presence of explosive remnants of war (ERW). Following the Israeli offensive between 7th July and 26th August 2014, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that there are at least 7,000 unexploded devices and munitions, mainly mixed in with the rubble. Almost half of the people interviewed as part of the Handicap International study reported feelings of fear on a daily basis due to the presence of these bombs. 45% of people surveyed had benefited from awareness-raising actions, but children, particularly young boys, were identified as a ma­jor high-risk group that should be a priority for risk education to prevent accidents.