Gaza, a network is born in Italy to help children with severe disabilities.
This morning in Rome, a working group chaired by Minister for Disabilities Alessandra Locatelli met to help and support children with disabilities and serious illnesses, particularly from Gaza, in their rehabilitation. "The goal is to create a network that can care for children with disabilities and ensure a targeted treatment and rehabilitation program," the minister emphasized. "The two main national federations of associations working with people with disabilities, FISH and FAND , have already pledged their support. Other organizations will also work together to offer concrete support to the children. The network is set to expand with the involvement of local communities and services that will be activated as needed. We have decided to respond to the requests we received from several organizations, activating coordination among the various organizations available to offer these children a targeted program and greater hope for the future."
Vincenzo Falabella , president of the Italian Federation for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Families (FISH), emphasizes a measure "of great importance for the respect of human rights, in an international context with many open fronts, especially Gaza and Ukraine. This discussion allows us to move within a framework that extends beyond our country alone. We don't currently have precise data, so we don't know how many people we'll need to care for. In this regard, we've asked the Civil Protection Department for a more detailed picture, which can also be provided by the Red Cross's experience in conflict-affected areas. Priority will certainly be given to boys and girls, but this doesn't exclude young adults, i.e., those aged between 16 and 20. We're in the initial phase; we know where we want to go, but we need to figure out what tools to deploy. For this reason, we've arranged to meet again in September, so we can delve deeper into the matter."
"The opening of this discussion is truly very important," emphasizes Francesca Di Maolo , president of the Serafico Institute of Assisi, who was in Rome this morning. " The underlying issue is the protection of the most vulnerable, the invisible ones whose fate is foretold. In armed conflicts, there's a war within a war, which is what people with disabilities face. They not only have the problem of having to defend themselves somehow from the enemy, but they suddenly find themselves without tools: the impossibility of escape, for example, for those in wheelchairs who cannot access a shelter. Imagine children with complex, severe, behavioral disabilities, or those on artificial feeding. Not to mention the whole range of medications, including antiepileptics and antidepressants, which are the first to run out. And while acute care services remain, other activities, such as rehabilitation, cease immediately." Another issue is how to intervene in evacuations and rescue children and people with disabilities: in these cases, a social and health network must be activated because they need caregivers and the support of their families. Therefore, the situation is very complex. It's an issue we feel strongly about. The great news is that, beyond the individual and sporadic availability of each individual, a technical committee has been established. This is an important step forward; I hope it will allow us to implement targeted and structured interventions and that it can be replicated internationally.
In addition to Di Maolo, the inaugural meeting was also attended by Fabio Ciciliano , head of the Civil Protection Department; Domenico Giani , president of the Misericordie d'Italia; Valerio Mogini , director of the social and health department of the Italian Red Cross; Luisa Minoli , president of the "La nostra famiglia" association; Cristina Vaudagna , advisor to the Presidency; and Sandra Strazzer , head of the departmental health area of the IRCCS center in Bosisio Parini.
The opening photo of Gaza City is from the Emergency archive, from the press office
Vita.it
