The article explores the complex challenges faced by refugees with disabilities in accessing inclusive education. It underscores how intersecting vulnerabilities—such as displacement, disability, and poverty—compound barriers to education, despite international legal protections like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The paper analyses the legal framework supporting inclusive education, particularly Article 24 of the CRPD, which outlines principles such as non-exclusion, accessibility, individualised support, and the employment of qualified staff. However, it reveals a significant gap between legal provisions and their implementation. Through a review of 96 UN CRPD Committee reports, the author finds that refugees with disabilities are largely invisible in monitoring efforts, with only minimal references to their educational needs.
Field research further highlights systemic failures, including inaccessible facilities, lack of trained teachers, and inadequate assistive tools. The chapter advocates for a stronger application of intersectionality in international human rights law and policy to ensure that the educational rights of refugees with disabilities are recognised and fulfilled. It calls for inclusive systems that leave no one behind, especially those at the margins.
