Funded Projects

UNPRPD Analytical Framework - COVID-19 and disability in the Global South

In March 2021 the Arts and Humanities Research Council provided funding to the Disability Under Siege Network to undertake a 6 month project to research the impacts of Covid-19 on persons with disability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon and Jordan. Access the overview presentation here. The rationale for this project is to build the research evidence base on the impacts of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities in the social, educational, economic and health sectors to inform the development of strategies for disability inclusive recovery and ‘building back better’ for more disability-inclusive societies.

covid 19 graffitti

Comparative Case Study on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Persons with Disabilities in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine

The rationale for this project is to build the research evidence base on the impacts of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities in the social, educational, economic and health sectors to inform the development of strategies for disability inclusive recovery and ‘building back better’ for more disability-inclusive societies.

image of front cover of Beirut blast mapping report

Mapping the Inclusivity of Needs Assessment and Reconstruction Initiatives During Beirut Blast Recovery Response

On August 4, 2020, a blast in Beirut’s port area caused immense damage to the city, killing approximately 200 people, and leaving 6,500 injured and over 300,000 displaced. This study, written by Itab Shuayb and Sabine Douiery,  examines the inclusivity of the emergency response and reconstruction efforts carried out by both governmental and non-governmental agencies after the Beirut Blast and their response to different groups affected by the Blast. While the study unpacks the rationale for inclusion, it aims to examine the current recovery and reconstruction initiatives and identify existing challenges and opportunities for an inclusive emergency response.

Research Outputs

Literature and Practice Reviews

Arts and Disability in Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Jordan: A Literature and Practice Review

Authors: Anthony Downey, Ruth Gilligan, Rhea Dagher, Yasmin Foqahaa, Mostafa Attia, and Bobby Beaumont

Arts and Disability in Occupied Palestinian Territories: A Literature and Practice Review – Summary

Authors: Anthony Downey, Ruth Gilligan, Rhea Dagher, Yasmin Foqahaa, Mostafa Attia, and Bobby Beaumont

Arts and Disability in Jordan: A Literature and Practice Review – Summary


Authors: Anthony Downey, Ruth Gilligan, Rhea Dagher, Yasmin Foqahaa, Mostafa Attia, and Bobby Beaumont

Arts and Disability in Lebanon: A Literature and Practice Review – Summary


Authors: Anthony Downey, Ruth Gilligan, Rhea Dagher, Yasmin Foqahaa, Mostafa Attia, and Bobby Beaumont