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About us

Founded in 1982, Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.

Fymee learning to walk again on her new artificial leg, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Fymee learning to walk again on her new artificial leg, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. | © William Daniels/HI

Founded in 1982 and a co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, Humanity & Inclusion (the new name of Handicap International) is an independent and impartial organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict, and disaster.

We work alongside people with disabilities and individuals living in situations of extreme hardship, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

With local partners, we run programs in health and rehabilitation and social and economic integration. We work with local authorities to clear landmines and other war debris and to prevent mine-related accidents through education. We respond quickly and effectively to natural and civil disasters in order to limit serious and permanent injuries and to assist survivors' recovery and reintegration. We advocate for the universal recognition of the rights of people with disabilities through national planning and advocacy.

Humanity & Inclusion is the world's most comprehensive mine action charity. The heart of this action is victim assistance—this was our beginning in 1982—but teams also prevent injuries through weapons and landmine clearance, risk education activities, stockpile management, and advocacy to ban landmines and cluster bombs.

Our mission

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and individuals experiencing extreme hardship, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Our vision

Outraged by the injustice faced by people with disabilities and individuals experiencing extreme hardship, we aspire to a world of solidarity and inclusion, enriched by our differences, where everyone can live in dignity.

Our values

Humanity
Our work is based on the value of humanity. We include everyone without exception and champion each individual’s right to dignity. Respect, kindness, and humility guide our work.

Inclusion
We advocate inclusion and participation for everyone, upholding diversity, fairness, and individual choices. We value difference.

Commitment
We are resolute and bold in our commitment to developing tailored, pragmatic, and innovative solutions. We take action and rally those around us to fight injustice.

Integrity
We work in an independent, professional, selfless, and transparent manner.

Humanity & Inclusion U.S.

In the U.S., Humanity & Inclusion is a 501(c)(3) organization, and a member of the Humanity & Inclusion Network, which includes the Humanity & Inclusion Network, headquartered in Lyon, France, and eight national associations. Humanity & Inclusion U.S. and the national associations in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the U.K. raise funds and awareness in support of programs in 60 countries. The Humanity & Inclusion Network implements these programs.

International strategy

HI's mission and activities are underpinned by a multi-annual strategy, principles of intervention, and a clearly-defined scope of activity.

We work in countries around the world running hundreds of projects in emergency, chronic crisis, reconstruction and development settings. The participants of our projects are people with disabilities and a broad range of other individuals experiencing extreme hardship.

HI's 10-year international strategy has 3 priority actions:

  • Inclusion of people with disabilities and other populations in need.
  • Inclusive emergency responses adapted to the needs of the population.
  • Reducing the impact of conflicts on civilians.

The full strategy is available at: hi.org/en/our-strategy

Worldwide impact

Thanks to individual supporters just like you, Humanity & Inclusion supports people with disabilities and individuals experiencing extreme hardship in countries around the world affected by conflict, disaster and poverty.

As well as our amazing donors, we also rely on the dedication of our 4,793 staff around the world, including 4,013 local staff supporting our programs on the ground.[1]

Since HI was founded in 1982, our work has benefitted tens of millions of people worldwide. In 2022, we ran 466 projects in 60 countries.

The difference we make together

The following figures represent the number of people directly benefitting from HI's work in 2021:

2,552,100 people directly helped [2]

People who received goods or services as part of a project implemented by HI or its operating partners in 2022.

11,883,937 People indirectly helped (e.g. family members, caretakers)

People indirectly impacted by goods or services received by people directly supported by HI in 2022.

Number of people helped by sector of activity


Rehabilitation services
: 528,158 people


Health and Protection
: 788,430 people


Social Inclusion
: 810,401 people [3]


Safeguarding and Risk Reduction
: 339,381 people

- Armed Violence Reduction: 515,871 people [4]


[1] Staff numbers expressed in annual full-time equivalent positions.

[2] Some people benefitted from several services and/or activities. For this reason, data by sector of activity cannot be cumulated. This is non-exhaustive data that does not include all sectors of HI’s activity.
[3] Services related to habitat, infrastructure, communication and public transport; services related to justice, citizenship and political participation; social services; educational services; economic services; water, sanitation and hygiene services.
[4] Armed violence reduction (including mine action), natural disaster risk reduction & climate change adaptation, safeguarding against abuse and violence, inclusive humanitarian action, gender and disability.

Where we work
Phaly Heang is 4 years old. After a bad accident, she was left with paralysis on one side of her body. , She started rehabilitation sessions at HI's center in Kampong Cham. Phaly Heang is 4 years old. After a bad accident, she was left with paralysis on one side of her body. , She started rehabilitation sessions at HI's center in Kampong Cham. Phaly Heang is 4 years old. After a bad accident, she was left with paralysis on one side of her body. , She started rehabilitation sessions at HI's center in Kampong Cham. Phaly Heang is 4 years old. After a bad accident, she was left with paralysis on one side of her body. , She started rehabilitation sessions at HI's center in Kampong Cham.

© Lucas Veuve/HI

Phaly Heang is 4 years old. After a bad accident, she was left with paralysis on one side of her body. She started rehabilitation sessions at HI's center in Kampong Cham.

Who we serve

Our actions focus on people living in situations of extreme hardship during times of peace, conflict and natural disaster. Generous donors make it possible for us to serve:

  • People with disabilities
  • Populations facing vulnerable circumstances, including isolated children, aging individuals, and people living with chronic disease
  • Civilians exposed to explosive weapons during armed conflict and in post-conflict situations
  • Refugees and people displaced by crises, conflict and disaster
  • People at risk of disease, violence and disabling accidents

Areas of action

Find out about the main issues we work on:

Our people

These are just some of the specialist roles that make up our dedicated teams:

  • Artificial limb and brace technician
  • Physical therapist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Speech therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social worker
  • Deminer (weapons clearance)
  • Explosive ordnance risk education officer
  • Disability rights advocate
  • Logistics manager

Will you support our work?

Your donations can be truly life-changing, helping people with disabilities around the world.

From rehabilitation and providing people with artificial limbs, to demining activities, to responding to natural disasters, and including children living with a disability in school, your funds provide vital support and help to ensure that no one is forgotten.

Our international network

The HI network is made up of an international federation and eight national associations:

Together, we mobilize resources and manage projects around the world to support people with disabilities and individuals experiencing extreme hardship.

The HI federation implements the network’s social missions around the world, either under the name “Humanity & Inclusion” or “Handicap International”, depending on the country.

HI network annual report

For more information about HI's global activities and impact, please download the latest Annual Report for the HI network:

► 2021 Annual Report - HI Network (PDF, 5.2 MB)

Institutional policies and code of conduct

Details of institutional policies and other professional information about the HI network are available at: hi.org/en/institutional-policies  

Find out more

 

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