Transforming Disability into Ability: The Story of Israa Abu Daoud

Israa Abu Daoud, a 30-year-old young woman from Hebron, is determined. Although she has a visual impairment, she is actively engaged in advocating for disability rights. Yet like all people with disabilities in Palestine, Israa suffers marginalization, exclusion, and lack of employment opportunities.  

There are 93000 people with disabilities in Palestine, constituting 2.1% of the total population, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. These individuals do not have access to necessary services; therefore, they are generally more affected by the high unemployment and have poorer health and lower academic achievement than their counterparts without disabilities. 

For Israa, the answer was the Cash-for-Work Temporary Employment Project implemented by the YWCA of Palestine. Through the project, she joined the Alhorya radio station to grow her media expertise. “This economic empowerment project has helped me gain new knowledge and improve my media skills”. 

Today, Israa continues to work at Alhorya Radio Station where she presents a program on issues related to people with disabilities.