A/HRC/40/27 as awareness-raising, decision-making, access to justice, freedom from abuse and exploitation, inclusive education, among others, are also needed. 7. Situations of humanitarian emergency 49. In situations of humanitarian emergency, children with disabilities are less likely to have access to humanitarian aid, such as food and medicines, or to receive an education than other children;37 girls with disabilities are also less likely to attend school in refugee camps than boys with disabilities. 38 The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has recognized that situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters have a disproportionate impact on the rights of children with disabilities, and has called upon States parties to adopt inclusive disaster risk reduction strategies in their humanitarian responses (see CRPD/C/NPL/CO/1, para. 20 and CRPD/C/OMN/CO/1, para. 24). Children should have access to humanitarian aid as a priority, and enjoy equal access to inclusive education as other children in situations of humanitarian emergency. Their views and realities should be taken into consideration in the different governing structures in camps and emergency settlements. 50. Learning environments, whether they are set up as a temporary measure or continue in a protracted crisis, must ensure the right of children with disabilities to education on the basis of equality with others. Furthermore, measures should be taken to ensure that learning environments are safe and accessible for girls with disabilities, within the classroom but also on the way to and from school. Learners with disabilities must not be denied access to educational establishments on the basis that evacuating them in emergency situations would be impossible, and reasonable accommodation must be provided.39 V. Conclusions and recommendations 51. Children with disabilities hold the same rights as all children, and their empowerment is essential to the realization of their rights. Yet they often encounter significant barriers in exercising and having access to these rights, such as stigma and stereotypes due to their age, gender, impairment or other factor. International human rights law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, provides a robust framework for the empowerment of children with disabilities through a broad range of measures aimed at fostering personal and public decision-making, ensuring their full inclusion in education and in the community, protecting them against abuse, exploitation and violence, raising awareness and ensuring their access to justice. States should embrace these obligations to promote the empowerment of children with disabilities and their full participation in society. 52. In the light of the above conclusions, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recommends that States and other stakeholders: (a) Recognize and implement through the legislative and policy framework the right of children with disabilities to be heard, regardless of their impairment, age or manner of communication, on all matters affecting their lives and within public decision-making, including in situations of humanitarian emergency, and ensure that information and support are accessible and made available in a manner that respects their evolving capacities and strengthens their independent decision-making; (b) Adopt and implement in the legislative, policy and budgetary framework the right to inclusive education, ensuring equal access of children with disabilities to mainstream schools, including by means of a non-rejection policy; individual education plans; the provision of reasonable accommodation; accessibility of educational environments and materials; the provision of adapted educational materials, assistive devices, information and communications technology and support; 37 38 39 14 See UNICEF, Guidance: Including children with disabilities in humanitarian action, p. 13. See Women’s Refugee Commission, Disabilities among Refugees and Conflict-Affected Populations, 2008. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, general comment No. 4, para. 14.