Challenges of people with disabilities during armed conflict in North Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

In this study, attempts were made to investigate the lives of people with disabilities (PWDs) in situations of armed conflict in the Northeast Amhara region of Ethiopia, and to establish how such incidents influenced their health as well as the provision of basic services. The researcher employed a qualitative phenomenological method in their attempts to comprehend the experiences of PWDs in their lives. Research participants were accessed via a purposive sampling process and snowball sampling techniques. The sample included 20 PWDs, 10 parents of PWDs, 3 medical specialists, 3 humanitarian aid specialists, 2 Women and Children Affairs Office specialists, and 1 political science and international relations specialist, who were selected based on their specific expertise and opinion during the research. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews ranging from 30 to 60 min, conducted in a quiet environment with a local guide who previously knew the research environment. Thematic analysis was used to identify repeated themes within qualitative data. The study establishes that PWDs in Northeast Amhara, Ethiopia, experience a very high degree of exposure to threats in armed conflict, such as interrupted essential services, access barriers, displacement, effects of socioeconomic dimensions, and abuse of human rights. These effects contribute to the loss of specialist care, the elevation of poverty levels, unemployment, and trauma. Directed action needs to be taken to reinstate services, mitigate socio-economic impacts, protect PWDs, enhance mental health service provision, and provide assistive devices in the affected regions. • PWDs in Northeast Amhara face extreme threats during armed conflict. • Women with disabilities face high risks of sexual exploitation and abuse. • Conflict caused a total breakdown of local health and rehabilitation services. • Destruction of assets has deepened the disability-poverty nexus in Ethiopia. • Mental health support is absent despite high levels of reported trauma.