Humanity & Inclusion
Professional services
UnclaimedHumanity & Inclusion is an international humanitarian organization supporting people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups affected by poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Humanity & Inclusion, formerly known as Handicap International, is an international non-governmental organization focused on disability inclusion, rehabilitation, humanitarian protection, and the reduction of risks created by landmines and other explosive weapons. Founded in France in 1982, the organization began by assisting people injured by landmines in refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border and in neighboring countries. Its earliest work combined orthopedic care with practical, locally producible equipment and training for local teams, an approach intended to provide useful assistance in difficult and resource-constrained settings. The organization subsequently expanded beyond emergency orthopedic services. Its work has included physical and functional rehabilitation, support for people with disabilities, community-based inclusion, mental-health and psychosocial assistance, emergency response, protection of civilians, economic and social participation, and advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. It also works to reduce the humanitarian consequences of landmines, cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war through clearance, risk education, victim assistance, research, and public campaigning. Handicap International Belgium was established in 1986, helping create an international federation that later developed branches in Switzerland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The federation has operated projects across more than 60 countries, with thousands of field personnel supporting programs in conflict-affected, disaster-affected, and economically marginalized communities. Its stated focus is not limited to medical intervention: the organization seeks to help people with disabilities participate in family, community, educational, and economic life and to influence institutions toward more inclusive policies. Humanity & Inclusion became one of the six founding members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. Beginning in 2005, it also intensified advocacy against cluster munitions and became a founding member of the Cluster Munition Coalition. Its advocacy contributed to public and political momentum behind national and international restrictions, including Belgium's 2006 ban and the Convention on Cluster Munitions adopted in Dublin in 2008. The organization received the 2011 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize for its work with people with disabilities living amid poverty, exclusion, conflict, and natural disasters. In January 2018, it adopted the name Humanity & Inclusion to communicate a broader mandate extending beyond disability assistance alone. The rebranding retained Handicap International as a familiar legacy name in some contexts while presenting a common international identity. The organization remains active in humanitarian aid, disability inclusion, rehabilitation, explosive-weapons action, advocacy, and innovation, including technology intended to improve mine clearance and access to rehabilitation.
History
Humanity & Inclusion was established in France in 1982 by two French doctors who sought to assist people affected by landmines in refugee camps in Cambodia and Thailand. The founding circumstances shaped the organization's long-term combination of medical, rehabilitation, humanitarian, and advocacy work. Rather than relying exclusively on sophisticated imported equipment, its first orthopedic centers used simple materials available locally. Local personnel were involved in delivering care, an approach designed to make services practical and sustainable in refugee and conflict-affected environments. The initial model was extended to refugee camps and affected communities in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, and Laos. The organization provided orthopedic assistance to people with conflict-related injuries while also developing methods for rehabilitation and community support. In 1986, Handicap International Belgium was created, marking an important step toward an international federation. Branches were later established in Switzerland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and the United States, while field programs expanded to countries facing armed conflict, displacement, natural disasters, poverty, and social exclusion. As its geographic presence grew, the organization broadened its mission. It continued to provide rehabilitation and assistive support for people with disabilities, but also worked on access to education, livelihoods, community participation, and emergency services. The organization framed disability as both a humanitarian concern and a rights issue, emphasizing that people with disabilities should be included in relief, development, and public policy rather than treated only as recipients of medical care. Explosive weapons became a central area of international advocacy. Handicap International was one of six founding members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Its activities in this field included assistance to survivors, mine-risk education, clearance, research, and campaigning. From 2005 onward, it also publicly advocated against cluster munitions and helped establish the Cluster Munition Coalition. Belgium adopted a national ban on cluster munitions in 2006, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted in Dublin in 2008. The organization continued to support the treaty and broader efforts to prevent civilian harm from explosive weapons. The organization received the 2011 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, recognizing its commitment to people with disabilities living in poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster. It also became part of the International Disability and Development Consortium, reflecting its role in disability-and-development policy as well as emergency relief. In January 2018, Handicap International changed its name to Humanity & Inclusion. The new identity was intended to better express the diversity of its activities and the fact that its work extended beyond direct disability assistance. The rebranding, developed with Canadian marketing agency Cossette, included the Be a Lifeline campaign. The campaign won a bronze Lion at Cannes in 2018. The organization has since continued operating under the Humanity & Inclusion name while retaining Handicap International as its former name and historical identity. More recent work has included experimentation with technology for humanitarian operations. In 2020, the European Union Horizon Prize recognized projects involving drone applications for mine clearance and tele-rehabilitation. These initiatives reflected the organization's continuing effort to combine field experience with research and innovation. Humanity & Inclusion currently describes itself as an international organization working in more than 60 countries, with a large field workforce supporting rehabilitation, disability inclusion, emergency response, protection, mine action, and advocacy.
- 2020
Innovation projects receive European Union Horizon recognition
[1]The Odyssey2025 and TeleRehabilitation For All projects receive Horizon Prize recognition.
- 2018
Organization adopts the Humanity & Inclusion name
[1]The new name and visual identity are introduced to reflect a broader humanitarian and inclusion mandate.
- 2017
Neymar Jr. becomes an ambassador
[1]The Brazilian football player begins an ambassadorial relationship with the organization.
- 2011
Receives the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
[1]The organization receives the humanitarian award for work with disabled people affected by poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster.
- 2008
Convention on Cluster Munitions is adopted
[1]Humanity & Inclusion supports advocacy for the international treaty banning the use, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions.
- 2005
Campaign against cluster munitions expands
[1]The organization begins a stronger public and research campaign calling for a ban on cluster munitions.
- 1997
International Campaign to Ban Landmines receives the Nobel Peace Prize
[1]Humanity & Inclusion is recognized as one of the campaign's six founding members.
- 1986
Handicap International Belgium is established
[1]The Belgian branch is created as the organization begins extending its international structure and geographic work.
- 1982
Handicap International is founded
[1]Two French doctors establish the organization to assist people affected by landmines in Cambodian and Thai refugee camps.
Products and positioning
An international humanitarian and disability-inclusion organization combining frontline assistance, rehabilitation, mine action, research, and advocacy for inclusive rights and protection from explosive weapons.
Humanitarian rehabilitation · 1982
Rehabilitation and assistive support
Humanity & Inclusion provides physical and functional rehabilitation for people affected by conflict, landmines, disasters, poverty, and disabling conditions. Its early work centered on orthopedic services using simple, locally available equipment, while later programs developed broader rehabilitation and assistive-support capabilities. Services are intended to help people regain mobility, independence, and participation in family and community life.
Humanitarian protection · 1982
Mine action and explosive-weapons response
The organization works to reduce the civilian consequences of landmines, cluster munitions, and explosive remnants of war. Activities include mine clearance, risk education, survivor assistance, research, and advocacy. This line of work connects direct field operations with international campaigning for restrictions on weapons that continue to threaten civilians after conflicts end.
Social inclusion
Disability inclusion programs
Humanity & Inclusion supports the participation of people with disabilities in education, livelihoods, community life, and humanitarian response. The programs address social and institutional barriers as well as individual support needs, positioning disability inclusion as a development, protection, and human-rights concern rather than solely a health-service issue.
Digital rehabilitation · 2020
TeleRehabilitation For All
TeleRehabilitation For All is an innovation project recognized through the European Union Horizon Prize program. It seeks to use remote and digital methods to widen access to rehabilitation, particularly where conventional specialist services are difficult to reach. The available reference material identifies the project but does not provide a full technical description or deployment record.
Mine-clearance innovation · 2020
Odyssey2025
Odyssey2025 is an innovation project examining the use of drones in mine-clearance operations. Its recognition by the European Union Horizon Prize program reflects the organization's effort to improve humanitarian mine action through technology. The available reference material does not specify the project's full operational scope or final deployment results.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Be a Lifeline
International
A rebranding campaign created with Cossette and directed by Olivier Staub presented the organization's humanitarian work under the Humanity & Inclusion identity.
Outcome. Won a bronze Lion at the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the design category.
- 2005Campaign against cluster munitions
International
Humanity & Inclusion intensified public advocacy and research documenting the human impact of cluster munitions and became a founding member of the Cluster Munition Coalition.
Outcome. Contributed to advocacy surrounding Belgium's 2006 national ban and the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Brand decisions
2020
Advance technology-led humanitarian innovationOtherBackground
Humanitarian organizations face challenges in reaching people with rehabilitation services and in making mine-clearance work safer and more effective.
Action taken
Humanity & Inclusion developed Odyssey2025 for drone-supported mine-clearance research and TeleRehabilitation For All for remote access to rehabilitation.
Aftermath
Both projects received European Union Horizon Prize recognition, with prize support intended to help establish further innovation funding.
European Union humanitarian innovation prize. €1 million prize (2020)
2018
Adopt the Humanity & Inclusion identityStrategyBackground
The former Handicap International name was considered less representative of the organization's broad work with vulnerable people, humanitarian protection, and inclusion.
Action taken
The organization changed its international name and logo to Humanity & Inclusion while retaining Handicap International as its former identity.
Aftermath
The new identity was promoted through the Be a Lifeline campaign and became the organization's principal international brand.
Sources1 sources
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