Include everybody in development
To address the poverty and exclusion of disabled people, inclusive development strategies need to be adopted.
Inclusive development recognises all individuals as equal members of society who should be actively engaged in the development process irrespective of disability, age, gender, ethnicity or any other status. This is achieved by designing policies, products, services and creating environments that can be used by all people, including disabled people.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) provides the most effective and appropriate mechanism for ensuring inclusion of disability within international development.
Application of the CRPD will help to ensure both donor and partner governments address fundamental elements in inclusive development, such as non discrimination, equality, participation and accountability. In particular, articles 4.1 and 32 call for international cooperation in the design and delivery of development strategies and commit all governments to ensure development plans, strategies and processes are inclusive of disabled people.
