Putting inclusion into practice
We partner with the disability movement to influence organisations, institutions and systems to realise the rights of people with disabilities. We believe that tailored input – communicated effectively, with the right people at the table – can help make inclusion a reality.
Who is Inclusion Advisory Group Australia?
The Inclusion Advisory Group (IAG) is part of the CBM Global federation. IAG is made up of a global network of advisors and researchers working in partnership with the disability movement to spark systemic change for inclusion. We work in teams based in many countries around the world, including in Australia, the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and more.
Advising others is a key way of working, captured in CBM’s three ‘vehicles of change’. Combined with our advocacy and field programs, including our humanitarian work, and together with the Disability Movement, we seek to create global and systemic policy change, as well as impact on the ground in the lives of individuals, their families and communities.
Our flagship team in Australia is our largest
IAG’s global advisory network and approach have evolved from the early work of IAG Australia. IAG’s Australia team has a particular focus on the Asia and Pacific region, contributing more than a decade of advisory and capacity-building experience.
Why we exist
CBM has been working for over 115 years to address the link between poverty and disability.
CBM Australia advocated for disability to be recognised as a rights and development issue alongside our allies, such as the Pacific Disability Forum. The Australian aid program responded and created a disability inclusion strategy. This created demand for practical ‘how-to’ support to implement disability inclusion across the aid program.
In response, IAG Australia have supported the Australian sector to implement a rights-based approach to disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action for the past 15 years. This includes successive technical partnerships with the Australian Government Aid program since 2009.
We now work with a range of clients across Asia and the Pacific region and beyond. We continue to strengthen our understanding of region-specific disability issues, including through our valued and critical OPD partnerships such as with the Pacific Disability Forum.
Our people
IAG Australia consists of a large team of in-house advisors, and we draw on a pool of associates and consultants.
What we do
We provide disability inclusion advice and capacity building to governments, UN agencies, development banks, managing contractors and international and local NGOs in collaboration with the Disability Movement.
We help create change in organisations and institutions through technical advice, change facilitation, capacity strengthening and sharing evidence of what works.
We have worked with a wide range of Australian development organisations, such as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), World Vision Australia, RedR, UNICEF Australia, and within Australian Funds and Programs, such as the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Water for Women, Pacific AHP Disaster READY Program, the Timor-Leste Partnership for Human Development, and the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Economic Development. We also work with critical organisations in the Asia and Pacific regions alongside OPD partners, such as our work with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank.
Our approach
Our unique approach using multi-skilled teams in partnership with the disability movement provides clients with high quality, tailored advice.
Our work in action
Here are some of IAG’s recent projects.
Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Helping systemise and embed disability inclusion practice within the work of DFAT and its partners.
Water for Women
Providing technical support to the Water for Women Fund to improve the health, gender equality and well-being of Asian and Pacific communities.
UNICEF Australia
Strengthening capacity and approaches towards disability inclusive development through the implementation of child rights programs across the Asia-Pacific Region.
World Food Programme (WFP)
Partnering with WFP to deliver tailored technical advice to progress their disability inclusion commitments and advance disability inclusion across their programming.
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV)
Partnering with SNV to delivering disability-inclusive WASH programs in Nepal, Laos and Bhutan under the Water for Women Fund.
AHP Bangladesh Consortium
Working in partnership to meet humanitarian and protection needs and increase resilience and self-reliance of Rohingya and host populations in Bangladesh.
Advisory Capacity Development and Exchange
Working with OPD partners to share knowledge and skills around the provision of technical advice to produce joint knowledge products to share with the wider sector and refine our own practices.
Oxfam Timor-Leste
Working with OPD partners to strengthen disability inclusion in Oxfam’s women’s economic empowerment program and their ‘Open the Books’ program.
Our latest news
Building a Just and Inclusive Future: Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action
People with disabilities are among the hardest hit by...
Five things organisations should think about when supporting OPDs in capacity strengthening
Strengthening the capacity of organisations of people with disabilities...
CBM IAG’s work in 2024 through the Preconditions for Inclusion
As DFAT’s disability inclusion technical partner, CBM Australia's #InclusionAdvisoryGroup (IAG) were so excited to...
Disability rights-based approach to the care agenda
The urgent need to build and rethink care and support systems to address the...
"DFAT's partnership with CBM Australia is an essential enabler for accessing quality disability inclusive technical assistance and capacity building support."
– Excerpt from evaluation of implementation of DFAT’s Development for All strategy
Our latest resources
AHP Phase III Bangladesh Impact Report: An honest account
This report seeks to reflect the lived experience of people with disabilities in the Rohingya AHP Phase III Response, their stories and feedback on what has changed for them, and the continued barriers they face.
Using the Washington Group questions on disability data in development programs: A learning brief
Consolidating the lessons and experiences of development organisations in collecting and using disability data, with a focus on the question sets developed by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics.
Pacific Disaster Ready: Disability inclusion tip sheets
The Pacific Disaster Ready Tip Sheets are a suite of documents and includes key messages and talking points for different sectoral and thematic issues drawing on the learnings from the past four and a half years of the Pacific Disaster Ready project.
Value for Money Assessment of Disability Inclusion
IAG worked with World Vision in Sri Lanka, and their research shows the value of investing in disability inclusion.