Working together to make disability inclusion a reality
People with disabilities are routinely excluded from health, education, livelihood opportunities and the chance to fully participate in their communities.
We recognise that for full inclusion and participation to be effective, there are certain ‘preconditions’ that need to be in place, including access to quality support services and accessible information, communication and physical environments.
Support services encompass a wide range of interventions including:
- Access to mobility aids and assistive devices
- Personal assistance
- In-home and community support
- Supported decision making
- Communication support such as sign language interpretation
- Support to access general services on an equal basis with others such as education, justice system and health.
Quality support enables people with disabilities to fully participate in communities and make choices about how they live their lives. Accessible communities reduce social and environmental barriers and are crucial for making inclusion a reality.
We work in partnership with the Disability Movement to make sure these preconditions are put in place. We also work to ensure that existing community services and programs are inclusive and accessible.
With this approach, programs at the community level result in improved participation and access to education, employment, healthcare, community life, and improved quality of life for women, men and children with disabilities and their families.
We complement this by working with the Disability Movement to advocate and advise for changes to international and national laws, policies and programs, and including community voices to ensure inclusion is scaled up and becomes the norm. This combination can create real change, and it’s well aligned with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).