Chapter 5.The way forward: disability-inclusive 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Chapter 5.The way forward: disability-inclusive 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Over the past decade, the General Assembly⁵³⁹ has reiterated its commitment to include the disability perspective in the global development agenda, calling for urgent action, in particular, to advance an evidence-based approach to disability and to promote accessibility as a means and goal of inclusive development for all, including persons with disabilities. In this context, inclusive and accessible environments, including through information and communications technology, advance not only full and effective participation of persons with disabilities but all members of society.

Despite these UN mandates, persons with disabilities are still excluded from development. They are more likely to be poor, less likely to be educated and employed, less likely to have health care to meet their needs, and more at risk of being abused or suffering violence. Particular groups are at risk, especially those that are victims of double discrimination, like women, children, youth and older persons with disabilities, as well as indigenous and refugees with disabilities and those with mental and intellectual disabilities. The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, but the needs of persons with disabilities in urban settlements are not always addressed. Similarly, there is also scope to better address the needs of persons with disabilities in planning for, during and after disasters and humanitarian situations. These gaps have been difficult to address, in part, because of the insufficient data to guide policy making on disability inclusive development.

A number of countries have taken promising measures to address these issues. What is needed now is to scale the best practices up.

Foreseeing the importance of disability inclusive development, the UN General Assembly convened a High-Level Meeting on Disability and Development with the overarching theme “The way forward: a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond”, which encouraged the international community to seize every opportunity to include disability as a cross-cutting issue in the global development agenda. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development process followed up on this request and underscored the importance of disability inclusion. As a result, the final Agenda includes several references to disability and several targets aiming at improved participation and decreased barriers for persons with disabilities. Now that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is in place, there is a need for action to ensure implementation of its goals for persons with disabilities as well as the provisions of CRPD.

5.1Sustainable Development Goals and disability

Besides these explicit references, there are six other targets referring to ‘the vulnerable’ or “persons in vulnerable situations, which focus on social protection;⁵⁴⁵ access to economic resources;⁵⁴⁶ disaster resilience, exposure⁵⁴⁷ and impact;⁵⁴⁸ hunger;⁵⁴⁹ water and sanitation.⁵⁵⁰ In addition, two other targets address discrimination, which is a key cause of unequal access to opportunities and services for persons with disabilities.⁵⁵¹ Several targets are universal targets, including the target on ending poverty,⁵⁵² and thus must also be achieved for persons with disabilities. Among the universal targets, seven cover areas where persons with disabilities have been particularly at a disadvantage: poverty,⁵⁵³ child mortality,⁵⁵⁴ health coverage and financial risk protection,⁵⁵⁵ violence against women,⁵⁵⁶ sexual and reproductive health⁵⁵⁷ as well as birth registration.⁵⁵⁸ Therefore, achieving those universal targets will require achieving them for all persons with disabilities too.

Disability has been included as a cross-cutting issue in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, where disability has been latently included, efforts need to be stepped up to ensure that these targets too will be achieved for persons with disabilities. The High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda suggested marking goals and targets as achieved only when this is the case for all income and social groups. This approach would ensure that all social groups, including persons with disabilities, and included in the implementation, follow-up and review of the SDGs.
Box . Explicit references to disability in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Declaration, The new agenda

19. We reaffirm the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as other international instruments relating to human rights and international law. We emphasize the responsibilities of all States, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability or other status.

23. People who are vulnerable must be empowered. Those whose needs are reflected in the Agenda include all children, youth, persons with disabilities (of whom more than 80% live in poverty), people living with HIV/AIDS, older persons, indigenous peoples, refugees and internally displaced persons and migrants. (…)

25. We commit to providing inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels – early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, technical and vocational training. All people, irrespective of sex, age, race, ethnicity, and persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous peoples, children and youth, especially those in vulnerable situations, should have access to life-long learning opportunities that help them acquire the knowledge and skills needed to exploit opportunities and to participate fully in society. (…)

SDG targets

4.5 by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations

4.a build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

8.5 by 2030 achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value

10.2 by 2030 empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

11.2 by 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons

11.7 by 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities

17.8 by 2020, enhance capacity building support to developing countries, including for LDCs and SIDS, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

74. Follow-up and review processes at all levels will be guided by the following principles: (…)

g. They will be rigorous and based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts.