Disability-inclusive development

Disability-inclusive development

People with disabilities are referenced in five of the SDGs and six specific targets, covering equal and accessible education; inclusive economic growth and employment; accessible cities, water resources, and transport; and social, economic and political inclusion for people with disabilities. 

As in previous years, Australia played a key role in supporting disability rights at international forums such as the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In December 2015, the UK Government and the International Disability Alliance (IDA) launched the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network which aims to share expertise, coordinate actions, and raise the profile of disability across a broader range of organisations contributing to international development efforts. 

Reflecting its international reputation as a strong proponent of disability-inclusive development, Australia (represented by DFAT) accepted the role of GLAD co-chair for 2016. In collaboration with permanent co-chair IDA, achievements to-date include promoting GLAD globally, attracting diverse membership, and facilitating agreement among members on its structure, membership and immediate priorities.

To support the disaggregation of data by disability status, DFAT is investing globally in strengthening disability statistics collection and analysis. This will inform better planning and assessments of how the aid program can support people with disabilities to participate in, and benefit from, development efforts on an equal basis with others. In 2015-16, Australia’s disability data partnerships with UN Statistical Division, UNICEF, and the UN Washington Group on Disability Statistics delivered training and online resources for partners including national statistics offices in the region.

Efforts continued in 2015-16 to improve DFAT’s ability to measure and report on the implementation of disability-inclusive development across the aid program. ODE commenced a strategic evaluation of disability-inclusive development to inform actions to strengthen outcomes for people with disabilities through the aid program in future years. The first phase, due for completion in March 2017, will inform efforts to improve robustness and reliability of disability-inclusion performance measures over time.

Figure 39: Disability-inclusion investment performance by investment priority area, 2015-16

While important progress has been made, there is considerable room for improvement in the aid program’s performance on disability inclusion. In 2015-16, just over half (55 per cent) of all assessed aid investments rate themselves as performing satisfactorily or better on disability inclusion. Human development investments such as education and health perform best, with economic development investments lagging.

In partnership with its technical partner CBM Australia, DFAT continued to provide technical assistance to program managers to integrate disability considerations at all stages of the program cycle. In 2015-16, disability-inclusive development training was provided to DFAT staff and implementing partners in ten countries in the region. This support will be extended in 2016-17 to further support staff skills in the area of disability-inclusion.

In addition, DFAT selected seven aid investments across a range of sectors to receive additional funding and technical assistance to enhance disability-inclusiveness through the Disability-Inclusive Development Fund. This Fund, launched in March 2016, aims to provide catalytic support to strengthen inclusion of people with disabilities in aid investments, and generate and share evidence and lessons.