600 Million Disabled People Left Out
Source: Djenana Jalovcic, Malcolm Peat, Darko Krznaric, Beth Richan – Queen’s University, International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation
Extract:
MDGs and Disability: Leaving 600 Million Disabled People Out
Despite of the magnitude of disability, people with disabilities are not mentioned in any of the eight MDGs. Persons with disabilities are largely invisible, ignored, marginalized and excluded from mainstream society.
Most development agencies and practitioners recognize that the MDGs cannot be achieved without addressing the needs and rights of disabled people. However, the relationship and relevance of disability to the MDGs is not so well defined and recognized.
Many development agencies focus on MDGs, and disability which is not included in MDGs is not a development priority.
There is an urgent need to mainstream disability in MDGs. Disability must be taken into consideration by policy makers and technical experts when programming, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the current and all future MDG programs.
Advocates for mainstreaming disability propose inclusive MDGs:
- Eradicate Extreme Poverty For People with Disabilities and their Families
- Achieve Inclusive Education
- Promote Gender Equality for Women with Disabilities
- Reduce the Mortality of Children with Disabilities
- Achieve the Rights of Children and Families
- Combat HIV/AIDS
- Ensure Environmental Sustainability
- Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Tags: Human Rights & Advocacy, MDGs, UN CRPD
It is wonderful that government and disability agencies are working together to help find solutions so that people with disabilities have the same chances as every one else