InterAction hosts a special briefing about inclusive development

InterAction hosted a special event yesterday, Disability & Inclusive Development: A Special Briefing and Dialogue on USAID, State Department, and NGO Strategies and Initiatives. Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, USAID’s Coordinator for Disability and Inclusive Development,  Judy Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights at the US Department of State and David Morrissey, President and CEO of US International Council on Disability were panelists.

With the U.S. in the process of ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, more people are becoming aware of the fact that the rights of this marginalized population are projected by U.S. civil rights laws whenever U.S. government funding is involved. All programs funded by the U.S. government have to be inclusive of people with disabilities.

McClain urged NGOs to think about disability inclusion in their work. In addition to it being a legal obligation, it is an economically smart move to invest in 10% of the world’s population. The common experience for people with disabilities is discrimination. She said how NGOs address this stigma, and support their struggle for basic human rights is crucial to closing the gap in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The panelists also discussed the need to include women with disabilities in the Gender-Based Violence Working Groups and the need to secure a right to education for children with disabilities.

The InterAction Disability Working Group will address these and other critical points and encourages those interested to participate in InterAction’s workshop on disability at the upcoming Forum.