Donor agencies and implementing organizations are failing to deliver on commitments to disability inclusion, according to a group of civil society organizations who published a “call to action” urging greater ambition by the development community on Devex Friday.
Both in terms of funded programs in partner countries and in their own hiring practices, development donors and implementers have neglected to prioritize the world’s 1 billion disabled people — roughly 15 percent of the global population — made vulnerable by stigma and disproportionately living in poverty, the civil society leaders say.
“I often worry that it is organizations that consider themselves to be progressive, organizations that consider themselves to be inclusive, who don’t even think about these issues,” said Don Steinberg, CEO of World Learning.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
