Q&A: Judy Heumann on how donors can drive disability-inclusive development

LONDON — The needs and challenges around making development programs work for people with disabilities has gained prominence over the last 10 years, most recently after it was taken up by United Kingdom aid boss Penny Mordaunt as one of her core focus areas. Approximately 15 percent of the world’s population has some kind of disability. But despite increased focus on disability rights, as shown by their explicit inclusion in the Sustainable Development Agenda, experts say that many people with disabilities, especially women, remain locked out of services, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and vulnerability. This is especially true for those living in developing countries. The British government has recently funded research into how countries can translate their disability inclusion commitments into practice, led by U.K. NGO Leonard Cheshire Disability. The findings are due to be discussed by advocates, experts, and politicians at a two-day summit in London next week. Ahead of the event, Devex spoke to renowned disability rights campaigner Judy Heumann, who helped set up the independent living movement in the U.S. and abroad and is now global ambassador at Leonard Cheshire Disability. Heumann was also the World Bank's first adviser on disability and development and worked as a special adviser to President Barack Obama on disability rights for the State Department. Heumann told Devex about how donors and governments can drive inclusive development, the role of technology in bridging the access gap, and Leonard Cheshire’s research into the African context. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. How can donors like DFID unpack some of the complexities of working on disability, such as the needs of people with multiple disabilities, and also mental health issues? I do not believe that the inclusion of disability in all cases is complex. It has been demonstrated that inclusion is beneficial for disabled and nondisabled individuals. We should not be cherry picking people with less significant disabilities. Ending discrimination and providing equal opportunities should be occurring regardless of one’s disability. “Disability should be systemically included in all bilateral and multilateral funding as well as funding from foundations and corporations, plus there should be monitoring and evaluation to ensure this is occurring.” --— Judy Heumann, global ambassador for Leonard Cheshire Disability In order to achieve the goal of inclusion for all, DFID and all ministries of foreign affairs will need to ensure that training and accommodations are designed to ensure that no one is left behind because of disability or socioeconomic status. Meaningful inclusion of disability in the Sustainable Development Goals is critical not only to be able to measure progress but also to learn about effective approaches that are resulting in improved outcomes. How can disability be mainstreamed across programs in the way gender has? Disability should be systemically included in all bilateral and multilateral funding as well as funding from foundations and corporations, plus there should be monitoring and evaluation to ensure this is occurring. On the policy side, development and implementation of policies that require inclusion of disability is lacking, and research done by Leonard Cheshire and other organisations shows that implementation of policies is frequently spotty. We need meaningful policies combined with information on how to implement them and this needs to be combined with policies that ensure implementation of laws that will enable countries to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It’s also crucial that disabled people are meaningfully involved in the creation of policies from the design stage to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. What role can technology play: Is there potential to get carried away with gadgets and expensive tools at the expense of simpler but less flashy interventions? Technology is critical and disabled individuals should have equal access to technology that others are using. Regardless of the country a person lives in, technology is playing a growing role enabling people greater access to equal participation in their homes and communities. As a disabled person myself, technology enables me to do things that I otherwise could not do. However, investments should be wisely made as technology is being developed. Decades ago when research was being conducted that today enables blind people to have access to the internet, some might have argued that this was not a wise expenditure of dollars. I would argue it was a great investment and is enabling millions of people around the world with and without disabilities to benefit from this type of research leading to advancements in technology. Designers and developers need to work with disabled individuals and be made aware of advancements in order to design products that are usable by a larger population. What are some of the key lessons learned from Leonard Cheshire’s research in four countries in Africa? We’ve learned that unless disabled people are systematically included in development work, they won’t be miraculously swept along with progress. We’ve also seen that everyone is responsible for disability inclusion — not just development agencies or NGOs, people with disabilities are citizens of their countries. They have families and are taxpayers. As such, it is their right to be included in all programs intended to benefit their communities, and it is the responsibility of their governments to meet their needs. What is needed are local as well as international or global responses. Action is needed on all levels.