The Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development was founded in 2000 to combine the forces of individuals and development organisation to advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities in developing countries. We strongly believe that everybody should have equal opportunities to participate in society. Now it is quite the opposite. People with disabilities are coming up against barriers all the time. From physical obstacles and inadequate policies to stereotypical and negative perceptions. Change is needed! We are convinced that inclusion benefits everybody, not only people with disabilities. Inclusion works!

Mission

DCDD aims for full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, especially of persons with disabilities in developing countries.

Goals

DCDD’s final goal is to achieve access and effective participation in society for persons with disabilities in the South on an equal basis with others. More specifically, DCDD aims to achieve involvement of persons with disabilities in policy-making and equal access of persons with disabilities in programmes of Dutch development cooperation.

DCDD focuses on the following sub-goals:

• Inclusive Dutch development cooperation by civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, private sector and the Dutch government, based on the human rights perspective of people with disabilities;
• Monitoring of the implementation of UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities -especially article 32 – International Cooperation- by the Dutch government;
• Encouraging cooperation and learning on disability-inclusion in the Dutch sector of development cooperation.