In the pursuit of creating a more inclusive society that supports people with disabilities, the We Are Able! programme brings together consortia for improvements in the inclusion of individuals with disabilities within their programs and organisations. Nearly two years after the launch in February 2022, the results were evaluated and discussed at the Power of Disability Inclusion Midterm Reflection Meeting hosted by DCDD on October 11th in Utrecht, The Netherlands. This 2nd live session of the ‘Power of Disability Inclusion’ series encouraged open discussions, sharing experiences and takeaways from the Midterm review, and planning for the future.
Reflecting On Progress
The event commenced with an update from Mirjam Horstmeier of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlining ongoing actions across government departments, embassies, and joint programs concerning disability inclusion. Noteworthy initiatives included the participation of Youth Ambassador Jim Monkel at the 56th session of the Commission on Population and Development in New York and the launch of the Feminist Foreign Policy, both highlighting the Ministry’s concrete efforts in this realm.
Following this update, the focus shifted to evaluating the ‘Power of Disability Inclusion’ series conducted by Paulien Bruijn, Judith Baart and DCDD. The assessment involved an online survey distributed to consortia and their partners and semi-structured interviews with consortium leads. Central to the survey was understanding the current status of disability inclusion within these groups and assessing the efficacy of the Power of Disability Inclusion sessions in meeting their needs.
We were delighted to see that 95% of the respondents noted that substantial actions have been taken to enhance disability inclusion in their programmes and organisations over the past two years. The efforts are not only explicit references to disability inclusion but also include community engagement with people with disabilities, setting specific targets, integrating disability awareness into staff training, and fostering collaborations with organisations that focus on disability issues.
Curious to learn more about the findings? A comprehensive presentation of the survey results are presented in the Power of Disability Inclusion Report.
Looking Ahead
Despite considerable progress, there is still a lot of work ahead. The Power of Disability Inclusion Midterm Reflection Meeting provided a platform for participants to reflect on these findings collectively, draw inspiration from successful strategies, and share insights to improve disability inclusion further within their programmes. Participants were asked to reflect upon the following questions:
- Where does your consortium/organisation stand right now with regard to the inclusion of persons with disabilities?
- What goals do you want to achieve regarding disability inclusion in the consortium programme in the coming two years?
- What steps can you take now to achieve this?
An overview of the upcoming Power of Disability Inclusion session topics for 2024 and 2025 was drawn from the assessment, allowing participants to explore these topics and offer recommendations concerning their focus and preference for online or offline hosting. The topics included:
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Lobby and advocacy
- The basics and practicalities of including persons with disabilities
- Organisational scan
- Intersectionality (gender and disability)
- Working with and developing the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities
Facilitating Knowledge Exchange
The discussion highlighted the significance of mutual capacity-building within their programmes, which participants viewed as crucial. They raised whether an inventory could be created to facilitate even more practical knowledge exchange. While DCDD didn’t have such an inventory in place, we had encouraged the collection of resources in a shared folder, aiming to make these accessible to all participants. This suggestion was met with enthusiasm, promising an improved platform for shared learning and capacity-building, and factored into our strategy for 2024-2026.
As the Power of Disability Inclusion Midterm Reflection Meeting concluded, we look forward to another live exchange session next year. In the meantime, our collaboration and shared vision online will ensure the spirit of engagement and inclusivity vibrant throughout the upcoming Power of Disability Inclusion sessions.
