Access to food and land is a great challenge for people with disabilities worldwide. Social exclusion and inaccessible environments make people with disabilities vulnerable to hunger, malnutrition and the impact of disasters. The COVID-19 crisis not only exposes but also exacerbates these inequalities. To achieve Goal 2, “zero hunger”, of the Sustainable Development Goals, we must address the barriers people with disabilities are facing.
Therefore, we are excited to announce that, from 2021 to 2025, DCDD is engaging in a strategic partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work together on inclusive food security. By strengthening dialogue between local governments and (representatives of) people with disabilities, the ‘We Are Able!’ consortium will amplify the voices calling for ‘zero hunger’ and equal access. More effective political participation will enable people with disabilities to secure better access to food and land.
The ‘We Are Able!’ consortium is led by ZOA and brings together a wide variety of stakeholders, including people with disabilities in Africa (African Disability Forum) and the Netherlands (Ieder(in)), the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG International), The Hague Academy and two of DCDD’s network participants: The Leprosy Mission and SeeYou Foundation. The consortium is active in areas where people face severe forms of food insecurity due to protracted crisis: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan and South Sudan. DCDD will use its expertise in lobbying and advocacy to raise awareness of issues of exclusion – as experienced by partners in the South – among Dutch and international stakeholders in the food security field. In the coming five years, we will establish linkages with other (food security) consortiums and facilitate learning and exchange on good practices of disability inclusion. Together We Are Able to achieve food security for all!
