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DCDD connects Non-Governmental Organisations, knowledge institutes, individual experts and students who are passionate about inclusion. We bring our participants together through workshops, knowledge sessions, network meetings, thematic focus groups and online discussion groups.
People with disabilities are often left behind in crisis situations. DCDD focuses on awareness raising of this issue (i.e. at the Dutch Parliament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and humanitarian agencies).
Lobby on this topic has resulted in visible progress on disability inclusion. In 2016, an expert meeting was held to deliver input for the World Humanitarian Summit after which Minister Ploumen signed the Charter on Disability Inclusive Humanitarian Aid. In 2018, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed its commitment to implement the IASC guidelines among its relief partners. And appropriately, disability inclusion is now mentioned as part of Minister Kaag’s policy note within the ‘humanitarian aid’ paragraph. We hope that disability inclusion soon will be mainstreamed and adapted in all humanitarian aid programs throughout the world.
Both children and adults with disabilities are at a much higher risk of (sexual) violence than their non-disabled peers. Given the specific situation of people with disabilities and the obstacles they face in accessing information and services, specific attention and measures are required to include them in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programmes. That’s why DCDD advocates for inclusive SRHR-policies. See here a report with our recommendations and our publication about SRHR of people with disabilities in developing countries.