Accessible Lobby Timeline
07/10/2021 DCDD has joined the ‘Adopt an SDG’ campaign
DCDD has joined the ‘Adopt an SDG’ campaign, where MPs can choose to adopt one or more SDGs and commit to them. In that context, Lieke Scheewe together with Oxfam Novib handed over SDG-2 in accessible format to member of parliament Jan Klink (VVD).
19/01/2021 DCDD part of We Are Able consortium led by ZOA
For the next 5 years DCDD will be part of the We Are Able consortium led by ZOA, which is one of the Power of Voices partnerships with the Ministry.
25/11/2020 DCDD’s 20th anniversary
In 2020 DCDD celebrated it’s 20th anniversary! 20 years of steps we’ve taken together in order to prioritize the rights and needs of people with disabilities in low-income countries. With welcome speech by Minister Kaag.
24/09/2020 Statement DCDD: COVID-19 hits people with disabilities the hardest
DCDD made a statement on the situation of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and what is needed for an inclusive response, which was shared with the ministry and other networks.
28/08/2020 Aid & Trade Minister Kaag sends a letter to Parliament with an overview of projects which support rights and inclusion of people with disabilities
Read the full document in Dutch.
15/06/2020 Motion adopted on how COVID-aid reaches most vulnerable people
A motion was adopted, which called for clear information on how the Ministry ensures that COVID-aid reaches the most vulnerable people.
08/04/2020 Publication Disability Inclusive COVID-Response
When COVID-19 hit, DCDD published an overview of practical tools for a disability inclusive COVID-response.
14/01/2020 Workshop with Dutch Relief Alliance & Ministry of Aid & Trade
Workshop with the Dutch Relief Alliance and the Ministry of Aid & Trade on the new IASC guidelines and action plans towards disability inclusive humanitarian aid.
01/01/2020 ‘Voices for Inclusion’ Conference
‘Voices for Inclusion’ Conference, in collaboration with the Liliane Foundation, Voice, and the African Studies Centre. Handover of lessons learned report to DG Kitty van der Heijden.
10/11/2019 DCDD launches: ‘An Untapped Potential’
DCDD launched the report “An Untapped Potential”. It examines the steps that various stakeholders have taken to implement UNCRPD article 32, sinc the UNCRPD was ratified by the Netherlands in 2016.
11/10/2019 Partos Innovation Festival “All Inclusive”
DCDD was present at the Partos Innovation Festival “All Inclusive”, with the Ethiopian activist Yetnebersh Nigussie from Light of the World as a keynote speaker and a workshop on target group-led advocacy by Liliane Foundation.
07/10/2019 Ministerial Conference in which Minister Kaag aimed for increased support towards ‘mental health and psychosocial support.’
Minister Kaag opened The International Conference on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). The conference was part of a humanitarian response to conflict and disaster. Precious from Cameroon hands over petition to Kaag. A motion was adopted, which requested the Ministry to initiate a dialogue with humanitarian aid agencies (the Dutch Relief Alliance) on how to ensure disability inclusion.
12/09/2019 Meeting with Minister Kaag and the hand-over of our report ‘An Untapped Potential’
02/07/2019 Aid & Trade Minister Kaag sends letter to Parliament with an overview of projects which support rights and inclusion of people with disabilities
“Minister Kaag sends a letter to Parliament with an overview of projects which support rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.” The full document is in Dutch.
24/07/2018 Ambassador for ‘SRHR and HIV/aids’ Lambert Grijns opens the Disability Networking Zone, hosted by DCDD and IDDC, during the AIDS 2018 conference
28/06/2018 Parliament calls for development of disability inclusion criteria and indicators across all aid & trade policies
The motion for disability inclusion criteria came from Kuik (CDA), Bouali (D66) and Voordewind (CU). The document is in Dutch.
18/05/2018 Minister Kaag commits to disability inclusion in the area of humanitarian aid, and to ‘leave no one behind’ in general, in the policy note on Dutch development aid & trade (2018-2021)
“The policy document ‘Investing in global prospects’ of Minister Sigrid Kaag (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) shows how the government is responding to international challenges and opportunities in the interests of the Netherlands.” Read the ‘Investing in global prospects’ document.
23/11/2017 UN special rapporteur Catalina Devandas visits The Netherlands and talks with the Ministry of Aid & Trade and the national human rights institute about her research on inclusive Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
During the visit, Catalina Devandas speaks at DCDD’s expert meeting and receives the publication we developed with ShareNet. Read our article about Catalina Devandas’ visit.
15/06/2017 Parliament calls for improvement of monitoring to measure the effects of aid policies on marginalized groups, including people with disabilities
The motion for improvement of monitoring came from Isabelle Diks (GL). Read more in Dutch.
03/03/2017 Minister Ploumen sends a letter to Parliament on disability inclusion in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and commits to increase efforts to ensure inclusion
Read the letter on disability inclusion in SRHR in Dutch.
31/01/2017 Minister Ploumen (Aid & Trade) commits to make disability inclusion an obligation for humanitarian aid partners and provide them with guidelines within one year
Ploumen also commits to monitor on disability inclusion within the United Nations ‘Education Cannot Wait’ Fund. Read more about Minister Ploumen’s commitment in Dutch.
19/01/2017 Parliament hosts ‘special procedure’ on disability inclusion in sexual and reproductive health rights, DCDD members share their knowledge and experience
24/11/2016 Ambassador for ‘SRHR and HIV/aids’ Lambert Grijns receives a report with recommendations on disability inclusion in sexual and reproductive health and rights from DCDD
DCDD met the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lambert Grijns in November 2016. Although there is attention for the inclusion of people with disabilities in Dutch SRHR policies, challenges at implementation level are paramount. 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 SRHR. That’s why DCDD wrote a report with recommendations for the Ministry. It was handed over to Lambert Grijns, with representatives of DCDD, Light for the World Netherlands and Ethiopia, NLR Indonesia and MCNV.
11/10/2016 Ambassador for human rights Kees van Baar receives recommendations on disability inclusion in human rights policies and dialogue from DCDD
In October 2016, DCDD met the Human Rights Ambassador, Kees van Baar. Yetnebersch Nigussie, disability rights advocate in Ethiopia was present, together with representatives of DCDD and Light for the World. One of the outcomes was that disability will be included in the human rights training of the Ministry. Read the Recommendations on disability rights and inclusion.
14/07/2016 DCDD in New York with Minister Koenders during the 9th Conference of States Parties to the UN CRPD, where The Netherlands ratifies the convention
From 14-16 June 2016, the 9th Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the CRPD was organized in New York. Bert Koenders (Minister of Foreign Affairs) gave a statement on behalf of the Dutch government. A special moment, since the Dutch parliament recently ratified the Convention. Read the full article on DCDD in New York.
24/05/2016 Government signs the Humanitarian Disability Charter at the World Humanitarian Summit
“Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action has been developed in advance of the World Humanitarian Summit (23 and 24 May 2016, Istanbul) by over 70 stakeholders from States, UN agencies, the international civil society community and global, regional and national organisations of persons with disabilities.”
12/04/2016 Government votes in favor of ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)
“8 reasons to know the UNCRPD” article written by Dicky Nieuwenhuis, available in Dutch.
16/03/2016 Expert meeting on steps needed to ensure disability inclusion in humanitarian aid
The expert meeting was organized by the Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development (DCDD) and the Liliane Foundation, in cooperation with Light for the Word, the Karuna Foundation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Preparing the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul on 23-24 May, 2016, the meeting had a threefold aim: (1) to discuss the importance of disability inclusion in all aspects of Disaster Risk Management, (2) to agree on relevant messages for multilateral donors at the WHS, and (3) to share examples on how disability inclusion can be reached in practice. Read the recommendations made for the World Humanitarian Summit.
26/01/2016 Aid & Trade Minister Ploumen receives DCDD’s recommendations for disability inclusion and ‘leave no one behind’
14/01/2016 Parliament calls for disability mainstreaming in foreign aid, trade and human rights policies and dialogue
The motion for disability mainstreaming came from Dik-Faber (CU) and Van der Staaij (SGP). Please note that the document is in Dutch.
26/11/2015 Parliament calls for disability-inclusive humanitarian aid
The motion on disability-inclusive humanitarian aid came from Van Laar (PvdA) and Voordewind (CU). Please note that the document is in Dutch.
28/09/2015 Aid & Trade Minister Ploumen commits to the SDG principle of ‘leave no one behind’ in a 20-point action plan
‘The 20- point action plan‘ document is in Dutch.
01/07/2015 Aid & Trade Minister Ploumen establishes Voice Fund (2016-2020), which supports advocacy projects of marginalized groups, including people with disabilities
Read the article “Voice, the Accountability Fund and the participation of civil society organisations in theme-based calls for proposals” .
2007 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed by the Netherlands
The Netherlands puts its signature under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A small stroke for a pen on paper, yet a giant leap for humankind and their equal rights. NL ratifies the UN CRPD in 2016.
27/10/2006 Initiative note: Right to a decent life for people with disabilities in development cooperation
Find more information on the initiative in Dutch.
2000 Foundation DCDD
“In the year 2000, Marlies van der Kroft, Cristin de Vries and I came together to discuss the recent developments in the disability movement in the Netherlands. The three of us agreed, there was huge untapped potential and therefore we established the Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development. Disability inclusion was our core goal from the very beginning and we aimed to build capacity in the field of development. The strength of DCDD was the fact it was a coalition: we had both individual and organizational participants and we got a lot of support in the early years. We formed different working groups and new partnerships, there were constant discussions about new developments and there was a high level of commitment – a movement was born.”