GUIDANCE NOTE on DISABILITY and DEVELOPMENT 2003 - the European Year of People with Disabilities

COMMISSION EUROPEAN JULY 2004 DE 124 DEVELOPMENT for European UnionDelegationsandServices Development on Disabilityand Guidance Note Development Consortium(IDDC). Disabilityand the International Disability Forum(EDF)and produced bytheEuropean The notedrawsonmaterial development co-operation. issues effectively within on howtoaddress disability to EUdelegationsandservices This noteprovides guidance Published in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese by the European Commission Directorate-General for Development.

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Printed in Belgium, July 2004 p.2 Contents p.10 p.10 Specific concerns ofdisabled women Political processes p.8 Access barriers p.8 Poverty p.8 Exploitation p.8 Employment p.7 HIVandAIDS p.7 Basicresources –food, healthcare, education p.7 Exclusion, marginalisation andvulnerability p.4 p.4 p.4 p.3 p.2 p.15 p.14 p.14 p.14 p.13 p.12 p.12 p.10 p.16 p.15 The wayforward –principles for EUdelegations andservices ➀ Key issues Approaches todisability Background 2003 -TheEuropean Year ofPeople withDisabilities ➈ ➇ ➆ ➅ ➄ ➃ ➂ ➁ ➉ F or furtherinformation F Ensure thattheEU’s own services are accessible for disabled persons Include disabled people inthe workforce Recognise women andchildren withdisabilitiesinprogrammes Ensure EUfundedprojects are truly inclusive ofdisabled persons andtheirfamilies is inclusive ofpersons withdisabilities Assess, aspartofthemid-term review, to whatextent thecountry programme Pursue atwin-track approach the charitable ormedical approach Advocate andsupportthehumanrightsmodelofdisabilityrather than rec Understand thescale andimpactofdisabilityinthecountry settingand and Government andother stakeholders F acilitate andsupportcapacity buildingofrepresentative disabilityorganisations acilitate communication between disabilityorganisations ognise thediversity ofthedisabled population

1 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 2003 - The European Year of People with Disabilities

2003 is the European Year of People with Disabilities. It also marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Disabled People and the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Disabled People. The European Year provides an unprecedented opportunity for the EU institutions to give particular attention to the concerns of disabled persons in their work. EU delegations are encouraged to understand the European Year of People with Disabilities as an opportunity to start focusing particular attention on disability issues in their work and proactively to ensure the full and equal inclusion of persons with disabilities and their families in EU initiatives for developing countries in accordance with the key working principles developed in this guiding note. As part of its activities for the European Year, the Commission will also support the work of European NGOs working with NGOs from developing countries on disability issues.

Background

Disabled people make up approximately 10 per cent of any population (WHO) and 20 per cent of the world’s poorest (World Bank). Disability is both a cause and effect of poverty, and 82 per cent of disabled people live below the poverty line in developing countries (UN). These figures can be higher in countries devastated by civil war or natural disaster. Disabled people, in all parts of the world, experience discrimination and are widely excluded from the social, economic and political life of the community. This exclusion is the basic cause of high rates of poverty among disabled people in the poorest countries. Being amongst the most excluded has severe life or death implications for disabled people in developing countries. GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT NOTE GUIDANCE 2 Organisations that disabilityisanindividual(bio-medical orfunctional)problem. through medical orcharitable approaches, often basedontheassumption The Approaches todisability funded bytheEUto theseissues. needs to beaddressed bysensitisingpeople active indevelopment work be promoted. Ifsustainable poverty reduction isto beachieved, disability the humanrightsofpeople withdisabilitiesortheirparticipationinsociety poverty reduction indeveloping countries willnotbeachieved. Norwill If theinterests of disabled people are notrecognised thenthekey goalof primary education, would beimpossible withoutincludingdisabled people. Realising key International Development Targets, suchasuniversal sufficiently includedininternational development work fundedbytheEU. dering theneedsofdisabled people; yet disabled people are still not Millennium Development Goals.Thisgoalcannot bemetwithoutconsi- The European Unioniscommitted to poverty reduction asexpressed inthe EU policy-isbeingadopted byGovernments andinternational institutions. Disability andHealth(ICF,2001)intheapproaches incorporated into Standard Rules (1993),theInternational Classification ofFunctioning, disability -asexpressed in theWorld ActionProgramme (1982),theUN disabilities. Gradually, however, thesocialandhumanrightsapproach to As aresult, development co-operation largely excludes persons with the waythatsocietyisorganised change societyto beinclusive ofeverybody. Withinthesemodels,itis of disability. Thefocus isondisabled people’s rightsandontheneedto to have promoted ahumanrightsapproach andanenvironmental approach In thelast few decades, disabled people’s organisations around theworld citizens. little ornorecognition ofdisabled people’s rightsto participate asequal of disability equalityandthusexclude disabledpersons from in theirprogrammes orprojects. Manydonothave orpractise policiesof operation NGOsdonotconsider theparticular needsofdisabled persons c not madesufficientefforts to consult representatives ofthedisability f Governments have rarely considered theneedsofdisabled people when rights onthisbasis. disabled people have beencoming together increasingly to fightfor their is considered disabling, ormulating theirdevelopment co-operation agendaandhave in most cases ommunity. Manydonors, aidagenciesandmainstream development co- disability issues. Theseapproaches are bothbasedonasocialmodel disabled people themselves) have provided segregated services, with traditional wayofaddressing disabilityissues hasbeeneither for disabled people (rather thanorganisations not theindividualimpairment to to ex clude people withimpairmentsthat . Organisations of hi activities. their made up

3 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 4 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT Key issues successfully, even indifficultcircumstances. the European Union),show thatdisabilityissues can beaddressed done byHandicap International inex-Yugoslavia (largely fundedby needs ofdisabled people. However, recent experiences, suchasthework Many relief andrefugee organisations donotadequately consider the poor health.Thissituationisparticularly stark inemergency situations. limited resources, includingfood, clean water and land.Thisleads to decision. Disabled people are often given thelowest priorityfor any In situationsofextreme poverty, thismaybeadesperate butrational who isconsidered unlikely to beable to provide for thefamily infuture. irresponsible to give anequalshare ofresources to adisabled child Where there are limited resources itmaybeseenaseconomically Basic resources –food, healthcare, education differences inthisregard between rural andurbanenvironments vis-à-vis disabilitydiffer from country to country, andthere are also not solely caused byperceptions orbyculture. Cultures andperceptions many oftheproblems encountered bypeople withdisabilitiesare from thesocietyinwhichthey are bornandlive. Itisclear, however, that c Many disabled persons develop adependencysyndrome, inferiority society advocacy for disabilityrightsismadeallthemore difficult. opportunities for development. Where disabled people are notvisible in of them.They tend to hidedisabled children anddonotoffer themany Many families ofchildren withdisabilities bothfear for andare ashamed sub-human andunfitto participate insociety’s mainstream activities. curse orpunishmentfrom God;disabled people are perceived asbeing ignorance, superstitions andfear. Insomeplaces, disabilityisseenasa Disability isoften perceived inavery negative waydueto cultural factors, activities ofthefamily andthecommunity. Theirvoice goesunheard. protected andcared for, butare often excluded from theday-to-day living inchronic poverty thisisvery significant. Disabled children maybe alone theoldergeneration, inthefuture. Incommunities thatare already may notbeconsidered to have thepotential to supporthimorherself, let often considered atragedy. Adisabled childneedsmore attention and moment ofbecoming disabled, onwards. Thebirthofadisabled childis Disabled people experience discriminationfrom birth,orfrom the Exclusion, marginalisation andvulnerability omplex, asenseofresignation andfeelings ofisolationandexclusion 5 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 6 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT appropriate attention. programmes inwhichchildren withdisabilitiescan getmore and disabled children. There isalsoaneedfor developing specialeducation training, curriculumdevelopment andproviding thenecessary supportfor building abarrier-free environment. Thisinvolves appropriate teacher In order to beeffective, inclusive education requires investment in material andequipmentare issues thatalsoneedto beaddressed. physical accessibility ofschoolsandtransport andaccess to orthopaedic question ofovercoming cultural barriers. Attitudesoftheteachers, However, lackofaccess to education shouldnotbeseenonly asa the day-to-day interactions thatnon-disabled people take for granted. an informal setting.Rightfrom the start they are excluded from manyof on themandtherefore maylearn less thannon-disabled siblingseven in to themselves andfrom others anddonotgetthesupportthey needinorder get education often receive inferior treatment, have low expectations of investment inadisabled childisnotworthwhile. Thosechildren whodo and affect themarriageprospects ofsiblings.They mayconsider that c disabled children remain excluded. Parents mayfear thatthechildwill not education (UNICEF).Even iftheschoolisphysically accessible, many of disabled children. 98percent ofdisabled children receive noformal Universal primaryeducation isunobtainable withouttheinclusion Education full participation. psychological expertise. Meetingsuchneedsisaprerequisite for achieving Rwanda orSierra Leone),there mayalsobeaneedfor access to impairments. Inparticular,inpost-conflict zones(e.g.inBosnia,Kosovo, disabled people have specificmedical needsassociated withtheir f services. Information onhealthcare isoften notprovided inaccessible c w inaccessible and/orfar away(particularly inrural areas) andhealth anyone else.Thisisoften denied.Healthcentres maybephysically All disabled people have thesameneedsfor basichealthservices as Health care ormats anddisabled persons are nottargeted for healtheducation. Some ope orthatdisclosure ofadisabled childwillstigmatise thewhole family omplain ofdoctors denyingthemaccess to reproductive health orkers maydiscriminate against them.Disabled women frequently participate equally. Disabled children often have fewer demandsplaced HIV and AIDS

Disabled people are particularly affected by and vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. Many disabled people are also indirectly affected by HIV and AIDS. They are often dependent on their families and due to HIV/AIDS they risk losing the family who is assisting them. They have inadequate access to information, health care and treatment. Information is rarely available in appropriate formats for disabled persons or adjusted to existing needs. As only very few of the world’s disabled people obtain any form of education, illiteracy is also widespread. There is a lack of information provided in sign language for deaf and hearing-impaired people, in Braille for visually impaired people and in any kind of accessible form for disabled people with learning or intellectual disabilities.

The sexuality of disabled persons in general, and women with disabilities in particular, is something unknown and often stigmatised and is therefore infrequently discussed. Disabled persons are simply presumed not to have sexual contacts, which is yet another reason why information about HIV and AIDS does not reach these groups.

Employment

Later in life, disabled people have restricted employment opportunities, due to discrimination, lack of education, experience and confidence. In fact, employment opportunities for disabled people in developing countries are often almost non-existent. Many disabled persons have to beg for a living whereas, in actual fact, employment is the only way out of life long exclusion. If, during childhood, disabled children are not included in the community, then as they grow up, their non-disabled peers may not be aware of their existence, let alone their value and rights as equal citizens.

Exploitation

Disabled persons in the workplace are paid meagre salaries compared to the able-bodied, and those with qualifications often lack opportunities to use them due to work place discrimination. Exploitation is worse for people with intellectual disabilities and those with speech and hearing impairments. In developing countries they may gain more from begging than as workers (which sometimes leads to new forms of exploitation). GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT NOTE GUIDANCE 7 8 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT r of contracting HIV/AIDS. They often have low self-esteem andconfidence employment andexperience highrates ofsexual abusewiththehighrisk They are often excluded from education, healthservices, family life and Disabled women andgirlsface double exploitation anddiscrimination. Specific concerns ofdisabled women c f people andtheirfamilies to beheard bydecision-makers itisimportant information andlackofaccess to voting booths.Inorder for disabled This ismost often dueto barriers to access, suchaslackofaccess to processes, includingthefundamental rightto participate inelections. Disabled people are frequently excluded from decision-making Po Braille, signlanguageandeasy-to-read texts. public services fail to provide information inaccessible formats, such as disabilities are completely cutofffrom theinformation world when accessibility provisions inpublicservices. Persons withsensory mobility needs.Little ornoattempt ismadeto legislate to require and publicutilities–includingtransport –donotcater for special services andfacilities andhinderequalparticipation.Most roads, houses architectural andenvironmental barriers thatlimitaccess to community In additionto socialandattitudinalbarriers disabled people alsoface Access barriers c without theirinclusion,sustainable poverty reduction for thewhole c deeply into poverty. Removing barriers andenablingdisabled people to breadwinner becomes disabled, thewhole householdrisksslidingmore little opportunityofbreaking outofthecycle. Whenthemainfamily Exclusion leads disabled people to fall furtherinto chronic poverty with Pov or organisations ofdisabled people themselves andtheirfamilies to be esulting from alife ofdiscriminationandexclusion. ommunity willbeunachievable. ontribute could helpreduce poverty inthewhole community. Conversely, onsulted onissues anddecisionsthataffect them. litical processes erty

9 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 10 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT Services Delegations and f principles The wayforward – or European Union gopher://gopher.un.org/00/sec/dpcsd/dspd/disabled/ar48-96.en (1) UNResolution48/96,20December 1993: ( The UNStandard Rules ontheEqualisationofPersons withDisabilities national constitutions. international Conventions, theEUandECTreaties andinthedifferent political, social,economic andcultural –asacknowledged bythedifferent that disabled people can have thefullrange ofhumanrights–civil, should celebrate thediversity withintheircommunities andseekto ensure equal indignityandrights».Inorder to meetthisstandard, allpeople Declaration onHumanRightsstates that «Allhumanbeingsare free and same humanrightsasallothercitizens.Thefirst article oftheUniversal delegations, must reflect thisapproach. Disabled people are entitled to the c Disabled people wantequalrights,notcharity. EUpolicyon development approach disability rather thanthecharitable ormedical 2. Advocate andsupportthehumanrightsmodelof tribe orcaste. by theirdisabilityandthediscriminationresulting from theirgender,age, discrimination, resulting from theinteraction ofthediscriminationcaused people from minoritygroups are often faced withdouble andeven multiple for f c policies thatrespect thisdiversity willwork. Inparticular,people with Disabled persons donotform ahomogeneousgroup ofpeople. Only the disabled population the country settingandrecognise thediversity of 1. Understand thescale andimpactofdisabilityin development co-operation. approach to disabilityandwhichtheEUshouldbefollowing initswork on is theprincipaldocument,whichforms thebasisfor therights-based amilies, require particularactionbysocietiesasthey are often themost omplex dependencyneedsandintellectual disabilities,aswell astheir o-operation, aswell asthe supporting actionsoftheEUcountry gotten amongdisabled people. Also,disabled women anddisabled 1 ) 11 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 12 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT P disabilities. Thisanalysis shouldtake into account theEU-ACP Joint c t EU delegations shouldexamine, aspart ofthemid-term review, and persons withdisabilities ex 4. Assess, aspartofthemid-termreview, towhat voc f mented through thecombined forces ofpeople withdisabilities,their Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR).Thisstrategy shouldbeimple- c r as disabled people themselves. Itisessential to consult regularly with Nobody knows asmuchaboutdisabilityandtheprocesses ofexclusion disabled people are fully includedisto askthem whattheirneedsare. programme designedto benefitthem.Astarting pointfor ensuringthat Ensure thatdisabled people participate inthedevelopment ofany Ensure theinclusionofdisabled people –«Nothingaboutuswithoutus» documentation. should beadequately reflected withincountry strategy processes andEU rec it isessential thattheEUinallitsdevelopment co-operation initiatives rights, poverty eradication andactionto combat inequality. Therefore, of theEuropean Community’s Development Policy: promotion ofhuman There isaclear linkbetween theissue ofdisabilityandthebasicprinciples supported byEUdelegations Ensuring access for disabled people shouldbeintegral toallactivities building) for disabled people. but alsoaddressed through specificdisabilityprojects (includingcapacity the mainEUfundingprogrammes, suchastransport andinfrastructure, people. Thismeansthatdisabilityconcerns shouldberecognised in programmes andprojects andto have specificprojects for disabled There isaneedbothto mainstream disabilityissues across allrelevant 3. Pursue atwin-track approach with disabilities(ACP-EU 3398/02/final). (ACP-EU 3313/01/final).Resolutiononhealth issues, young people, theelderly andpeople living (2) Resolutionontherightsofdisabled people andolderpeople inACP countries amilies andcommunities, andtheappropriate health,education, ogether withvarious partners inthecountry, theextent to whichthe epresentative disabled people’s organisations. Oneapproach whichcan ontribute to theempowerment ofdisabled people isthesocalled ountry programmes are responsive to theneedsofpersons with rimnayRsltoso esn ihDsblte.( arliamentary ResolutionsonPersons withDisabilities. ognises theneedsandrightsofpeople withdisabilities.Disability ational andsocialservices. tent thecountry programme isinclusive of 2 ) re through self-help.Disabilityshouldalsobeincludedintheterms of organisations are often theonly oneswhoactually achieve anything where thenecessary infrastructure ismissing, representative disability persons speakingonbehalfofthedisabled community. Incountries people themselves andfamilies, notjust governments andnon-disabled EU programmes needto involve andincludeorganisations ofdisabled disabled persons andtheirfamilies 5. Ensure EUfundedprojects are truly inclusive of people withdisabilities. the family isoften avery positive factor whenaddressing theneedsof Experience from traditional societiesshows thatsupportbyandthrough disability itisimportant to take thefamily situationinto account. disabled people’s organisations inallinitiatives. Whenaddressing also beputinplace to ensure effective participationofrepresentative projects inthehost country includedisabled persons. Mechanismsshould delegations shouldanalyse andmonitor to whatextent EUfunded fer ence for socialimpactassessments. Together withpartners, 13 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 14 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT disabled people inplanning,implementing andevaluating work. equality training. Staff shouldbemadeaware oftheneedto include accessible to disabled people. EUdelegations shouldundergo disability accessible. Information shouldbeproduced inavariety offormats to be EU delegations’ offices shouldcontinue to ensure thatthey are physically f 8. Ensure thattheEU’s own services are accessible http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb282/pdf/tmemdw-2.pdf (3) OIT,code ofpractice onmanagingdisabilityintheworkplace, Geneva, October 2002: ( the ILO Codeofpractice onmanagingdisabilityintheworkplace. employing disabled persons intheiroffices. Usefuladvice can befound in employment programmes. EUdelegations shouldalsobeopento that disabled people are fully includedinEUfundedtraining and improve theoverall situation.Amore fruitfulapproach would beto ensure w r An inclusive organisation working onpoverty issues shouldemploy a 7. Includedisabled people intheworkforce • • • initiatives are required to reduce exclusion anddiscriminationby: and children withdisabilitiesare often severely marginalised, specific the design,decision-makingandimplementation. Furthermore, aswomen gender equalityandfor bothmenandwomen to have equalinfluence on It isimportant to designprogrammes andprojects inawaythatsecures in programmes 6. Recognise women andchildren withdisabilities easonable proportion ofdisabled people amongtheirstaff. However, or disabled persons orking withspecificquotas hasamixed record anddoesnotnecessarily (including through reinsertion ofchildsoldiers). Specific programmes for children withdisabilitiesinpost-conflict societies children withdisabilities. Strengthening ofdisabled women’s networks andnetworks ofparents of disabilities. Education projects aimedspecifically towards women andchildren with 3 ) r chairing meetings)between theseagenciesandstakeholders and c disabled people intheirwork programmes. They shouldalsofacilitate agencies) operating intherespective countries to promote theinclusionof other relevant agenciesandstakeholders (suchasEmbassies anddonor EU delegations shouldplayaleading role insensitisingGovernment and st organisations andGovernment and other 10. Facilitate communication between disability people withdisabilities,e.g.women’s oryouth organisations. social workers orspecialteachers andwiderorganisations thatinclude with disabilities,e.g.parents’ organisations, professional organisations for important to supportorganisations responding to the needs ofpeople and, thereby, have increased influence indecision-making.Itisalso disabled people andtheirfamilies inorder thatthey can beempowered be supported through fundingofcapacity buildingfor organisations of establishing orstrengthening disabled people's organisations. Thiscould EU delegations shouldmake deliberate efforts to facilitate theprocess of r 9. Facilitate andsupportcapacitybuildingof epresentative disabilityorganisations. ommunication (for example byorganising round table meetingsorby epresentative disabilityorganisations akeholders 15 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT 16 GUIDANCE NOTE ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT e-mail: or Tomas Niklasson, DEVB/3,tel.: +32(0)2-296.01.52, fax: +32(0)2-296.36.97 e-mail: Lieve Fransen, DEVB/3,tel.: +32(0)2-296.36.98, fax: +32(0)2-296.36.97 Please address anyquestions, thoughtsorinputonanyoftheabove to: Contacts: European DisabilityForum (EDF): The International DisabilityandDevelopment Consortium(IDDC): International DisabilityAlliance (IDA): in thefieldofdevelopment co-operation: Key disabilityumbrella organisations andnetworks working http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2002/c_231/c_23120020927en00190066.pdf Resolution onhealthissues, young people, theelderly andpeople livingwithdisabilities(ACP-EU 3398/02/fin) http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2002/c_078/c_07820020402en00220083.pdf Resolution ontherightsofdisabled people andolderpeople inACP countries (ACP-EU 3313/01/fin) http://odin.dep.no/odinarkiv/norsk/dep/ud/2000/taler/032091-990449/index-dok000-b-f-a.html (Report oftheCopenhagenconference ondevelopment anddisability,November 2000) «Inclusion ofthedisabilitydimensioninNordic development co-operation» http://www.eenet.org.uk/bibliog/scuk/schools_for_all.shtml «Schools for All:includingdisabled children ineducation» (Save theChildren, 2002) http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/scuk/jsp/resources/details.jsp?id=657&group=resources§ion=policy&subsection=details «Access for All»(Save theChildren, November 2000) http://62.189.42.51/DFIDstage/Pubs/files/disability.pdf «Disability, Poverty andDevelopment» (DFID–UKDepartmentfor International Development, February 2000) http://www.norad.no/norsk/files/InklusionOfDisability.doc «The InclusionofDisabilityinNorwegian Development Co-operation» (NORAD,January2002) http://www.usaid.gov/about/disability/DISABPOL.FIN.html USAID DisabilityPolicy Paper (USAID,September 1997) F W urther information canbefound at: ebsite: to [email protected] http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/theme/human_social/index_en.htm [email protected] www.edf-feph.org www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org www.iddc.org.uk HN-60-04-175-EN-C

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