Department of Economic and Social Affairs Global Status Report on Disability and Development Prototype 2015 UNEDITED VERSION United Nations New York, 2015 Global Status Report on Disability and Development | 2015 Department of Economic and Social Affairs The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. Note The designations employed and the presentation of the material in the present publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitations of its frontiers. The term “country” as used in the text of this report also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas. The designations of country groups in the text and the tables are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Mention of the names of firms and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations. 2 Global Status Report on Disability and Development | 2015 Contributors and acknowledgements This report was drafted by the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (SCRPD) of the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD), UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), with inputs from experts from academic institutions and international agencies. Team from DSPD/SCRPD of UNDESA Talin Avades, Fred Doulton, Miranda Fajerman, Kaisa Huovinen, Akiko Ito, Maria Martinho, Justin Meloche, Julie Pewitt, Robert Venne, Guozhong Zhang, Manou Zonderland Contributors from UN and inter-governmental organizations Stefan Tromel, Valentina Stoevska (ILO); Fredrik Ericsson (OECD); Arturo Requesens, Jean-Pierre Gonnot, Margaret Mbogoni, Keiko Osaki-Tomita (UNDESA); Irmgarda Kasinskaite, Mariana Kitsiona, Florence Migeon (UNESCO); Rosangela Berman Bieler, Anna Burlyaeva, Gopal Mitra, Tamara Rusinow, Lieve Sabbe, Megan T Tucker (UNICEF); Takashi Izutsu, Atsuro Tsutsumi (International Institute for Global Health, UN University); Maribel Derjani-Bayeh, Mary Keogh, Jeong Shim Lee, Sharon J. Taylor (UN-Women); Alarcos Cieza (WHO) Contributors from academic institutions and non-governmental organizations Mary Crock (University of Sidney); Rangita de Silva de Alwis (Wellesley Centers for Women, University of Pennsylvania); Roberto Foa (Harvard University); Daniel Mont (University College London); Victor Pineda (World Enabled) 3 Global Status Report on Disability and Development | 2015 Contents Chapter 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2. Historical overview of the UN’s work on disability and development............ 16 Establishment of the United Nations ............................................................................ 17 A shift in perspective .................................................................................................... 18 Building momentum ..................................................................................................... 19 UN development conferences ....................................................................................... 22 UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on Disability and Development and toward disability-inclusive 2013 global agenda for sustainable development ............. 26 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3. Overview of the situation of persons with disabilities in development ........... 31 3.1 Defining disability ..................................................................................................... 31 3.2 Measuring disability and data collection ................................................................... 33 Why do we need data? .................................................................................................. 33 Different approaches to disability data collection ........................................................ 35 Status of internationally comparable disability data ..................................................... 37 3.3 Prevalence of disability ............................................................................................. 38 3.3.1 Global prevalence for adults .............................................................................. 38 3.3.2 Prevalence in children ........................................................................................ 39 3.3.3 Prevalence among older persons ........................................................................ 41 3.3.4 Prevalence by sex ............................................................................................... 42 3.3.5 Urban versus rural .............................................................................................. 43 3.3.6 Prevalence by type of disability ......................................................................... 44 3.4 Overview of the socio-economic status of people with disabilities .......................... 46 3.5 Accessibility as a pre-condition for inclusive and sustainable development ............ 51 What is accessibility? .................................................................................................... 52 UN mandates on accessibility ....................................................................................... 53 Approaches to increase accessibility ............................................................................ 55 a. Mainstreaming accessibility............................................................................... 55 b. Mixing bottom-up with top-down approaches ................................................... 57 Accessibility: status and trends ..................................................................................... 58 a. Physical environment ......................................................................................... 58 Cost and benefits of accessibility .................................................................................. 61 4 Global Status Report on Disability and Development | 2015 Accessible information and communication technologies ........................................... 62 a. Web accessibility ............................................................................................... 62 b. Accessible mobile phones and services ............................................................. 66 Barriers .......................................................................................................................... 67 Conclusion and the way forward .................................................................................. 68 Chapter 4. Disability as a cross-cutting issue for sustainable and inclusive development 69 4.1 Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Spheres ................................................................................................................................. 69 4.1.1 Education ........................................................................................................... 69 UN mandates ................................................................................................................. 69 What is inclusive education? ........................................................................................ 73 a. Inclusive curriculum .......................................................................................... 74 b. Inclusive assessment .......................................................................................... 74 Status and trends ........................................................................................................... 75 Economic benefits from educating children with disabilities and promoting inclusive education ....................................................................................................................... 78 Measures taken to promote inclusive education ........................................................... 79 a. Legislation and policies ..................................................................................... 79 b. Approaches and models that promote inclusive education ................................ 81 Conclusion and the way forward .................................................................................. 83 4.1.2 Health and well-being .......................................................................................