Disability Inclusion Network

12/04/2026

Access to education is a fundamental human right. Yet unsafe and inaccessible learning environments continue to exclude many children—especially those with disabilities.

Inclusive and accessible education is not optional—it is essential for equity, dignity, and equal opportunity for all.

30/03/2026

A hearing aid can change the course of a child’s life. It opens pathways to communication, education, and social inclusion. Without it, many children are at risk of being left behind.

Assistive technology is a cornerstone of inclusive development. It is essential for ensuring equal opportunities and full participation for persons with disabilities.

DRAO calls on stakeholders, policymakers, and communities to prioritize access to affordable and appropriate assistive technologies. Because true inclusion is only possible when everyone has the tools they need to thrive.

22/02/2026

Global education is in crisis. Funding is shrinking, millions of children remain out of school, and learning outcomes are declining. Yet disability inclusion is still too often addressed separately from broader education reform.

This dialogue builds on the momentum of the 2025 Global Disability Summit and connects directly to IDA’s 2025–2030 Impact Strategy: scaling up inclusion, shifting systems, and guaranteeing organisations of persons with disabilities shape solutions from the start.

Disability inclusion must move from parallel initiatives to system-wide change in line with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the commitment to leave no one behind.

International Disability Alliance
Disability Rights Fund
Disability Rights Advocacy Organization - DRAO

Global education is in crisis. Funding is shrinking, millions of children remain out of school, and learning outcomes are declining. Yet disability inclusion is still too often addressed separately from broader education reform.

This dialogue builds on the momentum of the 2025 Global Disability Summit and connects directly to IDA’s 2025–2030 Impact Strategy: scaling up inclusion, shifting systems, and guaranteeing organisations of persons with disabilities shape solutions from the start.

Together with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, we will share evidence and develop a roadmap to turn research into action.

Because disability inclusion must move from parallel initiatives to system-wide change in line with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the commitment to leave no one behind.

Wilton Park

11/12/2025

STOP CALLING ME RUDE-NICKNAMES: MY NAME IS JAAMAC — NOT JEERI (LIMPY) OR LUGEY (AMPUTEE)

In contemporary, rights-respecting societies, it is widely recognized that assigning nicknames based on negative physical traits is inappropriate and harmful. However, within Somali communities, the practice of labeling individuals—particularly persons with disabilities—according to visible physical characteristics remains deeply entrenched.

Such labeling practices contribute directly to social discrimination, stigmatization, psychological harm, and exclusion from community life. For persons with disabilities, these experiences reinforce long-standing barriers to dignity, participation, and equitable access to social, economic, and institutional services. Over time, the cumulative impact of these barriers diminishes personal aspirations and restricts opportunities for advancement.

From a modern human-rights perspective, disability is understood as an integral dimension of human diversity. It cannot, and should not, serve as a basis for social, cultural, or institutional disadvantage. A physical characteristic does not determine an individual’s capability or potential; rather, it reflects one element of human uniqueness.

The practice of using derogatory or dehumanizing nicknames to refer to persons with disabilities must be unequivocally rejected. Language shapes attitudes, and attitudes shape systems. Respect begins with acknowledging individuals by their proper names and affirming their inherent dignity.

Normalcy is not defined by the visibility or appearance of human body structures. Societies achieve strength and sustainable development only when all members have equitable access to social services, opportunities, and participation—free from prejudice and discrimination.

●End the use of stigmatizing nicknames.
●End the dehumanization of persons with disabilities.
●Promote dignity, respect, and inclusion.

Disability Rights Advocacy Organization - DRAO

By: Soane Badel

03/12/2025

Celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities — 3 December 2025

Today, DRAO join the world in celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme: “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.”

This year reminds us that genuine social development includes everyone. Persons with disabilities are not just beneficiaries — they are equal rights-holders, leaders, and agents of change.

We call on governments, communities, and all stakeholders to:
• Advance inclusive policies in education, employment, and social protection.
• Guarantee accessible public spaces, infrastructure, and digital platforms.
• Empower the voices and leadership of persons with disabilities in decision-making.
• Challenge stigma and discrimination, fostering dignity, equality, and solidarity.

Today, we celebrate the resilience, achievements, and leadership of persons with disabilities, while recognizing the barriers many continue to face.

At DRAO, we reaffirm our commitment to advocacy, partnerships, and inclusion — working toward a society where everyone can thrive.

Let’s build truly disability-inclusive societies — because when inclusion is real, everyone benefits.

In solidarity,

20/08/2025

03/12/2024

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES—DECEMBER 3, 2024
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The Disability Rights Advocacy Organization (DRAO) celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, emphasizing their commitment to equality, empowerment, and inclusivity for all individuals with disabilities.

This year's theme, “Empowering Persons with Disabilities and Ensuring Inclusivity in a Changing World," serves as a vital reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by the disability community and the critical need for collective action.

DRAO advocates Disability Inclusion in Action, and calls for governments, organizations, and communities to prioritize accessibility in all aspects of life—be it in education, employment, healthcare, or public spaces by asserting that inclusion is not just a goal; rather it's a fundamental human right.

Together, we can create an environment where everyone—not just a select few—has the opportunity to participate fully and equally in society.

29/09/2024

WHO - Global Disability Fact Sheet - 2023
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KEY FACTS

●An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.

●Some persons with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities.

●Persons with disabilities have twice the risk of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, obesity or poor oral health.

●Persons with disabilities face many health inequities.

●Persons with disabilities find inaccessible and unaffordable transportation 15 times more difficult than for those without disabilities.

●Health inequities arise from unfair conditions faced by persons with disabilities, including stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and barriers faced in the health system itself.

Source: WHO Disability Fact Sheet - 2023
Further info, read: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-healthhttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health: