SDDirect provides research, guidance, and technical support on disability inclusion in all aspects of policy and programming.
We also mainstream disability inclusion throughout our work to promote the ‘leave no one behind’ agenda and the ‘nothing about us, without us’ call from the disability rights movement.
An estimated 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the global population, have a disability. Despite this, people with disabilities have historically been overlooked in development and humanitarian policy and programming. Too often people with disabilities are denied their basic human rights, including access to education, employment and health services. The disability rights movement is advocating for change.
"…disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society, on an equal basis with others" - United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
SDDirect has extensive experience providing guidance on disability inclusion across sectors. Through the Disability Inclusive Development Helpdesk, we support the generation of a rigorous evidence base on ‘what works’ to deliver results for people with disabilities. The Helpdesk also provides technical and training support to ensure that data and evidence is used to drive further action and investment in disability inclusion.
We promote disability inclusion through our broader work, including our work on gender-based violence, infrastructure, safeguarding, and women’s economic empowerment.
We take a rights-based approach to disability inclusion and apply a gender and intersectionality lens in everything we do. Working with organisations of persons with disability (OPDs) is central to our approach and essential to promote the approach advocated by the disability rights movement: “nothing about us without us”.
We work to promote disability inclusion in our workplace and operations. SDDirect is a Disability Confident Employer, and we have an active Disability Inclusion Working Group that reports to our executive management team.
If you would like to hear more about our work on Disability Inclusion, please reach out to Rebekah Martin, Head of Disability Inclusion portfolio, rebekah.martin@sddirect.org.uk.
In this query, the Disabiltity Inclusive Helpdesk considered the risks and impacts of the Ukrainian invasions for persons with disabilities in Ukraine; the risks and impacts of the Ukrainian invasion for Ukrainian refugees with disabilities; and how the humanitarian response can be disability-inclusive.
To celebrate Pride month, the Disability Inclusion Helpdesk has produced an evidence digest on LGBTIQ+ and disability inclusion. Whilst there is a shortage of evidence and guidance available on the experiences and needs of LGBTIQ+ people with disabilities, the available evidence suggests that LGBTIQ+ people with disabilities face compounding discrimination and marginalisation based on both their disability status and sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics.
This evidence digest issue covers the latest guidance and evidence on youth and disability inclusion, including an overview of the commitments made at the Global Disability Summit in 2022.
This evidence digest issue covers the latest guidance and evidence on disability inclusion and social protection, including a guest blog post from Alexandre Cote, Disability and Social Protection Specialist at UNICEF. Available here in report and easy read format.
Response to Helpdesk query regarding current best practice on mobile agriculture programme (i.e. mobile-based interventions targeted at smallholder farmers). This was to include smallholder farmers with dsability, and a discussion of ways to empower them, and address the key barriers that they face.
The Nigeria LINKS Programme is a £67.5m, seven-year programme funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. It seeks to support the development of a vibrant and diversified economy in the three key northern Nigerian states of Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa, collectively acting as a powerful engine of northern economic growth.
The Disability Inclusion Helpdesk is funded under the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures (DIDIF) programme, a six-year £29.25 million programme funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (2019-2025) which aims to:
Deliver tangible outcome to improve the lives of people with disabilities
Rebekah is our Climate Justice Lead and a Senior Technical Specialist with a particular focus on our Governance and Inclusive Societies Portfolio. She provides technical support on
Anisha joined SDDirect in October 2021 and currently sits in the Inclusive Governance and Climate Portfolio
