Report and Government response published
This inquiry considered consider the adequacy and effectiveness of the FCDO’s disability and inclusion rights strategy, launched in February 2022, including the consequences for disability-inclusive programmes of the decision to cut aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI.
Stakeholders noted that Organisations of Persons with Disabilities are consulted arbitrarily and without obligation, making it all too common that policy decisions affecting people with disabilities are made without their direct input. Disability inclusion hasn’t been sufficiently integrated even into the FCDO’s own policy-making procedures, while the Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy receives little to no mention across other departmental strategies. Disability inclusion does not appear to be at the forefront of Government thinking.
Beyond “routine” programming, the Committee also heard that Government does not pay enough attention to the needs of people with disabilities in its planning for humanitarian responses, or in climate adaptation. Despite the increasing impact of climate change and the constant and growing threat of conflict, the FCDO’s approach risks persons with disabilities being overlooked at times of crisis.
Read the Report: FCDO and disability-inclusive development