Changing the Way the World Does Development
Broadening Horizons. Connecting People. Improving Lives. Expanding Development to Include Everyone.
Various workshops and working groups brought together activists with disabilities and development professionals to talk about challenges and opportunities for inclusive development; inclusive education; international legislative frameworks; donor policies; and ways to access the wealth of knowledge in Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs). Development professionals traveled from Portland, Seattle, Washington DC, and as far afield as Germany and Uganda to participate in the institute, which was lauded by participants as indispensable.
I really enjoyed it, learned so much, and hope I will get to return for the next conference with many stories of how Chemonics is integrating work with DPOs into our projects.
Christy Grimsley, Manager, Training and Development and Gender Practice, Chemonics International Inc.
Development professionals from the US government were represented at GDDI by Judy Heumann, Special Advisor on International Disability Rights at the US Department of State and Sue Eitel of the USAID Disability Team, among others. Judy Heumann brought with her a letter of support by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, demonstrating the importance placed on inclusion at the highest levels. US government representatives emphasized the importance of understanding the USAID Disability Policy from anti-discrimination and accessibility perspectives as well as developing relationships with international development actors. They also reiterated how vital it is for development actors to consult with people with disabilities in all parts of the project cycle on the ground.
Key development organizations also attended GDDI, including Trickle Up, Mercy Corps, World Vision International, CBM, Handicap International, InterAction, AWID, Chemonics, Hesperian, Whirlwind Wheelchairs, and the Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda. For many of the development professionals that attended, this was an opportunity to consider actively expanding the scope of their programs to include women with disabilities. Strategies were developed to increase outreach to women with disabilities in the field, develop inclusive organizational and human resource policies; hire people with disabilities as staff members and interns in order to access key expertise; use internal and external communications to highlight the importance of inclusive development; and form partnerships with Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) in-country.
It was an inspiring and thought-provoking event and it has provided us with some food for conversation within Mercy Corps as well as the ability to connect our field teams with some dynamic women out there in the countries where we are working.
Anna Young, Senior Director of Strategy and Learning,
Mercy Corps
A number of international funding agencies also attended the Gender Institute including: Global Fund for Women, American Jewish World Service, Accion, Disability Rights Fund, and Rotary International. Funders discussed ideas around requiring programs be more inclusive, funding scholarships for persons with disabilities, hiring staff and interns with disabilities, and institutionalizing considerations of accessibility and accommodations.
