With over 500 million people with disabilities around the world, 80 percent of them living in the global south we must take proactive measures to bring people with disabilities in to the development process.

• One out of six people living on less than a dollar a day has a disability. 
• Only 2% of children with disabilities in the global south go to school. 
• Only 1% of disabled women in the global south are literate
• Women with disabilities are denied basic reproductive health
• As many as 80% of working age people with disabilities are unemployed
• War, famine and disaster are particularly hard on vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities and are major causes of disabling conditions.

MIUSA's International Development and Disability Department is committed to infusing the disability perspective into international development issues.  The inclusion of people with disabilities as leaders and participants in international development provides invaluable resources for organizational and program capacity.

>Services

The International Development and Disability department serves as a bridge between the disability community and the international development community. Through a grass roots approach, IDD works to raise awareness about disability as a human rights issue and promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life and international development.
>MIUSA's skilled staff of people with and without disabilities and worldwide network of renowned consultants provide technical assistance and consultancy to organizations working towards inclusive policy and programming. MIUSA offers:

• Organizational assessment to evaluate extent of disability inclusion
• Disability and inclusion training tailored to organizational focus and needs
• Gender planning/inclusion of women with disabilities
• Information and referral services
• Networking and resource lists of local and international disability organizations
• Conference presentations, panel discussions and speakers
• Field level assessment and capacity building
• Print, electronic and video resources on disability and development topics

>Resources

Building an Inclusive Development Community: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Development Programs  A compendium of useful information, discussion of issues, tips and strategies, examples of good inclusive development practice, and lists of resources for inclusion of women and men with disabilities. 

Loud, Proud and Prosperous^® A Video Documentary Through interviews with disabled businesswomen the video promotes new, more accurate images of women with disabilities in the global south, as micro-entrepreneurs supporting themselves and their families and agents of economic development. 

Loud Proud and Passionate^®Including Women with Disabilities in International Development Programs This resource book offers perspectives, recommendations and strategies of women with disabilities who are grassroots leaders in the global south (English, Spanish, Russian).

Loud Proud and Passionate^® Video highlights MIUSA's Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability. Features women with disabilities who are grassroots leaders from over 25 countries (English, Spanish, Russian, French). 

The Checklist for Inclusion An organizational self-assessment on the inclusion of people with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, in policy, management, planning systems, program implementation, and evaluation.

The Human Resources Toolbox brings together in one handy reference resources and information, practical tips and strategies useful to fostering an inclusive organizational culture. 

Gender And Disability: A Survey Of InterAction Member Agencies Findings and recommendations on inclusion of women and men with disabilities from MIUSA'S USAID-sponsored research in which 104 InterAction member agencies participated.

All resources are available in alternate formats.

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Highlights of MIUSA's International Programs:<