Global Disability Summit: worldwide preparations for London event

Children with disabilities at the Kenya pre-summit (photo from Save the Children International)

On 24th July, a Global Disability Summit will take place in London, co-hosted by the UK Government, the Government of Kenya and the International Disability Alliance. Around the world, CBM partners have been contributing to preparations for the event, which will bring together more than 700 delegates from governments, companies, charities and disabled people’s organisations.

The aim of the Summit is to focus global attention on the need to build a more inclusive world, mobilise new global and national commitments and showcase good practice, innovation and evidence.

As governments prepare for the summit, CBM has been contributing expertise and examples of good practice at national events around the world.

Panel of delegates at Kenya mini-summit

From Kenya, CBM Programme Manager  Nerea Thigo reports:  

“We were part of the planning committee for the Kenyan Government’s pre-summit on 24th May, which aimed to opportunity for stakeholders to engage on a self-assessment in regard to commitment to disability inclusion, share stories of success, identify gaps and come up with measures and commitments to address these gaps. The outcome of the pre-summit was to develop consensus on commitments the government would like to consider.”

“We also worked with Save the Children International to help bring the voices of children with disabilities to the pre-summit and we hope that these will be raised at the London summit too and incorporated into the final commitments.”

In Pakistan,  2 staff from CBM participated in a consultation workshop on 27-28 June to help compile recommendations for the summit. CBM contributed to two panel discussions on stigma and discrimination and harnessing innovation. Country Director Farrah Naz reports:

“The key contribution to the recommendations was around supporting persons with disabilities to get equitable opportunities of education, training and employment which will increase their self-worth and people will not see them as a burden. This will create positive examples and help overcome stigma and discrimination against them. On harnessing innovation input was given on use of technology to overcome communication barrier for hard of hearing and deaf people especially in health services, law enforcement offices and use of video chat for sign language interpretation on helplines.”

In Rwanda, CBM attended the summit on 26 June and moderated a panel on the use of technology and innovation for disability-inclusion.

Summit themes

The Summit and the agreed commitments that come out of it will focus on the following key areas:

  • Dignity and Respect for all – ending stigma and discrimination
  • Inclusion in education
  • Routes to economic empowerment
  • Harnessing technology and innovation
  • Humanitarian assistance
  • Gender

Ahead of the summit, working groups have been set up to help shape the discussions and commitments on these areas. CBM’s network of global advisors have been involved in all of these groups, sharing expertise and the learning from over a century’s work with people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places.

As well as participating in the Global Disability Summit (open link in new tab) and Civil Society Forum, CBM will be  exhibiting at the Summit Market Place, demonstrating our mobile app to promote disability-inclusive disaster response, the Hands On Humanitarian Tool (open link in new tab), and highlighting mental health as part of the Bond Mental Health sub-group. Look out for regular updates before, during and after the summit on our blog (open link in new tab) and via Facebook (open link in new tab) and Twitter (open link in new tab)

Main image: Children with disability pose for a photo with some of the facilitators during the Kenya mini disability summit held on 24th May 2018. The children participated in discussions on disability and gave their recommendations to be considered by the Government of Kenya and other stakeholders. (c) Save the Children International.

Above right: Representatives from government, donor agencies and civil society organisations participate at the mini disability summit held on 24th May 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants discussed the status of people with disability in Kenya, achievements, gaps and recommendations.  (c) Save the Children International.



Back

Keep up to date! Sign up to our e-news here