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Combatting the costs of exclusion for children with disabilities and their families

MONT, Daniel
UNICEF
March 2021

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Compared with other children, children with disabilities are less likely to receive an education, less likely to be employed as adults, more likely to be victims of violence, less likely to start their own families and participate in community events, and more likely to live in poverty. 

The exclusion of children with disabilities affects not only them, but imposes costs on the whole community. If these children lack the opportunity to be productive, society loses out on what they could have produced.  The barriers faced by people with disabilities can also create more responsibilities for their family members, which can limit their opportunities to work or get an education.

Moreover, the impact of exclusion extends beyond the economic cost. If people with disabilities are absent from public discourse, the community cannot benefit from their ideas. If they are excluded from political participation, the government cannot truly represent the interests of all citizens. 

A growing body of research suggests that the costs of exclusion are high. Fortunately, evidence also demonstrates that there are effective ways to ameliorate these costs. A strong case can be made for the social and economic benefits of inclusion. This paper is an effort to begin making that case.

 

Realising children's right to social protection in Middle East and North Africa. A compendium of UNICEF's contribution's

ARCHIBALD, Edward
January 2019

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This Compendium documents the broad range of UNICEF’s social protection interventions in MENA from 2014-2017. 
 

The Compendium includes 20 case studies detailing UNICEF’s contributions in the MENA region across the following five Action Areas

 

  • Evidence and Advocacy (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Morocco)
  • Policies, coordinating and financing (Djibouti, Morocco)
  • Cash transfer programming and systems strengthening (Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia)
  • Cash plus interventions and social work (Iraq, State of Palestine (highlights children with disabilities), Yemen)
  • Social protection in fragile and humanitarian contexts/settings (Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria). The Syrian programme was "Reaching children with complex disabilities through cash transfers and case management"

 

 

 

The case for investment in accessible and inclusive WASH

PRYOR, Wesley
et al
April 2018

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Using current evidence and testimony from more than 60 WASH experts in 30 countries, this technical paper highlights evidence to argue that accessible and inclusive WASH is achievable at low cost, by using universal design, community-driven change, and existing knowledge, expertise and methods. The paper provides starting points to understand the impact of and case for accessible and inclusive WASH.

Including children with disabilities in humanitarian action

UNICEF
July 2017

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"The purpose of Including Children with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action is to strengthen the inclusion of children and women with disabilities, and their families, in emergency preparedness, response and early recovery, and recovery and reconstruction. This series of booklets provides insight into the situation of children with disabilities in humanitarian contexts, highlights the ways in which they are excluded from humanitarian action, and offers practical actions and tips to better include children and adolescents with disabilities in all stages of humanitarian action. The booklets were created in response to UNICEF colleagues in the field expressing a need for a practical resource to guide their work. The information and recommendations are based on evidence and good practices gathered from literature and field staff experiences. The six booklets on how to include children and adolescents with disabilities in humanitarian programmes are as follows: 1) general guidance; 2) child protection; 3) education; 4) health and HIV/AIDS; 5) nutrition; 6) water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)".

General guidance available July 2017. Others to follow.

In addition to the PDF versions in English, Arabic and French, the guidance is also available in a range of accessible formats, including EPUB, a Braille-ready file and accessible HTML formats. 

The guidance was developed in collaboration with Handicap International.

Guatemala National Disability Study ENDIS 2016 Report

DONICIO Carlos
GRECH Shaun
Islay MACTAGGART
Jonathan NABER
Dr Ana Rafaela SALAZAR DE BARRIOS
Gonna ROTA,
Sarah POLLACK
April 2017

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The Guatemala National Disability Study (ENDIS 2016) was undertaken to address a need for up to date reliable data on disability in Guatemala.

Through a population based survey:

* To estimate the national disability prevalence among adults and children in Guatemala, and to provide regional estimates for 5 broad regions

* To disaggregate the prevalence of disability in Guatemala by age, sex, type of functional limitation and socio-economic status

* To explore the impact of disability on: poverty, quality of life, participation, health and opportunities to go to school and to work amongst children and adults respectively

Through a qualitative study:

* To explore cultural, ideological, and social interpretations and responses to disability; provide insight into the disability and poverty relationship; and examine social, political, and economic dimensions operating within this relationship.

Strengthening community and primary health systems for tuberculosis. A consultation on childhood TB integration

UNICEF
2016

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An estimated one million children between the age of 0-14 fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) every year, over 67 million children are infected and might develop active disease at any time. In 2013, the WHO with key partners launched the Roadmap for Childhood TB, outlining ten key actions to improve outcomes for children affected by TB, including improved data, development of child-friendly tools for diagnosis and treatment, engagement of key stakeholders at all levels of the system, and the development of integrated family- and community-centred strategies to provide comprehensive and effective services at the community level. A consultation on childhood TB integration took place in New York on June 1 and 2, 2016 to stimulate further the dialogue. The meeting addressed 7 topics: perspectives on childhood TB; country discussions on integration; integrating childhood TB interventions into service delivery; an opportunity for TB risk assessment at the community level: TB/HIV adapted integrated community case management (iCCM); childhood TB integration at the national, district, and community level; and financing childhood TB integration 

Education 2030 Incheon Declaration And Framework for action towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all

WORLD EDUCATION FORUM 2015
2015

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UNESCO together with UNICEF, the World Bank, UNFPA, UNDP, UN Women and UNHCR organized the World Education Forum 2015 in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 19 – 22 May 2015, hosted by the Republic of Korea. Over 1,600 participants from 160 countries, including over 120 Ministers, heads and members of delegations, heads of agencies and officials of multilateral and bilateral organizations, and representatives of civil society, the teaching profession, youth and the private sector, adopted the Incheon Declaration for Education 2030, which sets out a new vision for education for the next fifteen years.

Towards 2030: a new vision for education

Our vision is to transform lives through education, recognizing the important role of education as a main driver of development and in achieving the other proposed SDGs. We commit with a sense of urgency to a single, renewed education agenda that is holistic, ambitious and aspirational, leaving no one behind. This new vision is fully captured by the proposed SDG 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and its corresponding targets. It is transformative and universal, attends to the ‘unfinished business’ of the EFA agenda and the education-related MDGs, and addresses global and national education challenges. It is inspired by a humanistic vision of education and development based on human rights and dignity; social justice; inclusion; protection; cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity; and shared responsibility and accountability. We reaffirm that education is a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realization of other rights. It is essential for peace, tolerance, human fulfilment and sustainable development. We recognize education as key to achieving full employment and poverty eradication. We will focus our efforts on access, equity and inclusion, quality and learning outcomes, within a lifelong learning approach.

 

Action and commitments required to implement the agenda are presented.

Assistive technology for children with disabilities: Creating opportunities for education, inclusion and participation. A discussion paper

BORG, Johann
et al
2015

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Based on evidence, examples (case studies), and a range of information the UNICEF-WHO discussion paper proposes a set of recommendations and actions to ensure every child with a disability has access to quality assistive technologies so that they can flourish and become productive members of society. Some recommended key actions are:

  • Estimate needs and map resources
  • Adopt legislation, policies and strategies
  • Provide funding and increase affordability
  • Set up assistive technology service provision systems
  • Ensure supply of quality assistive products
  • Train personnel
  • Establish partnerships

Pneumonia : the forgotton killer of children

WARDLAW, Tessa
WHITE JOHANSSON, Emily
HODGE, Matthew
2006

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This report examines the epidemiological evidence on the burden and distribution of pneumonia and assesses current levels of treatment and prevention. The report aims to raise awareness of pneumonia and to serve as a call to action to reduce child deaths from pneumonia

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