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Inclusive design and accessibility of the built environment in Varanasi, India: AT2030 Inclusive Infrastructure Case Studies

PATRICK, Michaela
MCKINNON, Iain
MISHRA, Satish
GUPTA, Shivani
ROY, Prabha
CHOUDHURY, Utsav
MURUGHAR, Kavita
RAHEJA, Gaurav
October 2021

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This is the second of six case studies analysing the state of accessibility and inclusive design in low-resource contexts around the world. The six independent case studies will be analysed to develop a comparison report and finally a global action report that will offer evidence and recommendations that support making infrastructure, the built environment and urban development in low-resource settings more accessible and inclusive.

This purpose of this case study is to explore the state of inclusive and accessible environments for persons with disabilities in Varanasi, India, through engagement with policy, industry and community stakeholders (policy, practice and people). Through this engagement, the case study is developing evidence on the challenges and opportunities for implementing inclusive and accessible design in Varanasi and makes recommendations on local actions towards becoming a more inclusive city.

Lives turned upside down in COVID-19 times: exploring disabled people's experiences in 5 low-and-middle income countries using narrative interviews

WICKENDEN, Mary
SHAW, Jackie
THOMPSON, Stephen
ROHWERDER, Brigitte
2021

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This article explores COVID-19 related experiences of disabled people in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Nepal and Uganda. Narrative interviews generated storied responses, focussing on respondents' priorities, which enabled us to hear what was most significant for them and their families. 143 interviews were conducted online or by phone by 7 local researchers (3 disabled), with appropriate inclusive support. Nearly everyone was interviewed twice to capture the progression of impacts over time. The data was analysed thematically through a virtual participatory approach. An overarching 'subjective' theme of feelings experienced by the participants was labelled 'destabilisation, disorientation and uncertainty'. We also identified 'concrete' or material impacts. People experienced various dilemmas such as choosing between securing food and keeping safe, and tensions between receiving support and feeling increased vulnerability or dependence, with interplay between the emotions of fear, loss and hope. We found both the concept of liminality and grief models productive in understanding the progression of participants' experiences. Disabled people reported the same feelings, difficulties and impacts as others, reported in other literature, but often their pre-existing disadvantages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, including poverty, gender and impairment related stresses and discrimination, inaccessible services or relief, and exclusion from government initiatives.

A disability inclusive response to COVID-19 - four lessons learned about including people with disabilities in humanitarian aid

MORRIS, Lisa
ELLIOTT, Chris
PIERI, Susan
September 2021

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Inclusive Futures played a crucial role in supporting some of the most marginalised people with disabilities in Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, and Tanzania during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper summarises what we learned and it can be used to include people with disabilities in future programming, particularly in contexts at risk of crisis.

“No One Represents Us” Lack of access to political participation for people with disabilities in Iraq

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
September 2021

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This report documents that Iraqi authorities have failed to secure electoral rights for Iraqis with disabilities. People with disabilities are often effectively denied their right to vote due to discriminatory legislation and inaccessible polling places and significant legislative and political obstacles to running for office.

Between January and August, Human Rights Watch interviewed 14 people with disabilities as well as activists, authorities, and the staff of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

While the Iraqi government has not collected any reliable statistics on the number of people with disabilities, in 2019, the United Nation’s Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities said that Iraq, plagued by decades of violence and war, has one of the world’s largest populations of people with disabilities.

Safe Back to School: Guide for supporting inclusive and equitable learning for the most marginalised children

SAVE THE CHILDREN
September 2021

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This guide will support field level staff to ensure that all children have access to safe learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. It outlines the barriers to learning that the most marginalised have access to safe learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. It outlines the barriers to learning that the most marginalised and excluded groups of children face and recommends interventions to support their inclusion in remote learning and their return to school. The guide also recommends key resources to use when designing interventions for inclusive and equitable learning.

Sections are included on mild, moderate and severe disabilities. 

A Global Assessment of Eye Health and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews

ASSI, Lama
CHAMSEDDINE, Fatimah
IBRAHIM, Perla
et al
September 2021

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More than 1 billion people worldwide have vision impairment or blindness from potentially preventable or correctable causes. Quality of life, an important measure of physical, emotional, and social well-being, appears to be negatively associated with vision impairment, and increasingly, ophthalmic interventions are being assessed for their association with quality of life.

Objective  - To examine the association between vision impairment or eye disease and quality of life, and the outcome of ophthalmic interventions on quality of life globally and across the life span, through an umbrella review or systematic review of systematic reviews.

The electronic databases MEDLINE, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Proquest Dissertations, and Theses Global were searched from inception through June 29, 2020, using a comprehensive search strategy. Systematic reviews addressing vision impairment, eye disease, or ophthalmic interventions and quantitatively or qualitatively assessing health-related, vision-related, or disease-specific quality of life were included. Article screening, quality appraisal, and data extraction were performed by 4 reviewers working independently and in duplicate. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal and data extraction forms for umbrella reviews were used.

 

JAMA Ophthalmol. 2021;139(5):526-541

doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2021.0146

Consequences of Exclusion: A Situation Report on Organisations of People with Disabilities and COVID-19 in Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe

September 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and barriers to social inclusion for people with disabilities. These experiences of social exclusion have been feltto an even greater extent by women with disabilities and under-represented groups of people with disabilities, leading to a range of effects on the operations and priorities of OPDs. To address a critical gap in the evidence base, the Disability Inclusion Helpdesk carried out a rapid assessment of the role of OPDs during the pandemic, and how the pandemic has affected OPDs’ operations and priorities.

Could assistive technology provision models help pave the way for more environmentally sustainable models of product design, manufacture and service in a Post-COVID world?

OLDFREY, Ben
BARBARESCHI, Giulia
MORJARIA, Priya
GILTSOFF, Tamara
MASSIE, Jessica
MIODOWNIK, Mark
HOLLOWAY, Catherine
September 2021

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From multiple studies conducted through the FCDO AT2030 Programme, as well as key literature, we examine whether Assistive Technology (AT) provision models could look towards more sustainable approaches, and by doing this benefit not only the environment, but also address the problems that the current provision systems have. We show the intrinsic links between disability inclusion and the climate crisis, and the particular vulnerability people with disabilities face in its wake. In particular, we discuss how localised circular models of production could be beneficial, facilitating context driven solutions and much needed service elements such as repair and maintenance. Key discussion areas include systems approaches, digital fabrication, repair and reuse, and material recovery. Finally, we look at what needs be done in order to enable these approaches to be implemented. 

 

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10867

www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/10867

Reclaiming SRHR of women and girls with disabilities

DAS, Shreshtha
August 2021

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The manual Reclaiming SRHR of Women and Girls with Disabilities was developed as part of ARROW’s initiative, ‘Defending SRHR of Women and Girls with Disabilities’ with inputs and insights incorporated from regional experts from multiple disciplines whose contributions enriched the content of the manual. The manual aims to equip women and girls with disabilities with necessary SRHR information and knowledge to make informed choices free from coercion, violence, discrimination, and abuse. The Manual, therefore, contains detailed Modules on gender, sexuality, disability, rights, and their interlinkages in the context of addressing sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. Through this, it seeks to provide accessible information and knowledge on SRHR to women and girls with disabilities in various contexts, including in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

 

A Training of Trainers (ToT) manual on disability rights, gender and SRHR.
 

Step Towards Disability Inclusive Sexual Reproductive Health: Learnings from WISH2ACTION Project

Faruk Ahmed Jalal
Esrat Jahan
Md. Tareq Mahmud
Md. Rakibul Islam
Md. Mazedul Haque
Samira Naher Tazreen
August 2021

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WISH2ACTION project is being implemented in Bangladesh since September 2018 and will end on 31 August 2021. During these years of implementation, HI worked to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the sector of sexual & reproductive health through community engagement as well as policy changes at the national level. Throughout the project period, many success stories & good practices were drawn as learning and could be used as a reference for future practices, and HI Bangladesh is delighted to introduce these documents of learning through this publication.

Labour Market Assessment: Bangladesh 2021 refresh

INCLUSIVE FUTURES
BROWN, SIMON
August 2021

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This Labour Market Assessment for Bangladesh is a refresh of the initial assessments done in 2019 for the Inclusion Works programme. The assessment adopts a Markets for Poor (M4P) approach to mapping demand for and supply of labour, supporting functions and regulatory frameworks; recognising that labour markets conditions will have evolved since 2019, especially in light of COVID-19. The perspectives of jobseekers, employers, and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) are also included in this analysis. The report provides insights into market changes and recommendations to enable Inclusion Works programming to adapt and be more effective in their interventions.

Labour Market Assessment: Kenya 2021 refresh

INCLUSIVE FUTURES
BROWN, SIMON
OBOSI, Shikuku
August 2021

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This Labour Market Assessment for Kenya is a refresh of the initial assessments done in 2019 for the Inclusion Works programme. The assessment adopts a Markets for Poor (M4P) approach to mapping demand for and supply of labour, supporting functions and regulatory frameworks; recognising that labour markets conditions will have evolved since 2019, especially in light of COVID-19. The perspectives of jobseekers, employers, and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) are also included in this analysis. The report provides insights into market changes and recommendations to enable Inclusion Works programming to adapt and be more effective in their interventions.

Labour Market Assessment: Nigeria 2021 refresh

INCLUSIVE FUTURES
BROWN, Simon
August 2021

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This Labour Market Assessment for Nigeria is a refresh of the initial assessments done in 2019 for the Inclusion Works programme. The assessment adopts a Markets for Poor (M4P) approach to mapping demand for and supply of labour, supporting functions and regulatory frameworks; recognising that labour markets conditions will have evolved since 2019, especially in light of COVID-19. The perspectives of jobseekers, employers, and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) are also included in this analysis. The report provides insights into market changes and recommendations to enable Inclusion Works programming to adapt and be more effective in their interventions.

Labour Market Assessment: Uganda 2021 refresh

INCLUSIVE FUTURES
BROWN, SIMON
OBOSI, Shikuku
August 2021

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This Labour Market Assessment for Uganda is a refresh of the initial assessments done in 2019 for the Inclusion Works programme. The assessment adopts a Markets for Poor (M4P) approach to mapping demand for and supply of labour, supporting functions and regulatory frameworks; recognising that labour markets conditions will have evolved since 2019, especially in light of COVID-19. The perspectives of jobseekers, employers, and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) are also included in this analysis. The report provides insights into market changes and recommendations to enable Inclusion Works programming to adapt and be more effective in their interventions.

Disability and food security: Central African Republic - Findings from the 2020 ENSA disaggregated by disability

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME
August 2021

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The 2020 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) showed efforts to integrate disability inclusion. However, a lack of data on persons with disabilities, their needs, and the barriers they face impacts the ability of humanitarian responders to plan, deliver and evaluate inclusive activities. In 2020, data collected by Humanity & Inclusion showed that 87% of persons with disabilities reported difficulties accessing NFI distributions, food, and cash.

 

The December 2020 Enquête Nationale sur l’agriculture at la Sécurité Alimentaire (ENSA) was disaggregated by disability, to improve WFP’s understanding of food security needs for this group. Data were collected through integration of the Washington Group Short Set of Questions (WGQ-SS)1 . The WGQ-SS were asked directly to the respondent and recorded a maximum of one other, positively identified household member. 

 

Of 6,410 households surveyed, 10.1% of households reported at least one member with a disability

Situational analysis on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in social protection in Nigeria

INCLUSIVE FRIENDS ASSOCIATION
August 2021

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With support from Save the Children International Nigeria through its partnership with the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), this situational analysis was commissioned to highlight Nigeria's socio-economic context and the inclusion of persons with disability within social protection programmes in the country. This report helps to gather findings on the extent to which persons with disability are knowledgeable, meaningfully participating, accessing, benefiting and impacted by the social protection policies, programs and processes in Nigeria

Inclusive client responsiveness: Focus on people with disabilities and older people

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE (IRC)
July 2021

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Humanitarian actors recognize the lack of standard practice on the inclusion of older people and people with disabilities in humanitarian response as a current and critical gap in the sector. In recent years, the humanitarian sector has begun to more intentionally address these challenges. In response, the IRC has developed this Inclusive Client Responsiveness Guidance, which aims to address gaps in the IRC’s Client Responsive Programming specifically to strengthen inclusion of people with disabilities and older people. The Guidance consists of three sections to support staff in strengthening inclusion of people with disabilities and older people using the IRC’s Client Responsiveness approach:

Key concepts for designing inclusive feedback mechanisms such as accessibility and reasonable accommodation, to ensure that barriers are addressed, and feedback mechanisms are designed to be accessible to all.

Selection and design of inclusive feedback mechanisms that foster diversity and inclusion.

Monitoring access to feedback mechanisms of people with disabilities and older people through appropriate data collection and analysis.

The guidance also includes a set of resources for practical implementation, which are referenced throughout the document

UNHCR Facilitator’s Guide - Strengthening Protection of Persons

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (UNHCR)
July 2021

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This guide is designed to support UNHCR staff, partners and other stakeholders at field level to:

  • Recognize the protection concerns and capacities of refugees with disabilities and other persons with disabilities protected and assisted by UNHCR;
  • Apply the principles reflected in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and UNHCR Guidance on Working with Persons with Disabilities to a range of programs and sectors;
  • Design immediate and long-term strategies to mitigate protection risks and promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in UNHCR programming.

 

The four modules include:

  • Introductory module - Organizing an accessible and inclusive workshop (Module 1);
  • Promoting a rights-based approach to disability (Module 2);
  • Raising awareness about the impact of forced displacement on persons with disabilities (Module 3);
  • Learning key strategies to foster inclusion of persons with disabilities in forced displacement (Module 4). 

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