International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPwD) is observed by the UN on 3rd of December. The 2024 theme is amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.
Supporting the global disability rights movement’s powerful ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’, IDPwD highlights the requirements of participation, representation and inclusion; it advocates for persons with disabilities to have full agency in shaping conditions of their lives – including access to and achievement in education.
Over 1.3 billion people, around 16% of the global population, have disability. Approximately 750 million of whom live in Asia and the Pacific; a region Australia is deeply engaged with and where education services delivered underpin and uplift community development.
So, aligned with IDPwD was the launch of Australia’s International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy: Advancing equity to transform lives in Canberra on 28th November.
This strategy delivers on the commitment under Australia’s International Development Policy to prioritise disability equity and rights.
Based on the social model of disability, the strategy acknowledges education as a determinant of health. It recognises that attitudes, practices and structures can be disabling and act as barriers preventing people from fulfilling their potential and exercising their rights as members of the community. The strategy, grounded in the UN Conventions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, focuses on five priorities to:
- partner with people with disability and the disability rights movement;
- eliminate discrimination and exclusion;
- promote meaningful disability inclusion;
- support equity in humanitarian assistance and climate action; and
- strengthen evidence on effective disability equity practices.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said, “through this strategy, we will continue Australia’s proud legacy of support for the rights of people with disability across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Importantly it is “strengthening our investments in critical sectors such as disability-responsive health, education, economic empowerment, and access to justice” (strategy pg. 13.). It marks a shift in focus from inclusion to equity so people with disability area able to equitably participate in and contribute to society.
Education has historically played and continues to underpin Australia’s regional engagement, so this strategy guides and holds to account our investment across the suite of Australia Awards programs, the New Colombo Plan, DFAT funded educational partnerships, support of people to people and institutional exchanges and other DFAT initiatives. It ensures the diversity of communities is represented within both planning and delivery of educational programs. This participation was evident through the consultative process outlined here, with Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP noting “Importantly, people with disability helped to shape this strategy, through consultations with representative organisations and development partners from across our region.”
The scope of the strategy requires “engaging with partners at all levels, including the private sector, to address discrimination and exclusion in sectors including education, health, employment, cultural life, sport, tourism and recreation” (strategy pg. 14). This is reflected in the view of Minister Conroy who said “Australia’s new Strategy goes beyond disability inclusion to focus on equity and rights — addressing structural barriers that impact the dignity of all individuals.” It enables the Government’s focus on;
- Support for local leadership and decision-making
- Amplification of impact by working in partnership
- Upholding the principle of ‘Do no harm’ in international engagements
- Leaving ‘no one behind’
- Adopting Twin-track efforts – both targeted and mainstream
The complementary United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy reaches into every element of and provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress of all UN work. The 2024 fifth report on disability inclusion in the UN network reflects the progress made to advance disability inclusion, emphasising key areas of focus to elevate education systems that build an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world for all.
With that in mind, disability equity and rights are being integrated across Australia’s international engagement on foreign policy international development, trade policy, humanitarian assistance and climate action.
The strategy introduces Australia’s first-ever performance targets for disability equity in international development program investment. 60 per cent performing effectively on disability equity by 2026 and 70 per cent by 2030.
This makes explicit the expectation that Australia’s international development program will deliver better outcomes for people with disability and uplift our commitment to education in the region.
Why?
Because everyone benefits from disability equity. It builds shared capacity, showcases and uncovers contributions to economic growth, enables full empowerment of people with disability in contributing to gross domestic product and assists unlock access to and influence other global markets.
The World Health Organisation identifies that engagement in and delivery of services for disability equity generates a tenfold return on investment; poverty, isolation and disadvantage are reduced; and inclusive societies are more peaceful, resilient and stable.
So, this new International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy builds on our legacy of support for the rights of people with disability. It clearly showcases how Australia will progress and contribute to the region within a fast-paced changing world. Integrating disability equity across our international engagement on foreign policy, international development, trade policy, humanitarian assistance and climate action is critical.
In the current international education climate, with blurry debate and passionate discussion around caps, this Australian commitment to the region is bold, necessary and clear. People with disability are all of us; our children, parents, friends, teachers, work colleagues and regional partners. Delivering on this strategy will drive the aspiration expressed by the Foreign Minister that “the Australian Government is ensuring disability equity is an essential part of our international engagement, so no one is left behind.”
Key documents links to guide programming
