Disability, the MDGs, and Building the Case for Inclusive Development Inclusive Development and the Law: Challenges and Opportunities for the World Bank Inclusive Development and the Law: Challenges and Opportunities for the World Bank March 14, 2006

World Bank and disability – What is the link? The World Bank’s mission is to eliminate poverty The World Bank’s mission is to eliminate poverty Disability and poverty forma vicious circle, where disability leads to poverty, and poverty creates the conditions that generate more disability Disability and poverty forma vicious circle, where disability leads to poverty, and poverty creates the conditions that generate more disability Disability is directly related to achieving all of the MDGs. Disability is directly related to achieving all of the MDGs.

What is disability? The standard definition is a physical, mental, sensory, or psychological condition that limits a person’s activities. The standard definition is a physical, mental, sensory, or psychological condition that limits a person’s activities. But the focus is on a person’s functional status, and not a medical diagnosis. Disability comes from the interaction of functional status and the environment. But the focus is on a person’s functional status, and not a medical diagnosis. Disability comes from the interaction of functional status and the environment. Disabilities can be mild, moderate, or very significant. But their impact depends on this interaction. Disabilities can be mild, moderate, or very significant. But their impact depends on this interaction.

1. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger The prevalence of disability is about 10-15% and it is strongly associated with poverty (e.g., in Romania and Uganda households with disabled members are about 40% more likely to be poor. In Ecuador, about 20% more likely). Disability has impacts on the entire families’ labor force participation and schooling. Not addressing the barriers they face to escaping poverty seriously undermines the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs

2. Achieve Primary Universal Education This goal can not be achieved without reaching out to disabled children. Of the 115 million children not attending primary school in the developing world, about 40 million are estimated to have disabilities.

3. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Women and girls who are poor have the least power of anyone in society. Moreover, violence against women is an important cause of both psychological and physical disabilities, and some disabilities – such as obstetric fistula – are particularly stigmatizing.

4. Reduce Child Mortality Children with disabilities are more at risk of dying, not only because of life threatening medical conditions or lack of access to public services, but because in many cultures they are neglected or left to die. Often this results from intense stigma.

5. Improve Maternal Health This goal directly ties in to the notion of disability prevention. Furthermore, disabled women are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse and have less access to public health information, making them at greater risk of unwanted pregnancies, HIV/AIDS and other STDs.

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases In essence, people with AIDS have a disability. As with other disabilities, issues of stigma and reduced functional capacity are central. Furthermore, to effectively stamp out any epidemic, we must reach the entire population. Current outreach and education efforts are usually inaccessible, although disabled people are expected to have higher rates of infection.

7. Guarantee Environmentally Sustainable Development Environmental risks (e.g. poor sanitation and water quality) and natural disasters can cause numerous types of disability. Environmental risks (e.g. poor sanitation and water quality) and natural disasters can cause numerous types of disability. Not incorporating universal design into post-disaster reconstruction creates long term barriers to accessibility, at a time when such accessibility could be produced in the most cost effective manner.. Not incorporating universal design into post-disaster reconstruction creates long term barriers to accessibility, at a time when such accessibility could be produced in the most cost effective manner..

8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development A partnership implies inclusion, which means everyone