3rd December: Development Pathways today sets out a solution for addressing the large gaps in life outcomes between persons with and without disabilities as the UK’s Department for International Development calls for disability-inclusive social protection.
On the International Day for Persons with Disabilities Development Pathways highlights the compelling evidence for universal child benefits, as DFID commits itself to promoting disability-inclusive social protection as one of four ‘strategic pillars for action’ in its new disability inclusion strategy.
DFID says in the new strategy that it will support the 14 national governments that committed to building inclusive social protection systems at the Global Disability Summit. It will also “increase the global and national focus on, and support for, disability inclusive social protection,” seeking to increase the coverage, adequacy and quality of social protection systems. DFID’s strategy chimes with the message from our Senior Social Policy Specialist Stephen Kidd, who, in a video we publish today, pinpoints the need to compensate for additional costs in accessing education and employment and allow lives of dignity.
Stephen Kidd was speaking at a crucial post-Global Disability Summit event we held in Nairobi, at which a leading Kenyan Parliamentarian and WFP and UNICEF in Kenya joined Development Pathways in backing a universal child disability benefit for the nation. His presentation underlines how, in a middle-income nation such as Kenya, this would cost less than 0.1% of GDP if set at 2,000 KES for all children with a severe disability. But, as he makes clear, this would allow these children to “unleash their full potential”.
Development Pathways welcomes DFID’s commitment to disability-inclusive social protection. Now is the time for action, and we plan to keep up the momentum behind developing and disseminating the case for these, starting with inclusive child disability benefits. In 2019 we will provide further fresh evidence and special events. To keep updated, subscribe to our email newsletters on social protection and social development that are sent every two to three weeks – let us know by clicking here.