Disability Inclusion and Global Development: A Preliminary Analysis of the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities programme within the context of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47985/dcidj.397

Keywords:

Capacity, international cooperation, monitoring and implementation, rights, UN agency

Abstract

Purpose: This paper provides a preliminary snapshot of the proposed priorities approved by the United Nations programme designated to support the progressive realisation of the CRPD, the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) outlined by specific Convention Articles and, more broadly, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

MethodA content analysis of project proposal summaries approved for funding by the UNPRPD was conducted against the CRPD and SDGs.A matrix of data was produced to draw links between proposed objectives and established international frameworks guiding global development.

ResultsThis analysis provides two sets of information. First, a look at the distribution of rights identified in the initial project proposals and accepted by the UNPRPD, establishing a baseline of priorities and outstanding need. Second, it identifies issues that need to be addressed to ensure the advancement of all rights outlined in the CRPD and equitable achievement of the SDGs.

Conclusion and Implications: Disability inclusion is necessary to achieve the SDGs in an equitable manner by 2030, as well as implement the CRPD. The UNPRPD supports a diverse range of projects spanning many of the Convention Articles and global goals; however, full participation and scope of disability inclusion requires programming in all areas of both instruments, and this has not yet been fully integrated in the UNPRPD funded project proposals.

Limitations: This study was limited to the available UNPRPD project proposal summaries that were successful, and did not include all the proposals submitted for consideration. The proposals accepted for funding give insights into the disability inclusive development priorities chosen for project implementation by UN agencies.

Author Biographies

Holly Noel Wescott, Maynooth University

Holly Wescott is a PhD student at Maynooth University in the Department of Psychology and Assisting Living & Learning (ALL) Institute. Her thesis aims to better understand structural change in disability inclusive development through case study analyses of country projects supported by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD).

Malcolm MacLachlan, Maynooth University

Malcolm “Mac” MacLachlan is Professor of Psychology and Social Inclusion, and Director of the ALL (Assisting Living & Learning) Institute at Maynooth University, Ireland. His previous appointments include holding a Personal Chair in Global Health at Trinity College Dublin, and being Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Malawi.  Mac has also held visiting professorships at the universities of Stellenbosch, Olomouc and Harvard. He has worked as an academic, clinician, organisational consultant and policy adviser in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America; with government, civil society, corporates and United Nations agencies.   

Mac is currently Research & Innovation Lead for WHO’s Global Collaboration on Assistive Technology (GATE) programme; and  Knowledge Management Lead for the United Nations’ Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). He is a Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland and of the British Psychological Society; and Member of the Royal Irish Academy.  He is the recipient of a number of awards, including the American Psychological Association’s International Humanitarian Award (2014), the Royal Irish Academy’s Gold Medal for Social Science (2017) and the British Psychological Society's Award for Promoting Equality of Opportunity (2018).

Hasheem Mannan, FLAME University; University College, Dublin

Hasheem Mannan joined the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Systems as Senior Lecturer in January 2015. Hasheem completed his PhD on disability policy and family studies at the University of Kansas, USA in 2005. Most recently he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne. Prior to that he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin. He also held a two year Marie Curie Fellowship at the National Institute for Intellectual Disabilities, Trinity College Dublin. He has worked for the University of Kansas, the World Health Organization, the US National Center for Health Statistics, and the National Disability Authority (Ireland). Hasheem's areas of expertise include content analysis of health policies; human resources for health and service delivery; disability measurement and statistics; and social inclusion.

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Published

2021-02-23

How to Cite

1.
Wescott HN, MacLachlan M, Mannan H. Disability Inclusion and Global Development: A Preliminary Analysis of the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities programme within the context of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals. DCIDJ [Internet]. 2021 Feb. 23 [cited 2024 Sep. 8];31(4):90-115. Available from: https://dcidj.uog.edu.et/index.php/up-j-dcbrid/article/view/397

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Section

Original Research Articles