Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF)

Disability
Inclusive
Development
Strategy
The foundation of the way we work and ensure
outreach to the most excluded regions, communities
and households and the first pillar is “Inclusion”
Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF)

Disability
Inclusive
Development
Strategy
The foundation of the way we work and ensure
outreach to the most excluded regions, communities
and households and the first pillar is “Inclusion”
ACRONYMS
SMYNORCA

CADD Capital Administration and Development Division

CEO Chief Executive Officer
CNIC Computerized National Identity Card
DGSE Directorate General for Special Education
DPOs Disabled Persons Organizations
ECP Election Commission of Pakistan
FESF Family Educational Services Foundation
HR Human Resources
NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations
NPA National Plan of Action
PSL Pakistan Sign Language
PFFB Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness
PPAF Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund
PWDs Persons with Disabilities
RFPs Request for Proposals
RFQs Request for Quotations
SDGs Sustainable Developmental Goals, 2030
SHRM Society for Human Resource Management
STEP Special Talent Exchange Program
UNCRPD United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
 Disability has been a neglected issue in development
practices and discourse at large. An estimated one billion
people globally and almost twenty million in Pakistan are
living with some form of disability. Persons with disabilities are
poorer than their non-disabled peers in terms of access to
education, healthcare, employment, social support and civic
involvement. They are at higher risk of violence and subject to
widespread stigma and discrimination. We cannot achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals and its commitment to
leave no one behind without a sustained and concerted effort
on disability inclusion.
Since the definition of disability plays an important role in
understanding how this condition interacts with poverty, PPAF
has adopted the globally accepted approach in which
disability is understood as the result of the interaction
between a health condition and different social factors that
act as a barrier in the social inclusion process of people with
disabilities. We believe that people with disabilities are not a
homogeneous group, their needs vary according to the type
and severity of their impairment, alongside personal and
social characteristics which can also affect their levels of
vulnerability. This group needs to be fully and explicitly
included in all interventions aiming to reduce poverty in
developing countries like Pakistan.
The Government of Pakistan is making efforts to offer a
comprehensive welfare benefits system, still most persons
with disabilities rely on financial and emotional support from
their families, resulting in further loss of productivity. Pakistan
has made positive policy steps in the last ten years: the
government ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2011, which
requires participating countries to establish anti-discrimination laws to protect and uphold the rights of
persons with disabilities. In addition, policies such as establishing a quota system for access to education,
training and the workforce are also in place. Sindh, Baluchistan, Gilgit Baltistan and National Assembly has
approved rights-based legislation aligned with UNCRPD.
As PPAF has designed its results framework around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We try and
adhere to the 'leave no one behind' motto and have worked hard to ensure the inclusion of women, persons
with disabilities and minority groups. Disaggregated data from the field is collected for every project so that
we can directly monitor our impact on marginalized groups, especially in areas where other organizations
have limited access and PPAF and our partners are their only resource. Our mechanisms to include people
with disabilities is moving from a needs-based approach to a human rights model.
PPAF disability-inclusive development strategy has been evolved through a review of contributions of PPAF
to the inclusion of persons with disabilities, the study of operational mechanism and consultations with the
people who are involved in planning and implementation of programmes. It provides a foundation for the
sustainable and transformative progression of disability inclusion throughout the domains of development
including education, health, livelihood and infrastructure. We are aiming to be the most disability-inclusive
organizations in terms of environment, culture and development programming setting benchmark for our
partner organizations and development stakeholders. These practices at the organizational level will be
contributing to the disability inclusion and mainstreaming in sectoral development in Pakistan. We recognize
the challenges ahead for achieving, but the cost of inaction is too high.
BACKGROUND
1.1 Magnitude of Disability in Pakistan:
The prevalence and magnitude of disability has been an issue of considerable debate since 1998
population census that found that 2.49% of the population was disabled. Since then, there have been
several attempts to quantify and categorize different types of disabilities. According to the World
Report on Disability 2011, which based its disability estimates from a World Health Survey from 2002
to 2004, found a disability prevalence of 13.4% for Pakistan. If prevalence rates are in line with the
global average, the number of disabled people in Pakistan would exceed 28 million (in a population
of 207.8 million people in 2017). While a detailed breakdown of 2017 census data is still not available,
fewer than one million persons with disabilities were registered as per the data in 6th Population and
Housing Census of 2017 1, because census questions follow a medical impairments model (asking
individuals to define themselves by 'the nature of' their disability) using language to describe
particular disabilities which would not be acceptable by any international benchmark.2

Lack of accurate statistics and data has led to concerns that there is a severe underreporting of
disability in the country. In recent past development, organizations attempted to collect data
adopting Washington group set of questions though samples and strata. A sample survey conducted
by Helping Hands for Relief and Development organization in 2012 suggests persons with disabilities
are 9% of the population. The sample included 23 Union Councils of 7 districts across Punjab, Sindh,
KP, and Baluchistan.
PPAF was keen to determine the implications of disability in its development initiatives. It undertook a
comprehensive carpet survey of 23 union councils comprising 80,000 households to determine the
type and frequency of disability among other socio-economic indicators. The results were
staggering – eight out of every 100 Pakistanis are disabled to some degree or other, and one out of
every 130 persons has some form of severe impairment forcing them to live with a disability. The PPAF
disability survey not only endorsed global estimates of disability prevalence but also raised an
important issue of social inclusion that was lacking in our development interventions.3

Source Year Prevalence Scale

Population Census 1998 2.49 % Total Population

UN Estimates 2010 10 % Total Population of Pakistan

World Report on 2011

13.4 % Total Population of Pakistan
Disability

Disability Evaluation 2012

8% 7 Districts (80,000 Households)
Report PPAF

Helping Hands for 2012 9% Carpet survey of 23 Union Councils of 7

Relief and districts across Punjab, Sindh, KP, and
Development Baluchistan

2017
Population Census 0.48% Total Population

There are both direct and indirect economic implications of the exclusion of persons with disabilities
from education and livelihood. PPAF has envisaged contributing in both of these sectors as a priority
and disaggregated data from the field is collected for every project to directly monitor the impact on
marginalized groups, especially in areas where other organizations have limited access and PPAF
and partners are their only resource. Globally accepted tool for data collection of persons with
disability, Washington group set of question has been adapted.

1
[Link]
2
[Link]
3
[Link]
1.2 Legal and Policy Framework in Pakistan and
International Commitments
provisions for medical rehabilitation and
treatment, employment and education.

Although the Ordinance on the employment and

rehabilitation of disabled persons was enacted in
1981, there was no comprehensive legislation
covering persons with disabilities until National
Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2002.
Therefore, laws and regulations on disability-
related sectors other than simply employment
and rehabilitation are required.

After the Ordinance of 1981, no further laws or

When the UN declared 1981 as the International p o l i c i e s we re l a u n c h e d to wo r k i n t h e
Year of Disabled People, the Government of international support for implementation of the
Pakistan at that time enacted an Employment & social model of disability until 2002. With the
Rehabilitation Ordinance. This was an affirmation g ro w i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l s u p p o r t fo r t h e
of the importance of inclusion and providing implementations of the social model of disability,
support for persons with disabilities seeking the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities,
employment and rehabilitation. The ordinance 2002 was developed with a comprehensive
provided legal cover to all persons with focus on the empowerment of persons with
disabilities and moved to recognize persons with disabilities at the socio-economic and political
disabilities through a Disability Registration l e v e l , a s w e l l a s t h e i r i n c l u s i o n a n d
Certificate, allowing them to avail special mainstreaming in society.

However, the policy did not set realistic and quantifiable targets. For these reasons, the
implementation of this policy followed previous trends in that it was ineffective and inconsistently
applied.

After four years of the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2002, the National Plan of Action
(NPA) was developed in 2006 for implementation of the policy. The NPA identified 17 critical
intervention areas, into short-term steps, which were to be implemented by 2009, and long-term
measures, which were to be completed by 2025.

In 2009, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) introduced the Special
Computerized National Identity Card (Special CNIC) for addressing this issue of identification and
recognition of persons with disabilities, and the new course of action for the Asian and Pacific
Government of Pakistan even associated various Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022.
benefits for persons with disabilities in the areas The Incheon strategy provides the Asian and
of health, education, employment, housing, Pacific region, and the world, with the first set of
access to finance, assistive devices, travelling, regionally agreed disability-inclusive
postal services and import of automobiles, with development goals. It comprises 10 goals, 27
t h e S p e c i a l C N I C . M o r e o v e r, fi n a n c i a l targets and 62 indicators, including ensuring
re m u n e r a t i o n s , d i s c o u n t s a n d w a i ve r s disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and
presented in the policies and government management.
schemes were made applicable to persons with
disabilities with the Special CNIC. When the UN declared 1981 as the International
Year of Disabled People, the Government of
To promote, protect and ensure the full and Pakistan at that time enacted an Employment &
equal enjoyment of all human rights and
f u n d a m e n t a l f re e d o m by p e r s o n s w i t h
disabilities, the UN formulated and adopted the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (UNCRPD). Pakistan being a member
state, demonstrated its commitment to creating
conditions for persons with disabilities to access
and exercise their full rights as equal members of
society by signing the Convention in 2008 and
subsequently ratifying in 2011.

The CRPD is primarily concerned with the

creation of an inclusive, barrier-free society
where persons with disabilities can freely access
their rights in all aspects of life that is social,
economic, political and cultural aspects. Rehabilitation Ordinance. This was an affirmation
UNCRPD also serves as the guiding framework of the importance of inclusion and providing
and provides the legal basis and a set of support for persons with disabilities seeking
standards for the full and equal participation of employment and rehabilitation. The ordinance
persons with disabilities in public life. provided legal cover to all persons with
disabilities and moved to recognize persons with
At the regional level, the Incheon Strategy to disabilities through a Disability Registration
“Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities Certificate, allowing them to avail special
in Asia and the Pacific (also known as the Incheon provisions for medical rehabilitation and
Strategy) was launched in late 2012 to chart the treatment, employment and education.
Although the Ordinance on the employment and Computerized National Identity Card (Special
rehabilitation of disabled persons was enacted in CNIC) for addressing this issue of identification
1981, there was no comprehensive legislation and recognition of persons with disabilities, and
covering persons with disabilities until National the Government of Pakistan even associated
Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2002. various benefits for persons with disabilities in
Therefore, laws and regulations on disability- the areas of health, education, employment,
related sectors other than simply employment housing, access to finance, assistive devices,
and rehabilitation are required. travelling, postal services and import of
automobiles, with the
After the Ordinance of 1981, no further laws or Special CNIC. Moreover,
p o l i c i e s we re l a u n c h e d to wo r k i n t h e financial remunerations,
international support for implementation of the discounts and waivers
social model of disability until 2002. With the presented in the policies and
g ro w i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l s u p p o r t fo r t h e government schemes were
implementations of the social model of disability, made applicable to persons
the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, with disabilities with the
2002 was developed with a comprehensive Special CNIC.
focus on the empowerment of persons with
disabilities at the socio-economic and political To promote, protect and ensure the full and
level, as well as their inclusion and equal enjoyment of all human rights and
mainstreaming in society. f u n d a m e n t a l f re e d o m by p e r s o n s w i t h
disabilities, the UN formulated and adopted the
However, the policy did not set realistic and Convention on the Rights of Persons with
quantifiable targets. For these reasons, the Disabilities (UNCRPD). Pakistan being a member
implementation of this policy followed previous state, demonstrated its commitment to creating
trends in that it was ineffective and inconsistently conditions for persons with disabilities to access
applied. and exercise their full rights as equal members of
society by signing the Convention in 2008 and
After four years of the National Policy for Persons subsequently ratifying in 2011.
with Disabilities, 2002, the National Plan of Action
(NPA) was developed in 2006 for The CRPD is primarily concerned with the
implementation of the policy. The NPA identified creation of an inclusive, barrier-free society
17 critical intervention areas, into short-term where persons with disabilities can freely access
steps, which were to be implemented by 2009, their rights in all aspects of life that is social,
and long-term measures, which were to be economic, political and cultural aspects.
completed by 2025. UNCRPD also serves as the guiding framework
and provides the legal basis and a set of
In 2009, the National Database and Registration standards for the full and equal participation of
Authority (NADRA) introduced the Special persons with disabilities in public life.
 Development Division (CADD). The special
At the regional level, the education and social welfare offices, which
Incheon Strategy to devolved to the provinces, are responsible for
“Make the Right Real” for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Persons with Disabilities
in Asia and the Pacific Under the current notification by the
( a l s o k n ow n a s t h e Government of Pakistan in August, 2019, Ministry
Incheon Strategy) was of Law, Justice and Human Rights has been
launched in late 2012 to chart the new course of made the custodian of the rights of PWDs and
action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of DGSE is now under Ministry of Human Rights.
Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022. The
Incheon strategy provides the Asian and Pacific The adoption of the Sustainable Development
region, and the world, with the first set of Goals in 2015, which contain several references
regionally agreed disability-inclusive to persons with disabilities, represents an
development goals. It comprises 10 goals, 27 exceptional opportunity for States to design and
targets and 62 indicators, including ensuring implement disability inclusive policies for the
disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and next 15 years, as they review their national
management.

The devolution of power in 2011 resulted in

dissolution of the ordinance, after which the
ordinance was adopted and tailored by each of
the provincial governments. In Punjab, the
employment quota was increased to three
percent in 2012. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also
followed suit implementing the amendments for
two percent quota while increasing the fraction
to 0.2 to calculate available employment posts in
an establishment. In Balochistan, initially the
ordinance was instated in its original context, but development plans to align them to the Goals.
without any strict implementation. Nonetheless, while there is an international
commitment to “leave no one behind” and a
After the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special consensus that no goal should be met unless it is
Education was dissolved in 2011, its affiliated met for everyone.
departments including the Directorate General
for Special Education (DGSE), the National Gilgit Baltistan Assembly has approved
Council for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, legislation on disability rights as "Disability Act
and the National Trust for the Disabled were 2019 Gilgit Baltistan” on August 8, 2019 to
transferred to the Capital Administration and recognize persons with disabilities, providing five
per cent reserved quota for employment of Supreme Court ordered govt to count persons
4
persons with disabilities at different posts in with disabilities separately. However, by that
government departments and any government - time when the SC's order came, the forms had
owned establishments. already been dispatched to the
provinces/districts and separate count was not
The Government of Sindh also done.
introduced a new policy for the
welfare of persons with Election 2018 has been considered a milestone
d i s a b i l i t i e s t o re p l a c e t h e to make all possible efforts in making all
ordinance, in 2014. The policy was interventions inclusive to remove the pre-
amended in 2017 to increase the employment election, election-day and post-election
quota to five percent applicable in all of Sindh. barriers. Compounding the logistical challenges
is a lack of interest displayed by national political
On May 25, 2018, the Sindh Provincial Assembly parties, the parliament and the Election
passed the Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in encouraging
Disabilities Act. The provincial law recognizes a greater participation and enacting laws or
wider range of disabilities, and guarantees the policies that allow persons with disabilities this
right to inclusive education at all levels in both right. The ECP in its strategy document lists the
public and private educational institutions. It need to do more to register persons with
also mandates that public spaces and new disabilities as voters but actual implementation
buildings conform to accessibility standards. on the ground has been limited. Without greater
advocacy with political parties to recognize
In March, 2017, before start of the Census-2017, persons with disabilities as equal voters and a
push to enact important legislation in the
National Assembly on improving access or for
that matter setting aside reserved seats for
persons with disabilities, the kind of change
required will take a long time coming. More also
needs to be done to make enabling
environment, sensitization and empowerment of
Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) and
other civil society networks to work at the grass
root level to raise awareness and facilitate
access for persons with disabilities over the next
three years to ensure that a maximum number of
persons with disabilities know about their right to

4
[Link] March 17, 2017
5
[Link] June 30, 2019
vote/process and are ready to use it. The Bill covering all aspects in line with the
participation of persons with disabilities in the international and national commitments
political process and decision-making is the regarding fulfilling the rights of PWDs. The Bill
cornerstone for the realization of their has been presented by the new government as a
fundamental rights. Being able to exercise the government bill on December 22, 2018 from
right to vote and the right to be elected is intrinsic Ministry of Human Rights. The bill has gone
to this goal. through several rounds of discussions in sub-
committee of the standing committee of Human
Recent Developments: Rights. The recommendations have been
Each province has a department or office legally incorporated and will be submitted for the final
tasked with addressing the educational needs of approval from the Chairman of the Standing
persons with disabilities. Despite these Committee of Human Rights and will be
provisions, however, most children with presented again in the National Assembly for the
disabilities did not attend school, according to approval as law.
civil society sources.
The bill promotes and protects the rights of
The Supreme Court has ruled that under the persons with disabilities within the Islamic
federal and provincial laws, adherence to provisions of the Constitution. Whereby a
disability job quota extends to both public and framework must be developed in line with the
5
private sectors. CRPD, to ensure ease of access, equity in
The DPOs and networks of PWDs started education, employment and health, provision of
working on drafting Pakistan Disability Bill and a facilities for social, economic and political
long and cumbersome exercise was undertaken participation in the society.
to come-up with unanimous Pakistan Disability

Policy Framework:
1981 Ordinance on Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities
2002 National Policy for Persons with Disabilities
2011 Ratified UNCRPD
2011 Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education was devolved
2017 Sindh Province established the department for the empowerment of
persons with disabilities under the Act 2017
2018 Baluchistan Province enacted a law to protect the rights of persons
with disabilities
2019 Gilgit Baltistan Province enacted law to protect the rights of
persons with disabilities
1.3 Trajectory of Inclusive
Development in PPAF
to reduce the social exclusion particularly when
they received small loans to set up small scale
enterprises run by themselves. Effective linkages
were developed at the local levels and have
resulted in: enrollment of children in general
education at all places, allocation of funds by
local government in AJK for disability, and
special inclusion of persons with disabilities in
Benazir Income Support Programme by PPAF
advocacy are few examples.

With an objective to test mainstreaming of

disability in development, PPAF piloted a
disability project after the devastating
earthquake of 2005 that hit the northern areas of
Pakistan. Through a multidimensional approach,
diverse activities were undertaken in order to
rehabilitate persons with disabilities and then
their inclusion in earthquake-affected areas that
ended in December 2009. Then the PPAF
Disability Programme was launched nationwide
from January 2010. Eight districts namely Quetta,
Multan, Swabi, Karachi, Khairpur and Swat with
In the year 2012, PPAF conducted a carpet survey
Rawalakot and Mansehra as a continuation from
of 23 Union Councils of 7 districts across Punjab,
the earthquake project. This programme was
Sindh, KP, and Balochistan and identified 9% of
aimed to improve the quality of life of a person
the population suffered from the disability of any
with disabilities through assistive devices,
kind. The survey was useful in identifying the
training, improving accessibility and social
disabled and extending disability-focused
inclusion.
support to them. The programme successfully
t r a i n e d te a c h e r s i n i n c l u s i ve te a c h i n g
Identification of persons with disabilities helped
methodologies because of which 2,445 children
with disabilities were enrolled in mainstream
schools. PPAF also managed to make 4,911 men
and women with disabilities members of
community organizations so that they could
participate in activities concerning the
development of the area they live in.

PPAF has also worked with specialized

institutions for specific solutions for the disabled.
In 2011, PPAF supported Pakistan Foundation
Fighting Blindness (PFFB) in establishing
computer centres within government schools for
special children in Multan, Peshawar, and
Lahore. Around 8000 visually challenged
persons benefitted from this initiative under and Training Centers in Karachi, Hyderabad and
which free computer-based/IT skills training Sukkur, PPAF helped FESF develop training
were provided to special persons from programme and resources for teaching staff and
underprivileged areas. Funds were also skills development and vocational training
provided for the expansion of PFFB's Audio programs for the hearing-impaired children.
World Program which provides doorstep facility There is now a dedicated website for PSL, a
of recorded textbooks to visually challenged 5000-word PSL lexicon, a mobile application, a
persons. DVD and a book. The PSL program has trained
over 500 parents, 195 government teachers and
25 master trainers.
From 2011-2016, PPAF's support to Family
Educational Services Foundation (FESF) to Since international trends demonstrate that
develop first-ever Pakistan Sign Language (PSL) development at a more fundamental level is
booklet directly benefitting 5,000 children with about choice and change, concerns and
hearing impairments. At the Deaf Reach Schools experiences of persons with disabilities should
be an integral dimension of the design,
implementation and monitoring and evaluation
of policies and programs in all political,
economic and societal spheres so that disabled
people benefit equally and inequality is not
perpetuated. With an aim to mainstream
disability at the programs level PPAF is adopting
a disability inclusive development strategy
leading towards promoting inclusive
development as cross cutting agenda.
PPAF Disability
Inclusive
Development
Strategy
Persons with disabilities do not make up a small, inclusive development after an in-depth study of
insignificant group. As much as one out of seven, international practices on community based
or more than one billion women, men and inclusive development and advocacy skill
children live with a disability according to the development tools developed by regional and
World Report on Disability, 2011. In Pakistan, international organizations including APCD (Asia
similar to many other developing countries, they Pacific Development Center on Disability).
are excluded from health, education, social, After detailed consultation meetings with the
economic, political and cultural opportunities. management of PPAF, review of interventions of
The prevalence of disability is increasing due to PPAF for the inclusion of persons with
population ageing, the global increase in chronic disabilities, mapping of disability and
health problems, but also negative impact on development stakeholder in the country the
health from environment, road traffic accidents, strategy has been drafted as aligned with the
natural disasters, conflict, and unhealthy principals of the UN Convention on the Rights of
lifestyle. Having a society, where everybody can Persons with Disabilities and the global
participate and contribute is not only a human development agenda 2030 which emphasizes
right but it is also good for economic growth and inclusion of every person through creating an
poverty reduction. enabling environment.
During the last decade, these facts have started Inclusive Development Strategy will be a
to influence development programs. The contribution of PPAF among the driving forces
approach to disability has changed from a establishing a framework for including and
medical/welfare approach focusing only on mainstreaming disability in development
individual impairments - to a social and a human practices and discourse. It will enable PPAF to
rights-based approach where the focus is on generate a better understanding of the meaning
removing barriers in society and investing in of inclusive development—both its theoretical
Universal Design. PPAF Disability Inclusive and practical underpinnings—and how such an
Development Strategy has been designed by approach can be used in different development
globally recognized resource persons on settings.
2.1 Defining Disability
The Disability Inclusion Strategy is based on the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities (UNCRPD):
Ÿ Full and effective participation and inclusion in the organization;
Ÿ Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and
humanity
Ÿ Equality of opportunity
Ÿ Accessibility
Ÿ Non-discrimination

2.2 Objectives of the Strategy

Ÿ Inclusion in organizational culture
Ÿ Ensuring environmental accessibility
Ÿ Inclusion at the programming and planning stage
Ÿ Ensuring disability inclusion in human resources of PPAF
Ÿ Ensuring disability inclusive procurement
Ÿ Reporting in accessible formats with due representation of disability aspects in publications
Ÿ Contribution to the key sectors of development in the country through providing best practices,
reliable data and policy guidelines

2.3 Strategic Interventions

Goal: Promoting a culture of accepting disability as diversity within PPAF
As a disability inclusive model organization, PPAF will have presence of persons with disabilities at all
levels and having their roles and responsibilities inclusive. It is possible through promoting a culture
of respecting other's working behavior/style, and a flexibility in tailoring the roles and responsibilities
in order to strengthen the employees and their abilities. To achieve this goal there must be equitable
access to all people to all resources, opportunities, networks, and decision-making processes. PPAF
will adhere the universal Design which involves designing products and environments so that they
can be used by the widest range of people possible without need for adaptation or specialized
design. Universal Design evolved from Accessible Design, a design process that addresses the
needs of people with disabilities.

Targeted career advancement policies geared towards employees with disabilities are another
benchmark of an inclusive workplace culture. These may include the creation of explicit disability
affirmative action policies related to promotion, targeted professional networking opportunities, and
the establishment of disability affinity networks and related supports to encourage full integration
into the workplace culture. Effective recruitment of people with disabilities involves two components:
a) accessible outreach and hiring
practices, and b) targeted
recruitment of workers with
disabilities.
Training plays a dual role in the
creation of inclusive workplace
culture. The first consideration
involves the degree to which people
with disabilities have equitable
access to training sites, events, and
materials. The second concern
relates to the training of managers,
particularly middle management,
and human resources staff, to work
effectively with all people, including those with disabilities. There must be a concerted effort to create
equitable and accessible training resources. Policy plays a critical role in generating meaningful
inclusion of people with disabilities. In addition to recruitment, training and advancement, workplace
policies need to carefully plan for the provision of reasonable accommodations.

Targets
Ensuring environmental accessibility at PPAF premises
Ensuring disability inclusion in human resources of PPAF
Training of staff on disability equality and training of interns/employees with disabilities on the
competitive work environment
Ensuring disability inclusive procurement

Indicators:
Ÿ Accessibility audits of PPAF's Head Office and partner organizations conducted and implemented
Ÿ Enhanced number of persons with disabilities in the human resources as interns/employees
Ÿ Increase in number of staff trained on disability equality availability of online training module for
new employees

Goal: Disability Inclusion at the programming and planning stage

Since PPAF is committed to mainstreaming disability inclusion across all of its work – in all policies,
programs across all sectors - and continuing a twin-track approach of mainstreaming as well as
specific and focused action for people with disabilities there is need to addressing disability inclusion
at the program designing stage in consultation with key stakeholders. PPAF will develop disability
inclusive programs aligned with disability inclusion approaches of international development
organizations addressing essential development domains such as education, employment and
decent work, social protection, resilience to and mitigation of disasters, sanitation, transport, and
non-discrimination so that disability cannot be a reason or criteria for lack of access to development
programming and the realization of human rights.

Targets
Engagement of DPOs (Disabled Peoples Organizations) and Specialized Service delivery
organizations on disability
Allocation of budgetary resources for disability inclusion
Establish Disability Inclusive taskforce within PPAF

Indicators:
Ÿ At least 3 people with disabilities having technical knowledge and academic background are
onboard to advise at planning level to ensure disability inclusion.
Ÿ Inclusive procurement policy in place and disability Inclusive procurement committee formed
Ÿ Disability inclusion Guidelines/checklists available for major sectoral domains of development
Ÿ Number of persons with disabilities increased in development interventions on Education, Health
and Livelihood

Goal: Disability Inclusive Reporting and Communication

Persons with disabilities have right to to seek, receive and impart information and ideas on an equal
basis with others and through all forms of communication. PPAF will ensure that the provision of
information in terms of reports, forms, documents and website is available in accessible formats,
upon request, at no additional cost and in a timely manner for all persons with disabilities.
Accessibility of information includes sign language, digital and braille format of publications and
accessibility of website in compliance with screen reading soft wares.

Targets:
Number of IEC material made available in accessible formats for persons with visual and hearing
impairments.
Persons with disabilities are reflected in mainstream communications.
Data and case studies on disability inclusion are published

Indicators:
Ÿ PPAF website will accessible and audited by persons with visual impairments
Ÿ Sign language interpreters engaged in training, workshop and seminars
Ÿ Videos documentary produced with sign language and subtitles

Goal: Contribution to the Disability Inclusive Implementation of National and

Global Development Agenda
Global awareness of disability-inclusive development is increasing. The United Nations Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) promotes the full integration of persons with
disabilities in societies. The CRPD specifically references the importance of international
development in addressing the rights of persons with disabilities. Pakistan has ratified CRPD in 2011
and bill aligned with the principals of CRPD has been approved by National Assembly recently. At the
same time bilateral donors have also developed disability policies to guide their international aid. The
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework includes seven targets, which explicitly refer to
persons with disabilities, and six further targets on persons in vulnerable situations, which include
persons with disabilities. PPAF through sharing its practices and learning can contribute to achieving
disability inclusion in global development agenda and national commitments on mainstreaming of
persons with disabilities in the development.

Targets:
Data of persons with disabilities collected as per Washington Group Set of questions
Evidence based research in line with articles of CRPD and disability related goals of SDGs
Policy briefs on inclusion of persons with disabilities are published for major development sectors
Indicators:
Ÿ Disaggregated data of persons with disabilities is available
Ÿ At least two Reports are published on disability inclusion initiative aligned with CRPD and SDGs
Ÿ PPAF is part of think tanks or committees on implementation of international commitments and
commission on the implementation of disability rights bill.

2.4 Implementation
PPAF disability Inclusive strategy has been designed and developed for a period of three years. A
taskforce to implement PPAF disability Inclusive strategy will be formed to make sure its reflection in
the planning meetings, effective coordination among the departments and units followed by
periodical review process
REFERENCES
1. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006).
2. [Link] March 17, 2017
3. [Link] June 30, 2019
4. Report of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the rights of persons with
disabilities, Catalina Devandas Aguilar.
5. Edward Steinfeld, “Education for all: the cost of accessibility”, World Bank Education Notes
(2005); and United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and United States
Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, “Americans with Disabilities Act: questions and
answers”, available from [Link]/[Link].