DFID DISABILITY INCLUSION STRATEGY DELIVERY PLAN
STRATEGIC PILLAR 1: INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Outcome: Improved learning outcomes for children with disabilities from interventions and research investments. We will:
DELIVERABLE 1 Improve implementation to ensure that policy translates into action
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Support partner governments to deliver on their inclusive education commitments, particularly those made at GDS18 (Ethiopia, ISD/CYED/ 2023
Rwanda, Pakistan, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Uganda and Jordan) Country Offices
Support countries to embed disability inclusion and gender across education programmes, including through improved data collection CYED/ Country 2023
and analysis, education sector plans, capacity building, teacher training, and evidence on scalable solutions Offices
Include a focus on mental health and psychosocial support and sexual and gender based violence in school violence campaigns e.g. CYED 2019
‘Safe to Learn’
DELIVERABLE 2 Deliver targeted interventions to increase the number of children with disabilities accessing education, and improve learning outcomes
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Reach up to 18,000 girls with disabilities, through the Leave No Girl Behind strand of the Girls Education Challenge programme CYED 2023
Deliver targeted interventions: train 12,000 primary school teachers in Rwanda; transform and establish 687 new Inclusive Education Country Offices 2023
Resource Centres (IERCs) across Ethiopia by 2022; support over 3,000 children with disabilities and the government to support over
35,000 children with more severe disabilities in Punjab; support provision of deaf education in Sindh province
DELIVERABLE 3 Catalyse the will, tools and resources to realise inclusive education
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Support countries to build their capacity to deliver comprehensive and cost-effective interventions through the new global CYED/ Country 2022
Inclusive Education Initiative, including accessibility and affordability of learning aids and other assistive devices Offices
Invest in research on what works to improve learning outcomes for highly marginalised children, especially with disabilities and RED/ ISD/ CYED 2023
those in conflict, focusing on the link with mental health and psychosocial support
Invest in key tools for more effective planning and implementation of inclusive education, including in Uganda and Pakistan CYED/ Country 2023
Offices
Ensure new funding includes targets towards the publication of inclusive education data by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics. New CYED 2020
funding to support the Global Education Monitoring Report to focus on inclusion in 2020.
Influence key partners, such as GPE, to fund and support better policy-making and support for children with disabilities CYED 2023
STRATEGIC PILLAR 2: SOCIAL PROTECTION
Outcome: Better outcomes for people with disabilities and their families from more inclusive social protection systems. We will:
DELIVERABLE 1 Support the delivery of more disability-inclusive social protection policies, programmes and systems
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Support governments to make their social protection policies, strategies, programmes and systems more disability inclusive Country Offices/ 2023
including delivering against commitments made at GDS18 (including consideration of intersecting vulnerabilities such as gender) ISD
through assessment, systems strengthening and pilot-testing e.g. including piloting a disability top-up under the senior citizens grant in
Uganda; and disability grants for households with members with extreme disability in Burma
Strengthen the capability of governments, disabled persons organisations, other civil society organisations and development Country offices 2023
partners to engage effectively on disability and social protection in developing countries
Support governments to strengthen the linkages between social protection and other services and interventions, to improve the Country Offices 2023
economic opportunities and wellbeing of people with disabilities, and protect their livelihoods ahead or during crises, e.g. assessment
and referrals to additional services in Uganda
Support the development of disability-specific social protection tools and guidance and the mainstreaming of disability in general ISD/ Country 2022
social protection tools and guidance Offices
Place a greater focus on mental health and psychosocial support in social protection policy and programming ISD/ Country 2023
Offices
Conduct awareness raising and other activities to address stigma and tackle discriminatory attitudes and behaviour in social Country Offices 2023
protection programmes and institutions, so that social protection systems are more inclusive of people with disabilities
DELIVERABLE 2 Push for greater global and national focus on and investment in disability-inclusive social protection
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Galvanise greater attention on and support to disability inclusive social protection, and those facing multiple forms of discrimination ISD/ Country 2023
and exclusion (e.g. women and girls with disabilities), through working collaboratively with governments, DPOs and representative Offices
groups and other development partners
Work with the World Bank to strengthen disability inclusion and consideration of multiple forms of stigma and discrimination, in their ISD 2022
social protection operations e.g. through the Rapid Social Response Multi-Donor Trust Fund
Increase consultation with people with disabilities and their representative organisations in social protection policy and Country Offices/ 2023
programming, including in monitoring and accountability ISD
DELIVERABLE 3 Strengthen the evidence base on inclusive social protection and promote the systematic collection and use of disaggregated data
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Invest in research to better understand barriers to disability-inclusion in social protection systems and what works to improve ISD/ RED/ 2023
outcomes for people with disabilities and their families including on stigma and discrimination and mental health, and share lessons in Country Offices
DFID and externally
Review how to make social information systems more disability-inclusive and gender responsive and share lessons and good practice ISD 2020
Strengthen integration of disability in social protection programme evaluations, including mental health, and develop core evaluation ISD 2020
questions
Encourage and support governments and partners to integrate the Washington Group Questions into social protection information Country Offices 2020
and monitoring and evaluation systems and improve reporting and use of disaggregated data eg in Pakistan, Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
STRATEGIC PILLAR 3: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Outcome: Increased employment, financial independence, satisfaction and well-being of people with disabilities. We will:
DELIVERABLE 1 Address attitudinal barriers to economic empowerment
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Build disability inclusive environments in the workplace through the Ethical Trade Initiatives Disability Base Code Guide and DFID PSD/ Country 2023
programming in Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia Offices
Support countries’ delivery of GDS18 commitments, in partnership with DPOs and representative groups, and in their efforts to ISD/ FCO 2023
address violence and reform discriminatory practices and policy and support Commonwealth countries seeking reform to address
violence and discrimination against people with disabilities
Improve access to financial services for people with disabilities including in Afghanistan (agriculture supply chains), Uganda, Zambia Country Offices 2023
and Nepal (financial sector) and in Burma and Ghana (innovative micro-finance and agricultural support) and support modernisation of
payment infrastructure
Develop diagnostic tools for stronger measurement and analysis of how growth affects poverty levels amongst people with disabilities GRD 2020
DELIVERABLE 2 Enhance economic and social participation
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Work proactively with CDC and IFC to develop a good practice note on disability inclusion linked to the IFC performance standards. PSD 2019
Address disability inclusion and women’s economic empowerment with a twin track approach, including strengthening the ISD/ GRD/ 2023
involvement of women with disabilities in value chains through ‘work and opportunities for women’ and in country offices such as Country Offices
Uganda
Support people to develop skills for decent work: including in Ethiopia, India, Nepal and the Caribbean Country Offices 2023
Support people with disabilities access jobs and livelihoods across six countries, through the £37m Disability Inclusive Development
ISD/RED 2023
programme enabling up to 45,000 people to increase their incomes whilst learning from and disseminating what works
Reach people with disabilities to access jobs and livelihoods in Kenya and Bangladesh through the UK Aid Connect window on disability
ISD
inclusion
Scale up access to jobs and livelihoods in the manufacturing sector in selected countries in Africa through the flagship £100m ‘Invest GRD/ Country 2023
Africa’ programme Offices
Forge and develop innovative partnerships with the private sector e.g. the new strategic partnership with the Government of Kenya ISD/ Country 2019
and a small group of leading businesses Offices
Introduce and sponsor a new award category into the Financial Times/IFC Transformational Business Awards ISD 2019
DELIVERABLE 3 Promote accessibility and usability
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Invest in and strengthen our approach to disability-inclusive infrastructure through the Infrastructure and Cities for Economic GRD/ Country 2023
Development programme and in Uganda (infrastructure work under Trade Mark East), Nepal (schools, police), India (city planning and Offices
services), overseas territories
Embed universal design into relevant programming by ensuring buildings, products and environments consider people with disabilities GRD/ Country 2023
from the start e.g. in DFID India’s work on urban development, financial services, and innovations around assistive technologies Offices
Provide bilateral technical assistance to assist improvements in the design and implementation of disability inclusive infrastructure GRD 2023
through DFID’s infrastructure programming
Commission a review on the Private Infrastructure Development Group’s approach to disability inclusion PSD 2020
STRATEGIC PILLAR 4: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Outcome: More inclusive humanitarian response efforts. We will:
DELIVERABLE 1 Promote the routine, systematic collection and use of disaggregated data, and improve the evidence base
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Support agencies to collect and use more and better data and encourage agencies to use tested tools such as the Washington Group CHASE/ Country 2023
questions to disaggregate data Offices
Build the capabilities of humanitarian actors to collect quality data, producing open-access free e-learning, training guides, and training ISD 2019
sessions on using the Washington Group questions in humanitarian settings
Influence UN humanitarian agencies to be more disability inclusive through core funding including a payment by results indicator on
CHASE 2021
disability data collection. By 2021 we will expect Humanitarian Response Plans to routinely disaggregate data on disability, and apply this
learning to programming
Build the evidence base by trialling and reviewing new innovations in humanitarian settings, scaling up those that work, through the ISD/ RED 2023
new Disability Inclusive Development programme
Strengthen and scale innovation as part of a £5m disability inclusion fund supporting innovation in emergencies and protracted crises RED 2023
DELIVERABLE 2 Strive for equitable access in basic service provision
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Review DFID’s humanitarian portfolio to identify best practice in programming, draw links between disability inclusion and other ISD/DFID 2020
marginalised groups and inform future programming approaches. Pilot initially in Nigeria. Nigeria
Periodically review emergency relief delivery mechanisms and processes to ensure they are appropriate and accessible for all individuals, CHASE 2023
carefully monitoring how our stockpile items are used and implementing lessons learned
Develop new guidance on how to best deliver a fully inclusive humanitarian response effort, providing evidence and best practices from DFID Syria/ ISD 2019
existing programmes and research undertaken by our Country Offices, starting with DFID Syria
Align approaches to inclusion across groups facing different vulnerabilities (e.g. gender, youth, older persons etc) including through a new ISD 2023
internal Inclusion Working Group, guidance notes, training, and bespoke support
Shape sectoral approaches with our learning on how to adapt programmes to become more inclusive, learning from previous programmes ISD/ CHASE 2023
DELIVERABLE 3 Place a greater focus on mental health and psychosocial support
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Convene a permanent donor group to strengthen coordinated action for mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings CYED 2019
Scale up inclusive and accessible mental health and psychosocial support in bilateral and multilateral education in emergencies CYED 2023
programming
Increase focus on mental health and psychosocial support in programming such as our country office programming in Syria (education), Country 2023
Jordan (support to refugees), Turkey (psychosocial support) and the occupied Palestinian territories Offices
DELIVERABLE 4 Advocate for the safety and protection of people with disabilities
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Influence UN agencies to make progress on needs assessments, humanitarian country team protection strategies and accountability to CHASE 2021
affected populations through our core funding payment by results indicators
Request agencies for specific details on how the needs of all people with disabilities have been considered from all those applying for CHASE/ 2023
bilateral humanitarian funding, including what the barriers to accessing services might be (including through our Rapid Response Facility) Country
Offices
Encourage our partners to adhere to key standards on protection, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines for Integrating CHASE/ 2023
Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action, which provides specific guidance on the protection of people with disabilities Country
Offices
Ensure that specialised services for people with disabilities are delivered and are accountable to people living with disabilities through the CHASE 2023
Humanitarian Global Service business case, Humanitarian 2 Humanitarian network1, and by working with specialised partners
1 H2H membership: [Link]
Include an accredited spinal injury cell in the UK Emergency Medical Team. This will further strengthen the provision of assistance to people CHASE 2019
with disabilities post disaster and in follow-up treatment
Push for accountability mechanisms to include the specific needs of people with disabilities, encouraging the leadership and engagement Country 2023
from local DPOs and people with disabilities, Human Rights councils and other accountability mechanisms Offices
New programming focussed on protection of refugees and host communities, such as in Jordan where our Humanitarian Protection for Country 2020
Vulnerable Refugees and Host Communities programme (2018-2020) provides MHPSS support, cash for protection and psychosocial services Offices
for 2980 patients [tbc]
DELIVERABLE 5 Push for disability inclusion to be an integral component of broader humanitarian system reform
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Endorse roll-out of the new Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines on disability inclusion, providing training, satellite products, and CHASE, 2023
requiring it of partners and ensure that the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards are used by partners to mainstream disability inclusion Country
Offices
Introduce a new section on inclusion of people with disabilities into our reporting frameworks for partners to report on. This will be tested DFID Syria 2019
out first in DFID Syria programming
Trial the inclusion of a minimum standard on mainstreaming inclusion of people with disabilities, with a DFID funded programme in DFID DFID Syria 2019
Syria. Partners will be required to report against these standards as part of their quarterly and annual reviews
Support efforts by our UN and NGO partners to deliver on their commitments at GDS18, drawing on our strategic partnerships, ISD/CHASE 2019 (first
management committees, donor groups, and annual Strategic Dialogues. review due)
Support the UN System Wide Action Plan to be fully integrated into the humanitarian response effort, including through discussion in CHASE/ISD 2023
strategic dialogues.
Increase the number of inclusion experts on our database of humanitarian contractors, which we can draw on for additional, expert advice CHASE/ISD 2020
and support, and review DFID’s capacity and expertise on inclusive humanitarian action, ensuring we have the capability to deliver.
Provide expert support to DFID country teams on inclusion and disability programming in humanitarian contexts through our funding to CHASE 2023
Humanity and Inclusion (HI).
CROSS-CUTTING THEMES
Outcome: Reduced stigma and discrimination, improved outcomes for women and girls with disabilities and more people reached with essential assistive
technology. We will:
DELIVERABLE Tackle stigma and discrimination, support women and girls through targeted interventions and improve affordability and accessibility
of assistive technology.
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Tackle stigma and discrimination by: supporting full participation and leadership of people with disabilities; transforming harmful All Units 2023
stereotypes and behaviours; and ensuring policies, structures and resources in place to counter discrimination. This includes through our
work leading innovation on stigma and discrimination within the Disability Inclusive Development programme.
Support women and girls with disabilities through targeted interventions such as the UN Trust Fund for the Prevention of Violence ISD 2020
against Women and Girls and ‘What Works’ to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls programme, as well as integrated approaches
Improve affordability and accessibility of assistive technology through the ‘AT2030’ and ‘ATscale’ partnership programmes by improving RED/ GFD/ ISD 2023
evidence of what works, opening market access and service delivery innovation
ADDITIONAL WORK AREA: MENTAL HEALTH
Outcome: We will step up as a global leader on mental health and support and enable the full rights, inclusion and empowerment of people with mental health conditions
and psychosocial disabilities. We will:
DELIVERABLE Deepen understanding and increase delivery for better mental health outcomes across programmes and policy
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Develop a comprehensive approach and theory of change to promote well-being of whole populations; prevent mental health ISD 2019
conditions; ensure access to quality services and support, inclusion and fulfilment of rights for people with mental health conditions and
psychosocial disabilities
Strengthen internal skills, knowledge and expertise to ensure we have the right foundations needed to scale up on mental health ISD 2023
Commit to focused action to provide inclusive and accessible mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for children and adults CYED/ 2023
in conflict and emergencies. We will include MHPSS in education in emergencies investments and will convene a permanent donor CHASE
group on mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings (addressing the needs of children and adults).
MAINSTREAMING: DISABILITY INCLUSION ACROSS DFID
Outcome: DFID’s programming, policy, influencing work and internal systems support people with disabilities. We will:
DELIVERABLE 1 Mainstream disability inclusion across all DFID business units through the minimum and high achievement standards
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
All business units will meet minimum standards in 2019 All Units 2019
Four country offices will meet high achievement in 2019, twelve in 2020 and sixteen by 2023 Country Offices 2023
Provide training on disability awareness and inclusion, and support business units with guidance, tailored support and country visits ISD 2019
Use the Washington Group question sets as the tool for disaggregation and update monitoring and evaluation where feasible ISD 2019
Increase the share of Single Departmental Plan results that can be disaggregated by disability status up from the Sept 17 baseline of 5% ISD 2023
Advocate for and support use of the Washington Group questions for disaggregation where we support national censuses, surveys and Country Offices 2023
administrative systems
Set out our support to health systems including people with disabilities as part of addressing the ‘Leave No One Behind’ agenda in the
HDD 2023
forthcoming Health Systems Strengthening Position Paper.
DELIVERABLE 2 Living Our Values
ACTIONS LEAD DEPT. DEADLINE
Communicate to suppliers the expectation that they demonstrate their commitment to disability inclusion and technical PCD 2019
understanding and the importance of consulting and engaging with people with disabilities throughout programme interventions
Include disability considerations into guidance on Terms of Reference, evaluation criteria and sourcing strategies and require all PCD 2019
suppliers to demonstrate disability inclusiveness characteristics
Publish a People Strategy which will include our plans over the next 3 years to recruit, retain, and recognise the skills and talents of all HR 2019
our staff, including those with disabilities
Review progress as a Disability Confident Leader every six months, with action integrated into our Diversity and Inclusion workplan HR 2023
Improve support staff with disabilities internally and through the Civil Service Workplace adjustments service, including assistance HR 2019
and provision of tailored technology such as screen readers, touch screens, and voice recognition software
Support Civil Service Diversity Internships and internships from Leonard Cheshire Disability, and facilitate the same targeted HR 2019
advertising for those with disabilities in our locations around the world as we do in the UK
Benchmark ourselves against the “Thriving at Work” standards, the ‘mental health core standards’ that all employers can adopt to HR 2019
better support the mental health of their staff