Good Practices for the Economic Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Developing Countries

This project aimed to highlight good practices, strategies, tools and operational methods that guarantee the efficiency and sustainability of projects that support access to funding mechanisms and the self-employment of landmine victims and people with disabilities in general. More specifically, the study focuses on the use of microcredit and grants for the start-up and expansion of microenterprises. The goal of this publication was to identify and analyze good practices to facilitate people with disabilities' access to funding mechanisms, particularly microcredit schemes, to facilitate their self-employment.

Click here for a quick overview of the project.

Geographic focus: Information for this report was compiled from 38 countries and 107 organizations. Outreach and advocacy efforts were carried out in Phase II in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nicaragua and Uganda.

Reports are available for download:

- In English

- In French

- In Spanish

- In Arabic (coming soon)

Advocacy Activities utilizing the report

The publication had been disseminated several times at different levels:

During the study:

• Informal workshop in the Meeting of States of the Ottawa Convention, Nairobi, Kenya, Dec 2004 before launching of the study.  Intersessional meeting for the Ottawa Convention in Geneva, June 2005, side events to launch the study
• African Decade of People with Disabilities, Ethiopia, Addis in Sept 2005
• Intervention in a side event in the Conference of States Parties, December 2005, Zagreb Croatia
• Intervention in a plenary session in the Intersessional meeting in Geneva, May 2006

Conferences where study was launched:

1. Conference of States Parties for the Ottowa Treaty, September 2007, Geneva, Switzerland.  The report was utilized at different events to educate states and disability actors:
   
   • Plenary presentation in front of representative of States : 500 persons,
   • Organization of a side events : 50 representants of the States
   • Distribution of a copy of the Guide to all participants in both language, English and French : 500 copies
2. Global Microcredit Summit, Halifax, Canada, November 2006  side event.  2 000 delegates from over 110 countries from the microfinance sector participates in the Summit
   
   
   • The goal of the summit side event was to share experiences, recommendations and tips on how microfinance providers can be more inclusive towards reaching persons with disabilities, who represent a potential market segment, without major changes in their methodologies.
   • The session discussed successful strategies to form partnership between microfinance groups and disabled women organizations, as one of the successful strategies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
3. Participation to the Annual meeting from the SEEP network, Washington : 67 members of the networks, representing 139 countries, and able to work with 23 millions of micro entrepreneurs.
   
   
4. Participation in international conferences on disability. Publications disseminated.
   
   
5. Presentation at IDDC- led conference on Disability and Development Cooperation, Bari, Italy (Sept 2007)
   
   
6. Presentation and side event at the Conference of States Parties, Amman, 2007.  50 people attended the side event.
   
   
7. Presentation on report at the 5th ISTR Conference, Asia Pacific Region, Manila, Philippines.  Complementary article published.
   
   
8. Abstract of report and articles published in the Social Enterprise Journal, June 2007.  Presentation at 4th UK Social Enterprise Research Conference.
   
   
9. Abstract selected for the Review of Disability Study
   
   
10. Dissemination and training within HI on the information in the study and how it can be used for further action within the organization.
    
    
11. Greater dissemination via relevant networks and websites (including GPDD, IDDC, European Platform of Microfinance, article published in the microfinance gateway, and other mailing lists for both the disability and microcredit communities. 

Trainings utilizing the report

• Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 25-26, 2006  -- full report; agenda.
• Nairobi, Kenya, March 15-16, 2006 - IGA workshop reportfull report; agenda
• Geneva, Switzerland, May 10-11, 2006 - agenda.

Click here for the text of the main issues discussed in the trainings.

Future activities: 

Activities will be aimed at practitioners so that they are able to implement recommendations, approach and vision promoted by the study.

• Developing a pilot training / sensitization workshop on the main recommendations from the study.This training will be tested in Afghanistan in March, 2010. 
• Following this training, the training workshops may be further disseminated.