Social/ Disability Inclusion

Ensuring equal rights and the full engagement and participation for all persons with disabilities is a cornerstone of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Yet, despite all available frameworks, young persons with disabilities remain one of the most excluded communities with little to no representation at national, regional, and international levels particularly in the Global South. Further, marginalization of young persons with disabilities is compounded as young persons with disabilities find it challenging for their perspectives to be considered and included due to the lack of leadership opportunities and the intersectional discrimination based on their disability and their youth identity.

Young persons with disabilities are capable and have the potential to be key agents in driving progress for both the youth and disability rights agendas if given more systematic and organized support and opportunity, and if the existing barriers to leadership and participation of young persons with disabilities are overcome.

Attaining systemic change will require the involvement of young persons with disabilities as equal partners in all stages of the policy and programming process — from design to implementation to monitoring and evaluation.