Blog

Embracing the Right of Persons with Disabilities and Older Persons in Development

By Stephen Meyers, Associate Professor of International Studies and Law, Societies & Justice Director, Center for Global Studies, University of Washington

Man in wheelchair, Iran. Photo: Javad Esmaeili, Unsplash

Persons with disabilities and older persons, defined as 60 years of age and above, represent two of the most significant constituencies for achieving global development. Less than 1% of official foreign aid, however, reaches persons with disabilities and older persons despite their human right to development being clearly defined in international law and policy. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2006 and currently has 186 States-Parties, mandates the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of development through Article 32 on International Cooperation. In regards to older persons, Michelle Bachelet used her term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to make the argument that “older people should be able to actively participate and contribute to sustainable development,” and their marginalization from development constitutes a human rights violation.

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Kali’s Story: Educate a Girl. Transform an Entire Community.

by Laura Baerwolf, Chief Operating Officer, Mona Foundation

Kali greeting Mona Foundation visitor at her home. Photo: Kelly Lacy, Make Beautiful, Mona Foundation

This is a true story that illustrates what happens when all members of a population, especially women, are enabled to participate as equals in the socio-economic activities of their community and contribute to its development. In Mona Foundation’s experience, education is central to such individual and social transformation but only if it includes lessons of gender equality, ethics, and service alongside academics and the arts.

We first met Kali in 2013 when she enrolled in the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Indore, India, a Mona partner since 2005. In the decade since, Kali’s life experience has provided a representative real-time narrative of the transformative power of educating women and girls. Her story shows how a young woman, empowered through education to improve her own life and see herself as an agent of social change, can impact her family, peers, and village – and, in time, change the hearts and minds of an entire community on the critical importance of education, gender equality, and capacity building in leading their own social transformation.

Kali was born in a tribal household in the remote village of Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, India. As a child, she contracted polio which left her disabled and in need of a staff to walk. Born a girl, poor, and disabled, she had three strikes against her before she was twelve.

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Sukarya: Creating Grass-roots Solutions for Gender Equality through Education

By the Sukarya Team

Empowering our community one smile at a time through education and play. Photo: Sukarya

Gender equality and Education are intertwined with each other and have been the essential pillars for ensuring inclusive economic growth and social development. However, developing countries have not been able to effectively promote gender equality and provide education. While social stigmas and lack of awareness are the primary barriers for promoting gender equality, lack of resources and access have been detrimental for providing education. India is no exception as it was ranked 135^th (out of 146 countries, in 2022) in gender parity by World Economic Forum (WEF). Although India ranks 33^rd in terms of education, the access to education is a challenge among rural and socio-economically marginalized communities. At a time when India’s economic growth is booming, there is a need for grassroot level programs that address the challenges and help in achieving these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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