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Embedding vital life skills into education to increase access to life opportunities

DONNELLY, Pete (Wheelchair Skills College)
September 2023

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A short talk given in the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

Difficulties experienced by children who are wheelchair users, both in use of the wheelchair and also in wider society are briefly described. The set up, and some of the associated issues in the set up,  of an organisation to teach wheelchair skills and life skills to wheelchair users is outlined. 

 

An introduction is given by Dr Tigmanshu Bhatnagar entitled "Innovation: are ecosystems ready to scale for success?"

Strengthening government systems to empower children via early access to AT

SEGHERS, Fre (Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI))
September 2023

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A short talk in the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference held by GDI hub on 13 Sep 2023

Work required to shape markets for assistive technology for young children is explored including assessing numbers and types of disability, regulations, and community leaders involvement

Global Report on Children with Developmental Disabilities: from the margins to the mainstream

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
September 2023

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This WHO-UNICEF Global Report is a call for action to intentionally include children and young people with developmental disabilities in renewed global and country level efforts to enable transformations towards the SDGs.  It proposes priority actions to accelerate individual-, family-, community-, and society-level changes to achieve inclusion and health equity. The report makes the case for greater investment and accountability to build inclusive and responsive multisectoral care systems for children and young people with developmental disabilities. Using findings from research and practice and guided by the tenets of international human rights conventions, the report provides key insights into the state of knowledge, policy, programming, and public monitoring in respect of developmental disabilities.

My entrepreneurial journey: as a young person with cerebral palsy

SMITH, Lizzie
September 2023

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A short talk given in the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

The development of a company who creates children’s picture books to aid the delivery of complex disability and illness-related news to young children (0-5 years old) is outlined. The personal experiences from which the resources were developed are described (the author and company owner has cerebral palsy and has degrees in fine art and pyschology).

Learning opportunities for blind students - numeracy, logical thinking and accessible artifacts

PODDAR, Roshni
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023

 

The development of SEEDS (Scalable Educational Experiment with Digital Empowerment) by a collaboration of Microsoft Research India, Vision Empower and the Centre of Accessibility in the Global South, IIIT Bangalore, is described. India has over 240,00 children with visual impairment. The system uses feature phones rather than smart phones, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) - to enable the child to be rung back and HEXIS for braille. The use, piloting and challenges of the system are briefly outlined.

The start-up model for disability innovation in Africa: A journey through the eyes of an entrepreneur in Ghana

OMARI, Derrick
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.

 

Three models of disability innovation start-up are introduced based on 8 years of experience mainly in the area of the education of children with disabilities in Ghana. The models are: the community centred approach; the student led approach; and the hybrid model which is revenue driven. Outcomes and difficulties are briefly discussed.

Accessibility and inclusion for deafblind people living in the Global South

KAMENOPOULOU, Leda
September 2023

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Presented at the Disability Innovation Summit: Inclusive Interactions conference organised by the GDI hub on 13 Sept 2023.
 

A short presentation concerning the challenges surrounding inclusion of and accessibility for deafblind children and adults, particularly in the Global South.

Deafblindness is a spectrum and so a spectrum of approaches and of assistive aids is required. The most common cause of deaf blindness is aging. Most research has been carried out in the Global North. Very little has been carried out in the Global South or into the intersectionality with poverty, race and gender. 

The global birth prevalence of clubfoot: a systematic review and meta-analysis

SMYTHE, Tracey
ROTENBURG, Sarah
LAVY, Chris
August 2023

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Estimates of the birth prevalence of clubfoot in low and middle income settings range from 0.5 to 2 per 1000 births. However, there is currently no estimate of global birth prevalence of clubfoot.

A systematic review of studies was carried out reporting the birth prevalence of clubfoot across all countries and regions worldwide in the last 10 years. Africa Wide Information, EMBASE, CINAHL, Global Health, LILACS and Medline databases were searched for relevant studies from January 1st 2012 to February 9th 2023. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using the inverse variance method, and a random effects model was applied to account for heterogeneity between studies.

 

eClinicalMedicine,  Vol 63 September, 2023

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102178

Children with disabilities in the Middle East and North Africa: A statistical overview of their well-being

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
October 2022

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An estimated 21 million children with disabilities live in the Middle East and North Africa. Each of them – like every child in the world – has the right to be nurtured and supported through responsive care and education, to receive adequate nutrition and social protection, and to enjoy play and leisure time. Too often, however, such rights are denied. The reasons vary. They include stigma, lack of accessible services, institutionalization and physical barriers, but the consequences are sadly consistent. When marginalized from society, the chances for these children to survive and thrive are diminished, along with their prospects for a bright future.

Monitoring the inclusion of children with disabilities in development efforts has long been held back by the lack of reliable and comprehensive data. Recent years, however, have seen renewed efforts to fill these data gaps. The development of new data collection tools has resulted in a substantial increase in the availability and quality of data on children with disabilities, fostering new analyses and contributing to increased knowledge generation.

This report is a testament to these efforts. It includes internationally comparable data from four countries in the Middle East and North Africa and covers 18 indicators of child well-being – from nutrition, health and education to protection from violence, exploitation and discrimination. It also presents global and regional estimates of children with disabilities drawn from more than 1,000 data sources, including 95 from countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

The report’s objective is to promote the use of these data to make children with disabilities in the region more visible, bringing about a fuller understanding of their life experiences. It offers evidence crucial to decision-making to fulfill obligations, both moral and legal, to give every child an equal chance in life.

Supporting young children with disabilities in humanitarian settings

BEILER, ROSALENGA BERMAN
ZUIDEMA, SUZANNE
BECKERLEGGE, FIONA
RODRIGUEZ GARCIA, DEBORAH MARIE
June 2022

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The rapid growth that occurs in the first years of life provides an opportunity to influence and improve developmental outcomes that may impact the entire course of an individual's life. Addressing the developmental needs of children with disabilities during this critical period is essential if they are to survive, flourish, learn, and be empowered (WHO, n.d.). 

Recognizing the importance of addressing all children's unique needs and acknowledging the influence of social stigma and misconceptions about disability that may lead to underdeveloped potential and social exclusion, we seek to advocate for and support the inclusion of young children with disabilities in Early Childhood Development in Emergencies programming. 

The webinar was moderated by Rosangela Berman Bieler, UNICEF’s Global Advisor on Disability, and included presentations on foundational concepts for disabilities-inclusive programming, and alternatives to address young children with disabilities needs in a resourceful, creative manner. 

Early detection tools for children with developmental delays and disabilities in the Middle East and North Africa

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
June 2022

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This technical brief was developed to support specialists in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to select which early detection tools best fit their needs and context by comparing various tools that have been used in theregion and lessons learned in using and adapting those tools to local contexts.

Global Report on Assistive Technology

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
May 2022

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The WHO-UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology (AT) reveals that more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or apps that support communication and cognition. Yet nearly one billion of them are denied access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where access can be as low as 3% of the need for these life-changing products.

The Global Report provides the best available evidence about the barriers currently preventing access, how access can be improved, and how enabling environments and AT can enable persons with disabilities to enjoy their human rights while generating a tremendous return on investment for governments. The report also makes 10 key recommendations for concrete actions that will improve access to AT, for everyone, that needs them. 

Access to assistive technology for children with disabilities is often the first step for childhood development, access to education, participation in sports and civic life, and getting ready for employment like their peers. Children with disabilities have additional challenges due to their growth, which requires frequent adjustments or replacements of their assistive products.

Barriers and facilitators to providing assistive technologies to children with disabilities in Afghanistan

WHITAKKER, Golnaz
WOOD, Gavin
February 2022

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Due to the impacts of the ongoing conflict, Afghanistan’s child population is at high risk of being born with or acquiring a primary or secondary disability. According to a recent estimate, up to 17 per cent of Afghanistan’s children live with some form of disability. Assistive technologies (AT) – the systems, services and products that enhance the functioning of people with impairments – are likely to be required by a large proportion of children with disabilities in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which includes a commitment to provide AT equitably to all who need it. However, little action has been taken to meet this commitment, and there continues to be a vast gap between the need for AT and its provision. This work presents the landscape of AT provision, the barriers and facilitators to provision, and provides recommendations to begin to close the gap. 

Semi-structured interviews were conducted to build on the evidence in the literature, and to understand the factors affecting AT provision in Afghanistan

Study on the evolution of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate 1996-2021

GAMBA, Virginia
January 2022

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This is the first study that comprehensively analyses the challenges, opportunities, and successes in delivering the United Nations children and armed conflict mandate since its inception in 1996. The study presents a short evolution of a unique United Nations instrument that was initially mandated by the General Assembly and subsequently enhanced through 13 Security Council resolutions. Understanding the way in which the mandate grew and how it has been implemented over the years will hopefully assist Member States and the public at large to renew their commitment to the protection of children in armed conflict and the prevention of grave violations. This study explores three time periods in the delivery of the mandate. Moreover, the study explores, among other issues, the background on the establishment of the mandate, its evolution over the past 25 years and the reflections generated by this experience, including through an analysis of the trends of grave violations against children, the modalities in monitoring and reporting and in pursuing engagement with listed and non-listed parties, the efforts made in prevention and the importance of partnerships. When possible, the study also brings to life the experiences of child survivors and child protection experts on the ground, who, after all, are the backbone of the mandate. Lastly, the study attempts to highlight some collective recommendations in the form of a way forward to illuminate the next 25 years in the pursuit of better protection of children in situations of armed conflict worldwide

Safe Back to School: Guide for supporting inclusive and equitable learning for the most marginalised children

SAVE THE CHILDREN
September 2021

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This guide will support field level staff to ensure that all children have access to safe learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. It outlines the barriers to learning that the most marginalised have access to safe learning opportunities that meet their individual needs. It outlines the barriers to learning that the most marginalised and excluded groups of children face and recommends interventions to support their inclusion in remote learning and their return to school. The guide also recommends key resources to use when designing interventions for inclusive and equitable learning.

Sections are included on mild, moderate and severe disabilities. 

Right from the start: build inclusive societies through inclusive early childhood education

GLOBAL EDUCATION MONITORING REPORT TEAM
July 2021

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Early childhood education has the potential to expand opportunities for disadvantaged children, provided that programmes use inclusion as a guiding principle. While the international community has committed to inclusive education, countries vary in their efforts to extend this goal to early childhood. Universal access is the basis of inclusion, and countries must address barriers related to socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, language, disability and remoteness. Cooperation among multiple actors to identify special needs early and provide integrated services is needed, as are inclusive curricula that support children’s socioemotional development and identity formation. Finally, educators must be given the knowledge, training, and support to implement inclusive practices and work with families from all backgrounds

 

Policy paper 46.

Inclusive education training guide

LEWIS, Ingrid
July 2021

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This package is designed to assist with the training of staff within CBM and its partners. It has been prepared with country and regional advisory staff in mind but will have value for project/ programme management and other staff too. It has been designed for use with small groups of participants (e.g., maximum 10-15).

This training package focuses on inclusive education. It interprets inclusive education in a broad sense as a dual process of bringing about education system change, at all levels of education, to the benefit of all learners; and supporting the needs of individual learners, especially those with disabilities. It is not a training about specific impairments, nor will it show participants how to identify, teach and support learners with specific impairments. Instead the package helps participants to understand better the overarching challenges being faced and the systematic programme and advocacy approaches that CBM, its partners and other similar organisations need to engage with.

 

This training package consists of the following booklets:

A Inclusive education and CBM

B Inclusive education and the community

C Participation and achievement for all learners

D Education system change

Preventing lifelong impairment: Access to clubfoot treatment in low and middle income countries

CLINTON HEALTH ACCESS INITIATIVE (CHAI)
July 2021

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Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), commonly known as clubfoot is one of the most common congenital conditions, affecting 1 in 800 births. Left untreated, it can lead to life-long impairment, impacting participation in society, education, and employment. Most children with clubfoot can be successfully treated with the Ponseti method, a low-cost, cost-effective, and minimally invasive treatment protocol. Despite progress, less than 1 in 5 children born with clubfoot in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) currently receive treatment.

Recommendations are made to increase this treatment rate.

Preventing lifelong impairment: Access to clubfoot treatment in low and middle income countries

CLINTON HEALTH ACCESS INITIATIVE (CHAI)
July 2021

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Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), commonly known as clubfoot is one of the most common congenital conditions, affecting 1 in 800 births. Left untreated, it can lead to life-long impairment, impacting participation in society, education, and employment. Most children with clubfoot can be successfully treated with the Ponseti method, a low-cost, cost-effective, and minimally invasive treatment protocol. Despite progress, less than 1 in 5 children born with clubfoot in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) currently receive treatment

Clubfoot services require coordination and leadership between different departments within health ministries. Both are often missing

 

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