IDS Bulletin

Building Disability-Inclusive Futures

2026-03-19T01:14:23+00:00

Whilst significant progress has been made in recent years with regard to ensuring that development interventions are more inclusive, people with disabilities still remain underrepresented in development programmes and research. The landmark adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006 changed how disability is considered within society, as well as within the development sector. But there is still so much to do before all interventions are meaningfully inclusive of people with disabilities.

This issue of the IDS Bulletin presents a collection of articles written by researchers and practitioners involved in the UK aid-funded Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme. In particular, the articles include a focus on three broad themes: strengthening the evidence base; cross-cutting issues relevant to disability-inclusive development; and the central role of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).

Drawing together key insights and lessons across the DID programme, the articles explore a range of topics relating to disability and development such as health, education, safeguarding, transport, stigma, the most marginalised groups, the imperative role of OPDs, and disability-inclusive approaches to research and evaluations.

This is the first IDS Bulletin issue in its long history to have an explicit focus on disability.

The editorial team are very proud of this thematic focus, believing that disability must be mainstreamed within development discourse, programming, and research if no one is to be left behind. We are also pleased to say, this IDS Bulletin is produced in an accessible format that goes beyond the expectations linked to current publishing legislation.

Introduction: Building Disability-Inclusive Futures

2026-06-15T08:54:37+00:00

An estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide experience disability and are a part of human diversity. People with disabilities remain underrepresented in development programmes and research. People with disabilities must be included in development initiatives to ensure that no one is left behind. This issue presents a collection of articles written by researchers and practitioners involved in the UK aid-funded Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme. The articles explore a range of topics relating to disability and development such as health, education, safeguarding, transport, stigma, including the most marginalised groups, the imperative role of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, and disability-inclusive approaches to research and evaluations. This issue presents robust evidence produced under the DID programme to show what is known, makes practical suggestions for what needs to be done to achieve inclusion going forward, and highlights persisting evidence and funding gaps.

Keywords disability inclusion, marginalisation, participation, discrimination, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Organisations of People with Disabilities (OPDs), disability advocacy, disability activism, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), accessibility, evidence, stigma.

1 Introduction

The United Nations defines ‘persons with disabilities’ as including ‘those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others’ (UN 2006: 4). As such, experiences of disability are not homogenous but rather are diverse and highly contextual. Marginalisation due to disability is shown to have a negative influence on experiences of poverty, mortality rates, accessing essential services, including health, and access to transportation (WHO 2023).

Ramatu leads a peer-to-peer workshop on disability-inclusive family planning in Kaduna, Nigeria

Photo credit Gateway Studios/Sightsavers

An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, which is the equivalent to 16 per cent of the world’s population (ibid.). Disability is part of the human experience – it is woven into the lives of individuals, families, and communities. It is an intersecting identity that creates unique individual experiences. The social model of disability, developed by people with disabilities, argues that disability is an element of diversity, and that society needs to eliminate physical, social, and communication barriers to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities.

In development, disability cuts across related themes and foci. For example, ensuring children with disabilities can participate fully in education requires the involvement of education, health, and social protection systems at a minimum. Ensuring children with disabilities are retained in education requires family, community, and school engagement, which may bring in themes of stigma, discrimination, and political and economic empowerment.

In terms of research, historically, disability studies and development studies have paid little attention to each other, despite the clear bi-directional relevance of each of the disciplines to the other, and the great potential for interdisciplinary research (Black and Stienstra 2016). For example, despite the seemingly obvious interlinked relationship between prevalences of disability and poverty, the lack of research means that the empirical basis exploring this relationship is relatively weak (Eide and Ingstad 2013). More robust evidence is needed to address knowledge gaps with regard to understanding the relationship between disability and poverty (Groce et al. 2011).

In addition, there is an evidence gap on what works to ensure development programmes are inclusive of people with disabilities in terms of both their implementation and impact (Saran, White and Kuper 2020; Hunt et al. 2022). People with disabilities have historically been excluded altogether or underrepresented in development programmes. For example, people with disabilities were not directly included in the framing of the Millenium Development Goals (Groce and Trani 2009). In response, people with disabilities and Organisations of People with Disabilities (OPDs) advocated for this glaring omission to be addressed in the subsequent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Cobley 2015). The SDGs factored disability inclusion into associated processes and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) mechanisms (UN 2018). If the SDGs and any development frameworks to emerge in the post-SDG era are to be realised, the current evidence gap on what works for people with disabilities in development programming must be addressed through including people with disabilities in development programming and research. Furthermore, people with disabilities and OPDs must have a leading role in the subsequent dissemination of evidence.

The landmark adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006 changed how disability is considered within society, as well as within the development sector. The purpose of the CRPD is ‘to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity’ (UN 2006: 4). The general principles include respect for inherent dignity, autonomy, non-discrimination, and full and effective participation and inclusion in society; respect for difference and viewing disability as part of human diversity; equality of opportunity, accessibility, and equality between men and women; respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities; and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities (UN 2006). However, the existence of the CRPD does not automatically result in the realisation of these rights. In many contexts where development programmes are delivered, multiple and varied barriers prevent its implementation (Grech, Weber and Rule 2023). More evidence is needed to establish what works with regard to making laws, policies, and programmes CRPD-compliant and fully inclusive of people with disabilities.

2 Time to deliver disability-inclusive development

Within this contextual framing, the UK government created the Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme to deliver tangible outcomes to improve the lives of people with disabilities and generate a significant evidence base on ‘what works’ to deliver results on inclusive development (Lloyd, Dalton and MacKinnon, this IDS Bulletin).

The DID programme is an eight-year investment in innovative projects which support long-term improvements in wellbeing and inclusion for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. It uses rigorous research to improve understanding of what works; and works to ensure that data and evidence are used by governments and the international community to invest more in better disability-inclusion interventions.

The DID programme has two separate contracts:

- Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures (hereafter Inclusive Futures) is a £36.1m programme managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Gender and Equalities department and led by Sightsavers and the International Disability Alliance (IDA). The consortium of partners consists of Action on Disability and Development (ADD) International, BBC Media Action, BRAC, Humanity & Inclusion, the Institute of Development Studies, Light for the World, Sense International, and Social Development Direct. The Inclusive Futures consortium works together, and with local and national OPD and government partners, to design and implement innovative interventions, and evidence what works to improve outcomes for people with disabilities in health, education, and livelihoods, and to address negative stereotyping and discrimination across Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.

- The Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action (PENDA) is a £10.5m programme managed by FCDO’s Research and Evidence Directorate (RED) and delivered by a consortium led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). PENDA aims to undertake 13 evaluations (prioritising impact evaluations using randomised controlled trials (RCTs) wherever possible); one data and one Covid-19 research stream (added during the Covid-19 pandemic); build capacity for disability‑inclusive research in the global South, particularly for Southern researchers with disabilities; and develop tools to improve research on disability inclusion. Five PENDA evaluations will test Inclusive Futures interventions; others evaluate interventions outside of the Inclusive Futures programme.

As the DID programme comes to an end in 2026, this is an opportune moment to reflect on the successes and challenges experienced by those involved in its delivery. We aim to draw together the evidence, and highlight lessons learned and the barriers we faced. We were particularly keen to document what works and make practical suggestions for action so that others working in development can make future programmes, policies, and research inclusive of people with disabilities and improve their outcomes.

3 A special issue on disability-inclusive development

The IDS Bulletin has been in continuous production for nearly 60 years, offering articles that bridge research, practice, and policy discourse presented in thematic issues that focus on a range of development challenges. This is the first issue of the IDS Bulletin in its long history to have an explicit focus on disability, despite the clear importance of including people with disabilities in development. The editorial team are very proud of this thematic focus, as we believe that disability must be mainstreamed within development discourse, programming, and research if no one is to be left behind.

The IDS Bulletin has historically taken a strong editorial position on equitable authorship, with contributions typically coming from both Southern and Northern authors. In editing this issue, we wanted to continue this tradition, but we also felt that given the thematic focus, it was necessary to highlight the importance of including contributions from people with disabilities themselves as well as the representatives of OPDs who work with and for them. Having a representative from the IDA (who aside from co‑leading the Inclusive Futures programme are an alliance of over 1,100 OPDs⁶) as one of the editors was the first step in this process. In fact, the composition of the editorial team of this IDS Bulletin is indicative of our broader approach – with a combination of academics, practitioners, and representatives of OPDs from both the global North and South, working together in partnership to further the evidence base on disability-inclusive development.

The IDS Bulletin has an explicit focus on development practice, not just academic research. In this issue, the majority of contributing authors are development practitioners and activists who have worked closely with academic researchers to develop rich content, heavily grounded in disability-inclusive development practice. This is something we are celebrating. Alternative epistemologies and sources of knowledge are increasingly recognised as highly valuable and complementary to academic research. The inclusion of reflective and practice-based articles, alongside more traditional academic articles, adds strength to this issue. We believe that if we are to achieve disability-inclusive development in the real world, these practitioner contributions which often detail other ways of knowing must be considered in combination with academic contributions.

This IDS Bulletin issue is produced in an accessible format that goes beyond the expectations linked to current publishing legislation (Richard, this IDS Bulletin). This approach, complemented by the journal’s open access policy, means that the articles published in it are as accessible as they can be to the greatest number of people, including people with disabilities. This approach to accessible publishing aligns with the inclusive ethos we have endeavoured to embed in this IDS Bulletin.

Drawing together key insights and lessons from the DID programme, the articles in this issue reflect on how we can and must make development inclusive of people with disabilities. In particular, the articles include a focus on three broad themes: strengthening the evidence base; cross-cutting issues relevant to disability-inclusive development; and the central role of OPDs.

4 Introduction to the articles in this issue

4.1 Strengthening the evidence base on disability-inclusive development

Given the existing evidence gaps, research on the lived experiences of people with disabilities and ‘what works’ to promote their inclusion in development programmes were central objectives of the DID programme. Qualitative and quantitative evidence was produced through analysis of both primary and secondary sources from academic research, impact evaluations, and MEL activities.

Mirroring the important role that research and evidence had in the DID programme, it also features prominently as a theme in the articles in this issue. Thompson et al. (this IDS Bulletin) reflect on experiences relating to undertaking disability-inclusive participatory qualitative research. They analyse the potential of participatory research approaches, aimed at ensuring people with disabilities have an active role in identifying research priorities and in the research processes themselves, to explore the lived experiences of people with disabilities. This involved using narrative approaches, creative and arts-based methods, and working with peer researchers with disabilities. This research contributed to evidence on what works with regard to realising the meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in society, including the most marginalised, through inclusive methodological adaptions which accounted for people’s different impairment types and support needs (e.g. careful pacing, multi-modal approaches, visual supports, and avoiding overdependence on verbal tasks).

Kuper et al. (this IDS Bulletin) also have a strong focus on research highlighting the evidence from impact evaluations of disability-inclusive health, education, and livelihoods, as well as interventions which address systemic change. They highlight the value of measuring outcomes in terms of participation for people with disabilities, showing the strong potential for disability-inclusive development and calling on others to continue generating actionable evidence to ensure that no one is left behind in reaching development goals. In addition, other articles in this IDS Bulletin draw on programme data, as well as secondary data, to explore specific themes relevant to disability‑inclusive development. This includes synthesising evidence across the programme and also exploring practitioners’ learnings and reflections.

4.2 Considering the whole picture: cross-cutting issues for disability-inclusive development

To make development disability inclusive, contextual factors must be considered to ensure the effective participation of all people with disabilities. Certain cross-cutting issues must be considered in addition to specific programmatic foci for inclusion to be achieved. Different interventions may be required in different contexts, but certain issues are found to be relevant across contexts. For example, disability stigma remains a pervasive barrier to the inclusion of people with disabilities across countries and contexts, exacerbating the marginalisation and social exclusion of people with disabilities, and resulting in low self-esteem and diminished wellbeing. Rohwerder et al. (this IDS Bulletin) highlight the importance of considering disability stigma within development programming. However, as a concept, disability stigma is currently not uniformly translatable across countries or understood in the same way by those working on disability inclusion. This makes it harder to have a shared understanding of stigma and intentionally plan for disability stigma reduction.

Another cross-cutting issue is the inclusion of people with high support needs, who are amongst the most marginalised people with disabilities in various settings and often left behind. Corby, Khimbaja and Ewen (this IDS Bulletin) highlight learnings around the inclusion of people with disabilities with high support needs to ensure that project outcomes and disability inclusion can be more equitable.

People with disabilities are more likely than their non‑disabled peers to experience harm, exploitation, and abuse, and encounter barriers that prevent them from accessing justice. Therefore, the Inclusive Futures programme created a comprehensive, disability-inclusive safeguarding approach, including a shared code of conduct, capacity strengthening of OPDs on safeguarding, finding inclusive referral services, and the inclusion of community concern cases. Morris et al. (this IDS Bulletin) explore how OPDs are uniquely positioned to work on safeguarding in international development programmes, and the importance of collaborative, learning-focused, and mutually beneficial partnership models for safeguarding in disability-inclusive development.

Another cross-cutting factor that needs to be addressed in development programmes is accessible transport, as without it, people with disabilities in any context will face barriers to accessing services and jobs, restricting their ability to benefit from development programmes and from fully participating in society. Carew, Das and Thompson (this IDS Bulletin) highlight this often-neglected factor in both disability-inclusive development interventions and mainstream programmes.

4.3 Nothing without us: the central role of OPDs

The importance of including people with disabilities and OPDs in mainstream development programming is highlighted by Trimmel, Walsh and Viera (this IDS Bulletin). This view is reinforced by Sekar and Siddiquee (this IDS Bulletin), who note that meaningful engagement of people with disabilities in development, through sustained investment in OPDs, can drive real change, contributing to disability-inclusive development.

The essential role that OPDs play is also highlighted in articles focused on the learnings from the health and education projects under the Inclusive Futures programme. Stapleton et al. (this IDS Bulletin) highlight the importance of close partnership with OPDs in education programming, valuing their connection to people with disabilities and their lived experience. In addition, the specific and varied expertise OPDs have, their access to local communities, and their understanding of the local contexts make them essential partners for anyone working to make disability‑inclusive development a reality. Hall et al. (this IDS Bulletin) indicate that OPDs hold a vital role in efforts to successfully deliver health programmes that are inclusive of people with disabilities.

5 Conclusion

Significant progress has been made in recent years with regard to ensuring that development interventions are inclusive of people with disabilities. The adoption of the CRPD indicated an important shift in the development landscape and in society more generally. However, a considerable gap remains between the expectations associated with compliance with the CRPD and its implementation. There is still so much to do before all development interventions are meaningfully inclusive and the current momentum must be maintained. Deliberate actions in this regard must be planned and undertaken by those working in the development sector to ensure that no one is left behind. The DID programme has shown what is possible but has also shown where efforts could be strengthened or barriers to progress remain.

Our goal for this issue of the IDS Bulletin is to go beyond publishing a collection of articles that summarise what the DID programme achieved. Instead, we have challenged the authors of the articles to reflect on, and draw out, key lessons that can be used across the development sector to ensure that future programmes and research are inclusive of people with disabilities. We maintain that robust evidence is the keystone to achieving disability-inclusive development. This IDS Bulletin presents evidence produced by the DID programme to show what is known and also makes practical suggestions for what needs to be done going forward, and it also highlights persisting evidence and funding gaps.

Partnership has been the foundation upon which the success of the DID programme was built, and that spirit of collaboration has been drawn upon to create this collection of articles. We are immensely honoured to have edited this important and timely issue and recognise that it would not have been possible without contributions from consortium partners, OPDs, local partners, authors, reviewers, funders, the publishing team, and of course, the involvement of people with disabilities who engaged with the DID programme over the years. Ensuring development is disability inclusive is a collective responsibility. We must work together to continue to ensure that future development programmes and research are meaningfully inclusive of people with disabilities and that no one is left behind.

Notes

1 This issue of the IDS Bulletin was supported by UK aid under its flagship Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme. The DID programme was delivered through two separate programmes. The eight-year consortium intervention, Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures (Inclusive Futures) programme, led by Sightsavers and the International Disability Alliance, ran from August 2018 to March 2026. It has reached more than 19 million people and generated almost 300 learning and evidence resources to inform policy and practice on disability-inclusive development. The evaluation programme, the Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action (PENDA), was delivered by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The opinions expressed are the authors’ own and do not reflect the views of the funders.

2 Stephen Thompson, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies, UK.

3 Brigitte Rohwerder, Researcher, Institute of Development Studies, UK.

4 Claire Walsh, Deputy Programme Director, Sightsavers, Canada.

5 Gayatri Sekar, Senior Officer, Learning and Community Engagement, International Disability Alliance (IDA), India.

6 With member organisations around the world, the IDA represents the estimated 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities. For more information on how the IDA is structured around representation, see ‘IDA: Who We Are’.

References

Black, D. and Stienstra, D. (2016) ‘Creative Encounters: Disability Studies Meets Development Studies’, Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal 1.3: 285–91

Cobley, D. (2015) Disability and Development, GSDRC Professional Development Reading Pack 23, Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, Birmingham: University of Birmingham

Eide, A.H. and Ingstad, B. (2013) ‘Disability and Poverty – Reflections on Research Experiences in Africa and Beyond’, African Journal of Disability 2.1: 31, DOI: 10.4102/ajod.v2i1.31

Grech, S.; Weber, J. and Rule, S. (2023) ‘Intersecting Disability and Poverty in the Global South: Barriers to the Localization of the UNCRPD’, Social Inclusion 11.4: 326–37, DOI: 10.17645/si.v11i4.7246 (accessed 26 January 2026)

Groce, N.E. and Trani, J.-F. (2009) ‘Millennium Development Goals and People with Disabilities’, The Lancet 374.9704: 1800–1

Groce, N.; Kett, M.; Lang, R. and Trani, J.F. (2011) ‘Disability and Poverty: The Need for a More Nuanced Understanding of Implications for Development Policy and Practice’, Third World Quarterly 32.8: 1493–513, DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2011.604520 (accessed 26 January 2026)

Hunt, X.; Saran, A.; Banks, L.M.; White, H. and Kupar, H. (2022) ‘Effectiveness of Interventions for Improving Livelihood Outcomes for People with Disabilities in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: A Systematic Review’, Campbell Systematic Reviews 18.3: e1257

Saran, A.; White, H. and Kuper, H. (2020) ‘Evidence and Gap Map of Studies Assessing the Effectiveness of Interventions for People with Disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries’, Campbell Systematic Reviews 16.1: e1070

UN (2018) Disability and Development Report: Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals by, for and with Persons with Disabilities, United Nations (accessed 5 February 2026)

UN (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations (accessed 26 January 2026)

WHO (2023) Disability, World Health Organization (accessed 17 December 2025)

© 2026 The Authors. IDS Bulletin © Institute of Development Studies | DOI: 10.19088/1968-2026.152 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are credited and any modifications or adaptations are indicated.

The IDS Bulletin is published by Institute of Development Studies, Library Road, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK. This article is part of IDS Bulletin Vol. 57 No. 1 March 2026 ‘Building Disability-Inclusive Futures’; the Introduction is also recommended reading.

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Making the IDS Bulletin Accessible to all Readers

2026-03-19T01:14:25+00:00

The IDS Bulletin has been in continuous publication since 1968 and, during this time, it has been published in several formats, from printed paperback to its current offering of PDF and HTML. Digital publishing has the potential to greatly increase inclusion for people with disabilities. For example, readers can transform the text size and line spacing or listen to the content.

Digital has long been the dominant scholarly journal format; in 2024, it generated over eight times more revenue for UK publishers than print (Publishers Association 2025). But when digital content is not created with accessibility in mind, it can result in significant barriers to accessing knowledge. Much attention has focused on open access in scholarly publishing, i.e. allowing readers to freely access and download information without barriers. In recent years, much more focus has been brought to accessibility, i.e. designing and creating digital content in a way that can be universally accessed by everyone, including people with disabilities. Scholarly publishing has an important role to play in making knowledge available to all on an equitable basis, at the point of publication.

Foreword – Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

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From being one of the first countries to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (United Nations 2006) to helping found the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) network, the UK has demonstrated a longstanding and meaningful commitment to disability inclusion. The instigation of the first Global Disability Summit in London in 2018 was a pivotal moment for the global disability movement. As co-hosts with the Government of Kenya and the International Disability Alliance, the UK marked a critical step change in official development assistance (ODA) programmes supporting people with disabilities.

Foreword – Sightsavers and International Disability Alliance

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This is the foreword to IDS Bulletin 56.1 'Building Disability-Inclusive Futures'.

Advancing Disability-Inclusive Participatory Research: Lessons, Challenges, and Future Directions

2026-03-19T01:14:27+00:00

Participatory research, which is built on the guiding philosophy of enabling and empowering people to play an active and influential role in research that affects their lives, is an approach which can contribute to realising meaningful inclusion. Drawing on experiences gained through developing and employing participatory research methods under the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme, this article explores the methodological opportunities, challenges, and nuances of such an approach. It offers reflections based on the experience of undertaking research focused on inclusive education in Nigeria and Kenya, inclusive livelihoods in Bangladesh, and exploring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people with disabilities across multiple countries. We analyse both successful practices from these participatory research projects and also highlight those that could have been more collaborative and inclusive. Finally, we look forward, offering reflections and recommendations to guide others who are interested in designing and delivering disability-inclusive participatory research.

Disability Stigma Reduction: Learnings from Disability-Inclusive Programming

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Disability stigma is a persistent barrier to the inclusion of people with disabilities, yet its impact is often overlooked in programming aimed at disability inclusion, and there is little evidence about disability stigma reduction interventions. Drawing on research from the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme (2018–2026), this article outlines programme learning about disability stigma through the framework of different stigma types (social, structural, internalised, and stigma by association), as well as the role of intersectionality and stigma. Programme learning about how to reduce disability stigma when working on disability-inclusive programming highlights the importance of having a shared understanding of stigma to better guide interventions. More intentional planning for stigma reduction, as well as targeting the different types of disability stigma is key. It is also important to centre the experiences of people with disabilities. Changing the norms around ingrained forms of stigma requires a long-term sustained approach to stigma reduction.

Lessons on Power and Partnership in Disability-Inclusive Safeguarding

2026-03-19T01:14:30+00:00

Safeguarding refers to specific actions that reduce the risk of abuse, neglect, and harm. It is an essential aspect of all development programming and research, but due to existing social structures and entrenched power inequalities, it is particularly important in development programming and research focused on people with disabilities. This article reflects on implementation experience relating to disability-inclusive safeguarding from the UK aid-funded Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme. It details efforts taken to design and implement participatory safeguarding approaches and activities through partnering with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). The article unpacks practical examples of inclusive safeguarding while also identifying challenges in forming equitable, proportional partnerships between international non‑governmental organisations (INGOs) and OPDs. It concludes by raising questions about how power, partnerships, sustainability, and solidarity impact on safeguarding for global actors working with locally embedded, under-resourced partners.

What Works: Learning from Inclusive Education Projects Across Five Countries

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This article reflects on the learning from five inclusive education projects implemented under the Inclusive Futures programme across Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Nepal, and Nigeria (2018–2025). It addresses three core themes: finding and enrolling children with disabilities, preparing schools to welcome them, and centring them in teaching. Central to project success was the involvement of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in all stages, from design to delivery and monitoring, ensuring relevance, sustainability, and a rights-based focus. The projects demonstrated that inclusive education interventions are more successful when embedded in national strategies, supported by multisectoral collaboration. Despite persistent barriers, the projects demonstrated that low-cost, scalable strategies can improve educational outcomes for children with disabilities.

Adapting Development Programmes for People with Disabilities with High Support Needs

2026-03-19T01:14:32+00:00

All people with disabilities should expect equitable access to services and equal opportunities; the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities explicitly recognises the importance of their full and effective participation and inclusion in society. However, particularly in low-income countries, people with disabilities with high support needs compared to other people with disabilities do not always benefit equally from existing policies, development projects, services, or practices.

This article reflects on learning gathered from across the Disability Inclusive Development programme. It asserts that strengthening inclusion of people with disabilities with high support needs requires not only practical know-how at project level, but also systemic change to funding practices and project design. We identify key areas where collective focus and systemic change would ensure development programmes more commonly include people with disabilities with high support needs, who are often the hardest to reach and the most marginalised and excluded.

What is Required to Support the Implementation of Inclusive Health in Mainstream Programmes?

2026-03-19T01:14:33+00:00

Health is a development priority across countries and contexts. Yet many health systems are still not accessible for persons with disabilities. The Inclusive Family Planning project (IFPLAN), part of the UK aid-funded Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme, operates in Northern Nigeria to improve access to sexual and reproductive health for persons with disabilities. It partnered with the Lafiya project – a UK aid-funded mainstream health programme – on putting disability inclusion into their practice. In a team consisting of two Inclusive Futures management staff, a disability specialist seconded to the Lafiya project, and a women with disabilities from the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, we led the process to identify lessons from this collaboration. In this article, we address the central question ‘What is needed to achieve inclusive health in mainstream programmes?’ We offer eight
practical recommendations to enhance equal access for persons with disabilities, adaptable across contexts.

People with Disabilities and Transport Access: Evidence from PENDA and Inclusive Futures

2026-03-19T01:14:34+00:00

Transport is a fundamental enabler of participation in society yet people with disabilities frequently experience barriers to accessing it. These barriers are often greater in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite its importance, transport remains neglected in disability-inclusive development interventions. This article synthesises evidence from the Disability Inclusive Development Inclusive Futures programme and the Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action, which implement and evaluate disability inclusion interventions across multiple LMICs. We draw on their findings to examine the transport barriers experienced by people with disabilities and how these shaped intervention participation and outcomes. Findings highlight inaccessible infrastructure, a lack of accessible public transport options, unavailability of assistive technology, and transport-related stigma and discrimination as barriers. These barriers were shaped by intersectional disadvantage and risk constraining intervention participation and impact. We discuss the implications for disability-inclusive development intervention design and national transport policy, highlighting that transport access is a prerequisite for meaningful inclusion.

Impact Evaluations for Progressing Disability-Inclusive Development

2026-03-19T01:14:34+00:00

People with disabilities experience stark inequities across the spectrum of development priorities. Yet they are rarely prioritised by development programmes. The poor evidence base for ‘what works’ for disability-inclusive development is a major challenge to taking action and advancing the meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities. The Programme for Evidence to Inform Disability Action (PENDA) was established to undertake high-quality impact evaluations to assess whether holistic approaches to disability-inclusive development improve the participation of people with disabilities in key areas of society (health, livelihoods, education). Through PENDA, 13 evaluations were implemented across 13 low-and middle-income countries. Impact evaluations are predominantly through the gold standard approach of randomised controlled trials. Each trial has a complementary mixed-methods process evaluation to better understand the findings and their implications. The article reflects on key considerations for undertaking impact evaluations of disability-inclusive development interventions, illustrated from the PENDA trials, and learnings to advance this research agenda.

Afterword: Nothing Without Us

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Glossary

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This is the glossary of IDS Bulletin 57.1 ‘Building Disability-Inclusive Futures'.

Notes on contributors: Building Disability-Inclusive Futures

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This is the glossary of IDS Bulletin 57.1 ‘Building Disability-Inclusive Futures'.

Stephen Thompson, Brigitte Rohwerder, Claire Walsh and Gayatri Sekar

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