According to the World Health Organization (2011), approximately 15% of any population has some form of disability, with a higher incidence of disability in countries that are post conflict or affected by natural disasters.

The prevalence of disability is expected to rise in coming years due

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to an ageing global population and an increase in chronic health conditions.

Of the estimated 1 billion people throughout the world with a disability, 80% live in less resourced nations.

People with disabilities are more likely to experience poverty.

Women and girls with disabilities often experience double-discrimination on account of gender and disability.

Due to stigma, discrimination and inaccessibility, people with disabilities are less likely to access basic services such as education, employment and healthcare.

The lack of access to vital services and programs contributes to their marginalization and exclusion, with little or no option to escape from poverty.

Societies that are inclusive of their diverse populations are more likely to be democratic, participatory and equitable.

They are more likely to meet their development goals.

In spite of this, and although disability is a crosscutting development issue, people with disabilities often remain invisible in the global development agenda.

USAID’s Disability Policy states that USAID will not discriminate against people with disabilities and will work to ensure the inclusion and active participation of people with disabilities in USAID-funded programs and activities.

To this end, USAID has mainstreamed disability in several of its key policies and sector strategies, such as the Education Strategy (2011), Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy (2012) and Strategy on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance (2013).

The USAID Disability Policy also calls on missions to reach out to partners, host country counterparts and other donors to lead a collaborative effort to end discrimination against and promote equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

In response, several USAID missions have addressed disability in their Country Development Cooperation Strategies.

Disability rights are human rights.

As noted in the Agency’s Strategy on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance:
“… a deliberate human rights lens should be applied across USAID’s portfolio to ensure that the Agency’s programs are not inadvertently contributing to marginalization or inequality.

By using a human rights lens, potential beneficiaries who are most at risk of having their rights neglected or abused – such as LGBT persons, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples – will be better recognized and included in USAID programming.” In July 2009, the US signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities affirming its commitment to the human rights of people with disabilities around the world.

To date, most of the countries in which USAID operates have also signed and ratified the Convention signaling a global movement towards the full realization of the rights of people with disabilities and their role in the international development community.