Disabled children are left behind
Despite a promise in the Sustainable Development Goals to 'leave no-one behind', disabled children continue to be forgotten, excluded and ignored. On every visit to a country in Africa, we have asked about disabled children and their families and we have visited many. We want to know whether they are included, what services exist for them and what is being done to improve the situation.
We are unsurprised but always saddened to hear the answers: disabled children are excluded, very few services exist and there are no inclusive projects set up to benefit disabled young people.
The majority of disabled people in low-income countries live below the poverty line. 80% of disabled people in the world live in low and middle-income countries, yet it is estimated that only than 4% have ever benefited from any international aid.
To leave no-one behind, first, we must find the most disenfranchised group of people - those that are hardest to reach. We then take the steps to include them and, by default, we will take the steps to include everyone. Inclusion benefits everyone!
What can you do?
Please refuse to ignore disabled children and help change the situation today.