July 24, 2018
All We Can joins governments, private sector organisations, other charities and organisations of persons with disabilities by signing the new Charter for Change for people living with disabilities.
Today, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt is bringing together global leaders and technology companies to tackle the barriers that prevent people living with disabilities from reaching their full potential. She recently said, “For too long many people living with disabilities in the world’s poorest countries have not been able to fulfil their potential due to stigma or a lack of practical support.”
People with disabilities have a much lower employment rate in both developed and developing countries, they are often far more vulnerable during humanitarian emergencies and in many countries are less likely to access services like education and healthcare.
Today, the UK government is co-hosting its first ever Global Disability Summit with the International Disability Alliance and the Government of Kenya. This summit is taking place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London and is bringing together more than 700 delegates from governments, donors, private sector organisations, charities and organisations of persons with disabilities. The ‘Charter for Change’ is the official legacy document of this summit and is designed to ensure global consensus to address a long-neglected issue, and support the rights of persons with disabilities around the world.
All We Can’s Programmes Director Angela Zamaere said, “This is an important step for the international community in recognising that often people living with disability are amongst the most marginalised and vulnerable in society. Supporting the Charter for Change is something that fits squarely with All We Can’s values of inclusion, justice and solidarity and we applaud the important progress has been made in the decade since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – but we can all do more. At All We Can we are committed to finding ways we can address the specific challenges faced by people living with disability in some of the world’s poorest communities as well those impacted by humanitarian emergencies.”
Find out more about the Global Disability Summit (and watch live stream on 23-24 July)
