Over a billion reasons to hold the line on human rights

The IDDC board welcomes the commitments made by over 90 governments and agencies who have signed up to the Amman-Berlin Declaration committing to; strive to ensure that at least 15 percent of international development programs being implemented at the country level pursue disability inclusion as an objective; to fully engage and support Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and address the intersecting forms of discrimination the many persons with disabilities face—especially against women, children, and other marginalized groups. The full text of the Declaration can be found here.

This high level of sign up by governments to the Declaration shows political will to disability inclusion and equality, at a time when significant aid cuts are taking place along with a massive push back on diversity, inclusion and equity. We hope that this declaration will continue to keep disability rights visible on governments’ agendas. Delivering upon the Declaration and its commitments will require resourcing to achieve the sustainable change it envisages.

As a network of 36 member organisations active in over 150 countries worldwide, the IDDC urges governments and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that obligations from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) are adhered to in the implementation of GDS commitments.

We call on the governments who have signed up to the Declaration to:

• Ensure inclusive funding is available: Safeguard and prioritise funding for disability rights and inclusion, especially in the context of aid cuts to development, humanitarian and climate action budgets. Turning these commitments into concrete action for CRPD implementation requires funding to support capacity, including support to organisations of persons with disabilities and civil society organisations.
• Uphold Article 32 of the CRPD and its obligation for all aid to be inclusive and accessible:The “15 percent for the 15 percent” target” is well intended for targeting disability inclusion at country level. Article 32 requires that all development aid is inclusive and accessible. Recognising this takes time, we urge individual governments to continue to increase their targets on disability inclusive aid so that they can progressively realise their UNCRPD commitments.
• Guarantee effective engagement of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs): Emphasise the meaningful participation of OPDs in all relevant processes in line with CRPD Article 4(3).
• Facilitate meaningful participation of children and youth: Prioritize the rights of children and youth with disabilities and ensure their meaningful participation, in line with CRPD Article 7 and CRC Article 9 in the implementation of GDS commitments.
• Have a strong national level focus: Encourage effective coordination among governments and civil society, OPDs at national level to better reflect how donors and governments make decisions and drive progress on disability inclusion in line with CRPD Articles 32 (a) and 4(b).
• Genuinely recognise intersectionality: For actions implemented under GDS commitments, ensure that an intersectional approach is taken and is intentionally inclusive of various groups including under-represented groups, LGBTQI persons in line with CRPD Article 5, 6 and 7
• Strengthen the focus on humanitarian assistance and climate change: Increase emphasis on disability-inclusive disaster reduction and addressing the effects of climate change on persons with disabilities in line with CRPD Article 11.
• Establish a clear accountability mechanism inclusive of CSOs and OPDs to ensure that commitments made at the Global Disability Summit 2025 are monitored and enforced.
• Strengthen the collection, use, and dissemination of data on persons with disabilities, including citizen data, especially led by OPDs.

IDDC has made its own commitments around donor rules and regulations, on the OECD DAC Disability Marker, health equity, participation of children and youth with disabilities and inclusive education.

We will do our share to ensure disability rights are effectively upheld today and in a post-2030 Agenda world. We count on governments and all other relevant actors to do likewise. We look forward to working in partnership with organisations of persons with disabilities, governments, UN agencies and other civil society networks and actors     .

GDS 2025 has ended but the obligation to uphold human rights has no time limit.