Sightsavers’ disability rights campaign, Equal World, has won the Digital Innovation category in the 2020 Third Sector Awards with its unique campaign petition app.

The app, developed by Sightsavers’ in-house technical team, allowed staff in programme countries to collect signatures for the Equal World petition from people living in areas without internet coverage. Participants signed their name with a finger on a phone or tablet that had the app downloaded. Their information was stored until the petition signature collector returned to an area with coverage, at which point the data was uploaded and available to Sightsavers’ UK-based campaign team.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “We’re thrilled and proud to have won Third Sector’s Digital Innovation award. The Equal World petition app meant that we could reach people living in remote areas who are traditionally excluded from this type of online activity. We were able to add their voices to our petition calling for the United Nations to uphold disability rights, and present their petition signatures to the Under-Secretary-General Ana Maria Menéndez at UN headquarters in New York.

“Our in-house technical team did a great job in developing the app, and our advocacy advisers and staff in country offices worked tirelessly to collect signatures using the app out in the field in countries from Guinea to Pakistan. All of this helped us achieve our goal of collecting 50,000 petition signatures in support of a more equal world.”

More information and a full list of award winners can be found on the Third Sector website.

Sightsavers’ disability rights campaign, Equal World, has won the Digital Innovation category in the 2020 Third Sector Awards with its unique campaign petition app.

The app, developed by Sightsavers’ in-house technical team, allowed staff in programme countries to collect signatures for the Equal World petition from people living in areas without internet coverage. Participants signed their name with a finger on a phone or tablet that had the app downloaded. Their information was stored until the petition signature collector returned to an area with coverage, at which point the data was uploaded and available to Sightsavers’ UK-based campaign team.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “We’re thrilled and proud to have won Third Sector’s Digital Innovation award. The Equal World petition app meant that we could reach people living in remote areas who are traditionally excluded from this type of online activity. We were able to add their voices to our petition calling for the United Nations to uphold disability rights, and present their petition signatures to the Under-Secretary-General Ana Maria Menéndez at UN headquarters in New York.

“Our in-house technical team did a great job in developing the app, and our advocacy advisers and staff in country offices worked tirelessly to collect signatures using the app out in the field in countries from Guinea to Pakistan. All of this helped us achieve our goal of collecting 50,000 petition signatures in support of a more equal world.”

More information and a full list of award winners can be found on the Third Sector website.

Sightsavers’ Connecting the Dots initiative in Uganda offers young people with disabilities the opportunity to learn a new trade and gain valuable work experience.

We speak to Isaac Bolingo, an employer who has welcomed five interns at his business and is now championing the scheme to other employers.

Over 500 young people in the Masindi area of Western Uganda have taken part in Connecting the Dots, a scheme that links them up with training and employment opportunities. After completing a three-month course learning a trade of their choice – including construction work, welding, tailoring or hairdressing – they are connected with local employers where they spend three to six months working on the job.

Isaac is a local businessman who owns a thriving mechanics shop in Masindi town called Isaac’s Motorcycle Spares and Garage. He has taken on five young people with disabilities as part of our programme to become trainee mechanics and is training graduates from the scheme for the second year running. One of his first trainees was Sharif, a 24-year-old who is deaf. After completing his course at a local technical college, he took part in the employment programme’s careers fair in town, where he joined other young people from the scheme to celebrate their hard work and connect with potential employers. At the careers fair, the graduates were each given a toolkit for their trade, so they would be fully equipped to begin their career.

Sightsavers’ Connecting the Dots initiative in Uganda offers young people with disabilities the opportunity to learn a new trade and gain valuable work experience.

We speak to Isaac Bolingo, an employer who has welcomed five interns at his business and is now championing the scheme to other employers.

Over 500 young people in the Masindi area of Western Uganda have taken part in Connecting the Dots, a scheme that links them up with training and employment opportunities. After completing a three-month course learning a trade of their choice – including construction work, welding, tailoring or hairdressing – they are connected with local employers where they spend three to six months working on the job.

Isaac is a local businessman who owns a thriving mechanics shop in Masindi town called Isaac’s Motorcycle Spares and Garage. He has taken on five young people with disabilities as part of our programme to become trainee mechanics and is training graduates from the scheme for the second year running. One of his first trainees was Sharif, a 24-year-old who is deaf. After completing his course at a local technical college, he took part in the employment programme’s careers fair in town, where he joined other young people from the scheme to celebrate their hard work and connect with potential employers. At the careers fair, the graduates were each given a toolkit for their trade, so they would be fully equipped to begin their career.

Sharif excelled at his new job and is now a paid member of staff at Isaac’s garage. He’s now working without needing any instruction (as Isaac proudly tells us) and is supporting himself financially. Sharif says that if he hadn’t enrolled on the scheme, he would still be at home. “I’d be in the village doing nothing! Maybe only digging [farming work] – that would be the only work… it is difficult to find a job.”

Joel and Ronald, recent graduates from the scheme, have joined Sharif as trainee mechanics at Isaac’s garage and the three have become close friends. “I thought there were only a few people with disabilities when I was young,” says Ronald, “but when I came here [to Masindi], I found a lot and I said, ‘Ah, there are many people who have disabilities…’ We are all friends, all of us taking courses.”

As a person with a visual impairment, Ronald has found that people’s attitudes towards him can often be negative and he is treated differently to everyone else. But Isaac has been supportive, encouraging and friendly: “He’s a good person,” says Ronald. “He told me that if I work hard, I will stay with him.” Ronald’s excited about staying on at the garage after completing the internship, or using his new skills to work at another big garage in the town.

Learning to communicate

Isaac has embraced the opportunity to train young people with disabilities, but he knows that this can seem challenging to other employers. “The problem businessmen face sometimes is communicating with [people with disabilities]; sometimes it becomes a problem,” he says. But he explains that the key is patience, willingness to learn, and spending time with people: “You start learning slowly and eventually you find that you can [work with] that person properly.”

Isaac and Sharif had to learn to communicate effectively. Sharif communicates by using sign language, which he is teaching Isaac whenever there’s a spare moment. “He is a very good man – not only to me, but to others,” Sharif says about his boss. “I have learned from him, and I also try to teach him some signs, because I want him to learn and for us to communicate.”

Creating opportunities

The employment programme has transformed the lives of more than 500 young people like Sharif in this area of Uganda. Many young people with disabilities struggle to find work and often end up staying at home and relying on family members to support them. Connecting the Dots offers these young people more independence and a chance to earn their own income.

The programme is also helping to shift negative attitudes in the community by showing that people with disabilities can be valued, productive employees for local businesses.

As an employer, Isaac has found the experience very positive and wants to encourage more businesses to take part. His advice for other employers? Take the time to understand your trainees. “Handle the students [you] receive according to the way they are, because if you start now to mishandle the students there will be no understanding between each other. Work hard and give them your all,” he says. “If they are given the chance of working they can do something good – they surprise you.”

Following the success of Connecting the Dots, Sightsavers has launched a new employment programme in four countries (Uganda, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Kenya). Inclusive Futures, funded by UK aid, is testing innovative ways to improve job opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages, enabling them to find decent work, earn a living and pursue their career goals. We want to see more people with disabilities, such as Sharif, have an equal chance to reach their potential.

The European Commission funded the economic empowerment programme from 2012, and additional funding was awarded in August 2017 by the National Lottery Community Fund. This generous support has helped to transform the lives of hundreds of young people with disabilities in Uganda.

A graduate of Sightsavers’ innovative inclusive training programme Connecting the Dots is standing for election as a local council chairperson at sub-county level in Masindi district, Uganda.

Atugonza Milton Isaac, who studied computing through Sightsavers’ programme and went on to support  other young people with disabilities to gain training, is campaigning for the election. The primary round will take place in Masindi on 16 September.

Sightsavers’ campaign manager, Tessa Murphy, said: “It’s wonderful to see a graduate of Sightsavers’ training and employment programme go on to develop their career and be able to pursue their dreams. Over the past few years Atugonza has been a vocal supporter of our Equal World campaign for disability rights, and we wish him every success in the elections.”

The groundbreaking Connecting the Dots programme has been funded by the European Union since 2012, with additional funding from the National Lottery Community Fund since 2017. The programme has supported hundreds of young people with disabilities gain training in fields as diverse as mechanics, tailoring, catering, hospitality, hairdressing, teaching and knitting. It has also contributed to changing attitudes in the community, by showcasing students’ work at employment fairs to convince local employers to give workers with disabilities the opportunity to find jobs.

Speaking about his past experience of disability discrimination and the impact of the programme, Atugonza said: “When I started school, I was the only younger boy with a disability. It was around 2001. All the boys were nicknaming me ‘Butcherman’, ‘limping’, ‘disabled’… So I grew up like this. But in life you need a challenge, you need to use it as a stepping stone. I had that feeling in my heart: If others can do it, why not me? Why not a person with a disability? Since the programme, my life has changed completely.”

He continued: “Through the employment project, I learned that I have that capability and leadership. People do value that – they now see me as a hardworking person, a trustworthy guy. When you believe in yourself, people give you respect.”

A graduate of Sightsavers’ innovative inclusive training programme Connecting the Dots is standing for election as a local council chairperson at sub-county level in Masindi district, Uganda.

Atugonza Milton Isaac, who studied computing through Sightsavers’ programme and went on to support  other young people with disabilities to gain training, is campaigning for the election. The primary round will take place in Masindi on 16 September.

Sightsavers’ campaign manager, Tessa Murphy, said: “It’s wonderful to see a graduate of Sightsavers’ training and employment programme go on to develop their career and be able to pursue their dreams. Over the past few years Atugonza has been a vocal supporter of our Equal World campaign for disability rights, and we wish him every success in the elections.”

The groundbreaking Connecting the Dots programme has been funded by the European Union since 2012, with additional funding from the National Lottery Community Fund since 2017. The programme has supported hundreds of young people with disabilities gain training in fields as diverse as mechanics, tailoring, catering, hospitality, hairdressing, teaching and knitting. It has also contributed to changing attitudes in the community, by showcasing students’ work at employment fairs to convince local employers to give workers with disabilities the opportunity to find jobs.

Speaking about his past experience of disability discrimination and the impact of the programme, Atugonza said: “When I started school, I was the only younger boy with a disability. It was around 2001. All the boys were nicknaming me ‘Butcherman’, ‘limping’, ‘disabled’… So I grew up like this. But in life you need a challenge, you need to use it as a stepping stone. I had that feeling in my heart: If others can do it, why not me? Why not a person with a disability? Since the programme, my life has changed completely.”

He continued: “Through the employment project, I learned that I have that capability and leadership. People do value that – they now see me as a hardworking person, a trustworthy guy. When you believe in yourself, people give you respect.”

Inclusive Futures, a consortium of 16 global partner organisations advocating for disability inclusion, launched its new website on 20 July.

The website is a hub of information for the global disability and development communities on learning and disability-inclusive programme best practice. It will showcase the work happening across seven countries to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities in healthcare, education, employment and the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visitors to the site will have the chance to discover the people driving the initiative globally, nationally and locally. There will be an area of the site dedicated to the experts in inclusion and the people with lived experience of disability making the projects happen.

The website also features audio reports from citizen reporters around the world, who will report on global disability issues at a local level. These reporters will cover issues affecting their daily lives as people with disabilities, as well as uncovering views and perceptions of disability in the places where they live. This reporting will help to capture the impact Inclusive Futures is having on the lives of some of the world’s most excluded people through this unparalleled global collaboration.

Check out a teaser trailer from our citizen reporter, Alan, here:

Inclusive Futures, a consortium of 16 global partner organisations advocating for disability inclusion, launched its new website on 20 July.

The website is a hub of information for the global disability and development communities on learning and disability-inclusive programme best practice. It will showcase the work happening across seven countries to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities in healthcare, education, employment and the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visitors to the site will have the chance to discover the people driving the initiative globally, nationally and locally. There will be an area of the site dedicated to the experts in inclusion and the people with lived experience of disability making the projects happen.

The website also features audio reports from citizen reporters around the world, who will report on global disability issues at a local level. These reporters will cover issues affecting their daily lives as people with disabilities, as well as uncovering views and perceptions of disability in the places where they live. This reporting will help to capture the impact Inclusive Futures is having on the lives of some of the world’s most excluded people through this unparalleled global collaboration.

Check out a teaser trailer from our citizen reporter, Alan, here:

Evidence and generating knowledge in real time are central to the Inclusive Futures approach. The website will be home to regular updates on what works, helping to push innovation, learning and radical new approaches to inclusive development policy and practices. The initiative builds on the commitments made at the first Global Disability Summit held in London in July 2018, and the website will highlight what has been achieved since then.

The Inclusive Futures initiative, funded by UK aid, was created to break down barriers for people with disabilities around the world. There are one billion people with disabilities globally and 80% of them live in low and middle income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the discrimination and inequality they face on a daily basis, as many people with disabilities are struggling to access the care they need and information in accessible formats. Inclusive Futures is promoting equal access to quality education, health care and work without experiencing stigma and discrimination.

Find our Inclusive Futures audio channel on your regular podcast platform and subscribe to receive regular audio updates.

Explore the website here.

In July 2018 the UK government co-hosted the first-ever global disability summit with the Government of Kenya and the International Disability Alliance, a landmark moment in the progress of disability rights. We look back at what has been achieved in the two years since.

There are 800 million people with disabilities in low and middle income countries, and many of them are routinely denied basic human rights. This is why supporting people with disabilities has been a vital part of Sightsavers’ work since the organisation was founded in 1950. Covid-19 has further highlighted the barriers facing  people with disabilities who have been disproportionality impacted by the pandemic. They have faced  discrimination and stigmatisation and a lack of accessible information and health care.

In recent years the UK government, through the Department for International development (DFID), has become a global leader in disability inclusion, ensuring that people with disabilities aren’t left behind and are able to participate and engage in international development and humanitarian projects.

Juliet Milgate, Sightsavers’ director of policy and advocacy said: “The first disability summit made some amazing and potentially life-changing commitments. It has been truly inspirational to work with DFID and all those countries and agencies involved so far on making many of these come to fruition. We look forward to continuing our work with the government to ensure that the UK remains a leader in disability inclusive development, and to ensure that no one is left behind.”

In July 2018 the UK government co-hosted the first-ever global disability summit with the Government of Kenya and the International Disability Alliance, a landmark moment in the progress of disability rights. We look back at what has been achieved in the two years since.

There are 800 million people with disabilities in low and middle income countries, and many of them are routinely denied basic human rights. This is why supporting people with disabilities has been a vital part of Sightsavers’ work since the organisation was founded in 1950. Covid-19 has further highlighted the barriers facing  people with disabilities who have been disproportionality impacted by the pandemic. They have faced  discrimination and stigmatisation and a lack of accessible information and health care.

In recent years the UK government, through the Department for International development (DFID), has become a global leader in disability inclusion, ensuring that people with disabilities aren’t left behind and are able to participate and engage in international development and humanitarian projects.

Juliet Milgate, Sightsavers’ director of policy and advocacy said: “The first disability summit made some amazing and potentially life-changing commitments. It has been truly inspirational to work with DFID and all those countries and agencies involved so far on making many of these come to fruition. We look forward to continuing our work with the government to ensure that the UK remains a leader in disability inclusive development, and to ensure that no one is left behind.”

Timeline

• 24 July 2018: The UK government co-hosts the first Global Disability Summit with Kenya

At the DFID-organised summit over 170 commitments were made by governments, the private sector, UN agencies, and civil society organisations to prioritise disability in global development. Attendees had the opportunity to watch a Sightsavers video on our inclusive education work in Malawi.

• July 2018: Disability Inclusive Development (DID) programme launches

Now part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, DID is a consortium project led by Sightsavers and funded by DFID. Running for six years, it is designed to contribute to the long-term improved well-being and inclusion of all people with disabilities in six low and middle income countries.

• December 2018: DFID launches a new disability inclusive strategy

The plans, which Sightsavers had been calling for, set out how DFID would make its work and the programmes it funds more inclusive of people with disabilities in the world’s poorest countries.

• December 2018: Sightsavers work is praised in parliament  

Sightsavers’ work was praised by a number of members of the House of Lords during a debate following the launch of DFID’s disability strategy. Lord Shinkwin thanked Sightsavers for its role in supporting the Summit and Baroness Jenkin of Kennington cited Sightsavers’ research.

• March 2019: Sightsavers launches its Equal World campaign

Following five years of successful campaigning for the UK to prioritise disability in international development, Equal World was launched. This global campaign calls for the UN and its member states to ensure the rights of all people with disabilities are upheld.

• June 2019: United Nations launches new disability strategy

The UN’s first disability inclusion strategy launched in New York at the annual Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

• July 2019: UK aid funded Inclusion Works launches

The groundbreaking Inclusion Works programme, funded by UK aid and led in consortium by Sightsavers, pilots new ways to create job opportunities for more than 2,000 people with disabilities in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Bangladesh. Inclusion Works has now been brought together with DID under the Inclusive Futures initiative.

• July 2019:  Inclusion Works and DID programmes are brought together under the Inclusive Futures initiative

Unprecedented in scope and scale, Inclusive Futures brings together experts from 16 global organisations. The initiative pools collective expertise and works with disabled people’s organisations to create innovative solutions to remove key barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing education, health care and work.

• September 2019: UK aid-funded ASCEND programme launches

ASCEND, managed by four of DFID’s established partners including Sightsavers, is our largest multiple neglected tropical disease programme to date. Funded by UK aid, it aims to deliver more than 400 million treatments in 13 countries to treat neglected tropical diseases and is designed in partnership with disabled people’s organisations.

• January 2020: Sightsavers receives Innovative Practice prize in Zero Project Awards

Sightsavers received an Innovative Practice Award from the Zero Project for an early childhood development and education project in Malawi. The Zero Project Awards recognise innovative practices and projects supporting people with disabilities around the world. A film capturing the work of the project can be seen here.

• January 2020: Inclusive Futures films shown at GLAD event

A Sightsavers film featuring first-hand account of job seekers in Kenya and Nigeria was shown at a conference hosted by the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network. Job seekers talk about their experiences of seeking employment as a person with a disability, and some of the barriers they’ve faced in establishing their careers.

• February 2020: Sightsavers awarded Disability Confident Leader status

Sightsavers received a Disability Confident Employer Level 3 accreditation, the highest level an organisation can achieve. The scheme, run by the UK government, aims to make workplaces more inclusive.

• June 2020: 150 journalists undergo UK aid-funded training on disability representation

As part of Inclusive Futures Sightsavers’ partner BBC Media Action trained journalists in Bangladesh to improve the ways people with disabilities are portrayed in the media.

• July 2020: Inclusive Futures website launches

Inclusive Futures launched an internet platform to showcase the achievements of the two programmes. It will be a space to share learning and knowledge with other organisations promoting the rights of people with disabilities.

• July 2020:  Sightsavers adapts its UK aid funded work to COVID-19 response

Two major UK aid-funded programmes, both led by Sightsavers, have been adapted to tackle the crisis caused by COVID-19. The Ascend West and Central Africa NTD programme is using pre-existing tech platforms to help support awareness of health care as well as spread messaging on prevention behaviours such as hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing masks. To address the fact that people with disabilities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, Sightsavers’ UK aid-funded programmes under the Inclusive Futures initiative are adapting to ensure a more inclusive response to the pandemic.

—

So much has already been achieved since the first global disability summit, but much more still needs to be done. The pandemic is a global crisis which needs a coordinated and inclusive global response.  Let’s turn promises into action as we build back better from COVID-19 and make sure to leave no one behind in the recovery.

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign has handed in a 25,276-signature petition to the United Nations and its member states, calling for the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to be inclusive of disability rights.

The hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff members from around the world, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “Now more than ever, governments must ensure that they prioritise the protection of the rights of the people with disabilities within society who are most at risk of suffering devastating losses in the face of the pandemic. On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who have signed the petition, we urge the UN and all member states to urgently address this situation to ensure that the lives, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities are pivotal to their response and recovery efforts.”

More about the petition

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign has handed in a 25,276-signature petition to the United Nations and its member states, calling for the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to be inclusive of disability rights.

The hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff members from around the world, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “Now more than ever, governments must ensure that they prioritise the protection of the rights of the people with disabilities within society who are most at risk of suffering devastating losses in the face of the pandemic. On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who have signed the petition, we urge the UN and all member states to urgently address this situation to ensure that the lives, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities are pivotal to their response and recovery efforts.”

More about the petition

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign has handed in a 25,276-signature petition to the United Nations and its member states, calling for the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to be inclusive of disability rights.

The hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff members from around the world, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “Now more than ever, governments must ensure that they prioritise the protection of the rights of the people with disabilities within society who are most at risk of suffering devastating losses in the face of the pandemic. On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who have signed the petition, we urge the UN and all member states to urgently address this situation to ensure that the lives, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities are pivotal to their response and recovery efforts.”

More about the petition

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign has handed in a 25,276-signature petition to the United Nations and its member states, calling for the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to be inclusive of disability rights.

The hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff members from around the world, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.

Tessa Murphy, Sightsavers’ campaign manager, said: “Now more than ever, governments must ensure that they prioritise the protection of the rights of the people with disabilities within society who are most at risk of suffering devastating losses in the face of the pandemic. On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who have signed the petition, we urge the UN and all member states to urgently address this situation to ensure that the lives, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities are pivotal to their response and recovery efforts.”

More about the petition

More than 4,000 people have signed Sightsavers’ Equal World petition calling on the Irish government to use its influence as a member state of the United Nations to ensure disability rights are upheld during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

These 4,000 signatures targeting Ireland’s leaders were also part of a wider call to the UN and its member countries to address the issue of disability rights being undermined during the health crisis, which gathered a total of 25,276 signatures.  

The petition hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office and the Irish government, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff from around the world, including Sightsavers Ireland’s interim CEO Ciara Smullen, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.  

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.  

Alison Bough, Sightsavers’ public engagement and communications manager, said: “It has been inspiring to see thousands of Irish campaign supporters signing our call for the new government to use its influence on the world stage to uphold disability rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as calling on the UN and other member countries to ensure the global response to the pandemic is inclusive of people with disabilities and does not leave them behind. We’re proud to have handed the petition to Ireland’s representatives at the UN, alongside the global petition being handed to the UN Secretary-General’s office.” 

More about the campaign

More than 4,000 people have signed Sightsavers’ Equal World petition calling on the Irish government to use its influence as a member state of the United Nations to ensure disability rights are upheld during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

These 4,000 signatures targeting Ireland’s leaders were also part of a wider call to the UN and its member countries to address the issue of disability rights being undermined during the health crisis, which gathered a total of 25,276 signatures.  

The petition hand-in was conducted via a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General’s office and the Irish government, with copies being sent to the permanent missions of UN member countries who have signed or ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was accompanied by a video featuring Sightsavers’ staff from around the world, including Sightsavers Ireland’s interim CEO Ciara Smullen, calling on the UN and member countries to take urgent action to uphold the rights of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The petition, which launched in May, gathered signatures from around the world. It was created in response to the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people with disabilities worldwide.  

In many countries, information about health advice and public restrictions has not been made available in accessible formats like braille or sign language, and many people with disabilities have faced challenges in accessing their required levels of personal care because of social distancing and lockdown measures. Others have been unable to access food supplies, health services and home-based education support, undermining their human rights.  

Alison Bough, Sightsavers’ public engagement and communications manager, said: “It has been inspiring to see thousands of Irish campaign supporters signing our call for the new government to use its influence on the world stage to uphold disability rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as calling on the UN and other member countries to ensure the global response to the pandemic is inclusive of people with disabilities and does not leave them behind. We’re proud to have handed the petition to Ireland’s representatives at the UN, alongside the global petition being handed to the UN Secretary-General’s office.” 

More about the campaign

National news bulletins in Nigeria will include sign language interpretation from July 2020, following advocacy from Sightsavers.

The interpreters will be financed initially by the Sightsavers-led programme Inclusive Futures, a partnership of 16 global organisations funded by UK aid working together to ensure people with disabilities have access to quality health care, education and work without the fear of stigma or discrimination.

Following a successful pilot in July, the interpreters will be financed by the Nigerian government, which will offer them permanent job contracts.

Rasak Adekoya, Sightsavers’ programme officer for Inclusive Futures, who is based in Nigeria, said: “I’m really excited to see this development and the commitment the Nigerian government has made. It shows the power of collective action and our ability at Sightsavers to make a real impact for people with disabilities.

“It’s sending lots of positive signals about the importance of inclusion – one action leads to more. We hope that this will inspire more progress in the country toward including people with disabilities.”

National news bulletins in Nigeria will include sign language interpretation from July 2020, following advocacy from Sightsavers.

The interpreters will be financed initially by the Sightsavers-led programme Inclusive Futures, a partnership of 16 global organisations funded by UK aid working together to ensure people with disabilities have access to quality health care, education and work without the fear of stigma or discrimination.

Following a successful pilot in July, the interpreters will be financed by the Nigerian government, which will offer them permanent job contracts.

Rasak Adekoya, Sightsavers’ programme officer for Inclusive Futures, who is based in Nigeria, said: “I’m really excited to see this development and the commitment the Nigerian government has made. It shows the power of collective action and our ability at Sightsavers to make a real impact for people with disabilities.

“It’s sending lots of positive signals about the importance of inclusion – one action leads to more. We hope that this will inspire more progress in the country toward including people with disabilities.”

Adding the interpreters is an important step by the Nigerian government towards making its communications more accessible for people with disabilities, and this important change comes at a time when people with disabilities are facing increased discrimination due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many are reporting a lack of access to vital, potentially life-saving information because it has not been created using accessible formats. There is a notable lack of communications in signed languages, braille, pictorials or plain language.

This puts people with disabilities at increased risk of contracting or transmitting the virus. It also means they are more vulnerable to misinformation if they cannot get their information from official sources.

Inclusive Futures is working in Nigeria to ensure people with disabilities are not left behind. The partnership is promoting inclusive workplaces, better long-term prospects for jobseekers with disabilities, inclusive education and inclusive eye health care and tackling the stigma and discrimination people with disabilities face in their daily lives.

Read more about Inclusive Futures here.

In Bangladesh, we caught up with BBC Media Action. As partners on the Inclusive Futures initiative, we’re working together to create a world where everyone has the same opportunities to claim their rights to work through formal and informal employment.

Project manager Senjuti Masud and senior producer Bishawjit Das explain how they’re training journalists to improve how people with disabilities are portrayed in the media, and tackle negative stereotyping and perceptions.

In Bangladesh, we caught up with BBC Media Action. As partners on the Inclusive Futures initiative, we’re working together to create a world where everyone has the same opportunities to claim their rights to work through formal and informal employment.

Project manager Senjuti Masud and senior producer Bishawjit Das explain how they’re training journalists to improve how people with disabilities are portrayed in the media, and tackle negative stereotyping and perceptions.

“The way people with disabilities are being portrayed in the media is from a lens of pity or sympathy,” Senjuti explains. “So, when employers are looking at them, they’re looking at them as a burden to the society, not good enough, not capable enough to contribute to the economy. This is what we want to challenge.

“We know it’s important to harness the power of the private sector for people with disabilities to be included in jobs. So, we want to sensitise employers about including more people with disability. To do that, BBC Media Action is training media professionals,” he adds.

Senjuti and Bishawjit are training around 150 journalists from all different formats: television, radio, online and print. “They are senior journalists who’ve been working for a while. They know what they’re doing; we are trying to adjust their lens a little bit so that they have this fresh perception about telling the story from a different angle. So far, stories focus on a very pitiful situation and deplorable conditions of people with disability,” Senjuti continues.

“We are showing them that disability inclusion widens the scope of their story. It gives another dimension and it presents your subject in a more positive way. We want to challenge the stereotypes and portray people with disabilities more positively, so that these stereotypes are broken and they’re presented in a more empowered way – and that will bring change in the employment sector.

“We want to show through our training intervention that people with disabilities are an asset and they deserve equal dignity. And when media professionals are presenting them as part of their stories, whatever they’re talking about in media, be it an issue of public interest, economy, growth, the current political situation, they need to be included everywhere. Their voices need to be heard everywhere.”

Bishawjit explains what is involved in the training. “We bring the journalists together in a room with a group of people with disabilities, so they learn from each other’s experiences,” he says. “We ask the journalists to write an inclusive story on ‘What does society think about people with disability?’ The interesting thing is: not only do the other journalists analyse it, but we ask the people with disabilities to give their feedback by asking: ‘How does it sound to you? Is it really dignified enough?’

“Since receiving the training, we’ve noticed some of the journalists are already writing positive stories including people with disabilities. If you analyse the pre-training and post-training news, you will see a huge difference.”

“We saw the language being changed,” Senjuti adds. “I think it’s an amazing change to achieve in such a short period of time.

“We are creating a Facebook group where the journalists can talk about stories, to push them to keep talking about people with disability in a more engaging and interactive way. And there’s a little element of competition of who’s the best at making a change to the coverage – we’re going to declare them as champions.”

As part of the mentoring, Bishawjit and Senjuti have a refresher training session with the journalists a couple of months later.

“It’s to see whether they have forgotten anything. I’ve said to them: ‘I want to see at least 50 quality stories that would change the perspective of the audience!’” Bishawjit explains.

“Media is so powerful here and this project is something new, this is something fresh.

“We hope that, eventually, leading media houses will take leadership in changing their practice, which will in turn inspire others to take similar kinds of approaches to storytelling, change their perceptions a little bit and do similar types of story.”

Senjuti adds: “It’s a small intervention. We have trained 150 journalists so far and Bangladesh is a country of thousands of journalists. I am proud that BBC Media Action has been part of this new initiative and journalists who were part of it have appreciated this effort so much. I hope more journalists will be able to reach more people. This is just a beginning and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”

Syed Ishtiaque Reza, editor-in-chief of GTV (one of the top TV channels in Bangladesh), was employed by BBC Media Action as a consultant, to provide his expertise on the development on the training programme. He supervises the news and current affairs wing of the television channel and he worked with BBC Media Action to answer any questions regarding the different contexts in different newsrooms.

“Media plays a very key role in changing the attitude of the private sector employers, so I think this training is very important,” Syed explains. “The media in Bangladesh has this very strong power to motivate change in society.

“We need huge change. We have a law, but it’s is not known to everyone. There are some private sectors employing a large number of people with disabilities but still the major areas are not. It needs total change in the mindset of the people. And here is where the media and parliamentarians have a really strong role to play.

“Training for the journalists on this disability inclusion will help change the mindset of the policymakers, bureaucrats, politicians – because of their writings, because of their shows on television.”

“We’re expecting a ripple effect,” Bishawjit explains. “The people that we’ve chosen so far are trained journalists; some of them have 30 to 40 years of experience as journalists. Yet, after this training they were like, ‘Whoa, thank you very much, you’ve really opened our eyes. It’s really something that not only will be portrayed in my writing, or in my report, but I will love to share this with my office.’

“When we initially talked to the reporters to find out what training was needed, some told us that they already include people with disabilities in their reports, but the mid-management – the ‘gatekeepers’ – wouldn’t let it air. So, we decided to include the ‘gatekeepers’ in talks, too.”

Bishawjit continues: “When we talk to chief reporters or assignment editors, we’re not just talking to one person; we’re actually reaching 40 or 60 reporters – whoever works with them. And when I’m talking to the national desk, who is responsible for all the district correspondents all over the country, we’re actually reaching all the 64 districts. We are trying to maximise the outputs through the very small scope of time that we have so far.

“When I reflect on what we are doing, I feel humble and proud.”

Jalil and Ayesha live in Gazipur, a town around an hour north of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.  The husband and wife team are conducting mapping surveys to find where people with disabilities live, which is crucial in enabling Sightsavers to support them across the country. 

Jalil’s organisation, Physically Disabled Development Organisation, then refers people to Sightsavers’ formal employment programme which, as part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, supports people with skill-based training, enabling them to find employment and earn a living.

Jalil has been disabled since birth. To walk he uses his arms to support his weight and Ayesha helps him to reverse while on his motorbike. “I have been able to collect the data of 200 people with disabilities who intend to work in Gazipur.” Jalil explains. “To conduct the survey, we look for people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 35 in the area. We go to authorities and ask for the available information.”

It was on one of their house-to-house searches that they located Nipa, who is in her second year of college. “Although she is a student, she wants a job,” Jalil says.

Jalil and Ayesha live in Gazipur, a town around an hour north of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.  The husband and wife team are conducting mapping surveys to find where people with disabilities live, which is crucial in enabling Sightsavers to support them across the country. 

Jalil’s organisation, Physically Disabled Development Organisation, then refers people to Sightsavers’ formal employment programme which, as part of the Inclusive Futures initiative, supports people with skill-based training, enabling them to find employment and earn a living.

Jalil has been disabled since birth. To walk he uses his arms to support his weight and Ayesha helps him to reverse while on his motorbike. “I have been able to collect the data of 200 people with disabilities who intend to work in Gazipur.” Jalil explains. “To conduct the survey, we look for people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 35 in the area. We go to authorities and ask for the available information.”

It was on one of their house-to-house searches that they located Nipa, who is in her second year of college. “Although she is a student, she wants a job,” Jalil says.

Watch the video to follow Jalil and Ayesha’s visit to Nipa’s home

Nipa is studying engineering while living with her family. Although the 19-year-old comes across as self-assured, she calmly recounts how she has often been treated differently because of her disability. “When I walk in the street many people stare at me,” she explains. “At first classmates don’t want to mix with me. But over the time when they get to know me and realise my pain, then they start to befriend me.”

Since birth, one side of Nipa’s body has been weaker than the other. Although she doesn’t know the cause, when she was a young child a doctor told her mother Momotaz she needed to have an operation for her condition to improve. Momotaz told us a friend’s child had a similar operation but unfortunately it resulted in their condition deteriorating. In the end, Momotaz feared the risk was too high and didn’t take Nipa for the operation.

Jalil remembers when he first met the family in 2007: “Nipa’s mother said that her daughter wanted to study and asked if I could arrange something for her. So I went to the college and now her tuition fee is completely free now. We also arranged an annual government allowance.

“People with disabilities are not disabled. They are also a human being, just like a person without disabilities. As a human being, they have honour in the society and their rights – that is what I want. There is no such thing as disability.”

Since then, Jalil has continued to support Nipa, and now, as part of the Inclusion Works project, they are working together to explore and plan employment prospects. “I want to get a job, because I am the eldest in my family,” Nipa explains. “I am the eldest daughter; I don’t have any brothers. My mother and father are both ill and I have two siblings. For them, I have to get a job.

“From a very young age I had a dream of joining the government service. I am interested in computers and really want to learn. In future, I want to have a better life, everyone wants to have a better life. We don’t have anything in our village.”

But Nipa knows all too well the challenges she’ll face. “When we apply for jobs they [employers] say that we may not get the job because of our disability, and question whether we will be able to do the job like a ‘normal person’,” she says. “Many obstacles may come because of this. Our disability is the main obstacle for applying.”

Jalil explains further: “In Bangladesh, females are less advanced so if she has disabilities too, [discrimination] goes without saying. Sometimes when working with women and girls with disabilities, it becomes difficult for me to convince their family [they can work].

He goes on to speak proudly about how his wife supports him to reach more women with disabilities: “When we go to houses, Ayesha helps me. She calls the family from the house and we explain to them that their family member or child with a disability can be self-dependent.

“She inspires them; that’s why I feel sometimes her help is needed to speak on behalf of the women. I also have other female volunteers who have disabilities; I encourage families by saying: ‘She is a woman with a disability and she has come out to establish her rights, why wouldn’t you be able to do it? You have to speak out for your rights,’” Jalil adds.

“I am very happy [working] with him.” Ayesha explains. “He is a person with disabilities, and if he can help another person with disabilities to get a good job, that makes me very happy.

“I tell him if he has any problem, then I will be with you to support you.”

It’s not only Jalil’s organisation conducting the mapping. Access Bangladesh Foundation, a well-known non-governmental organisation coordinates mapping in other areas of the country and facilitates the link with vocational training opportunities and employers.

Safyeter, project coordinator at Access Bangladesh, explains the process: “First we ask people with disabilities to fill out a questionnaire to find out, according to their need, which educational  training institute is suitable for them.

“We then coordinate meetings with the institute and conduct meetings with employers to increase their awareness and encourage them to make their human resource policies more accessible for people with disabilities. After these sessions, when people with disabilities give them their CVs, they are employed more often.”

“Through advocacy we want to ensure that the people with disabilities get job opportunities in organisations according to their qualifications,” Jalil explains. “If they get support or assistance, they can bring change to the family, community, society and ultimately in the country.

The Inclusive Futures formal employment programme is funded through UK Aid Connect, a DFID funding initiative that awards grants to groups who create innovative solutions to complex development challenges to make real change. It demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to global leadership on inclusive development by ensuring people with disabilities are central to international development policymaking and programmes.

Professional photos: ©Sightsavers/Farzana Hossen
Phone photos ©Sightsavers/Kirsty Bridger

When states across India announced a sudden lockdown in March due to COVID-19, many people struggled to support themselves as businesses closed and services came to a halt.

People – particularly women – with disabilities are most at risk, not just of transmission of COVID-19, but of being left out of government responses to the pandemic. They may be unable to get vital medications they need, social distancing rules may mean they  miss out on carers’ visits, and people with visual and hearing impairments may not receive important government messages if they are not available in accessible formats.

Sightsavers staff around India are working hard to make sure that during the pandemic, nobody is excluded because of disability or gender. We meet two of the inspiring women who are ensuring people with disabilities get the support they need during this challenging time.

When states across India announced a sudden lockdown in March due to COVID-19, many people struggled to support themselves as businesses closed and services came to a halt.

People – particularly women – with disabilities are most at risk, not just of transmission of COVID-19, but of being left out of government responses to the pandemic. They may be unable to get vital medications they need, social distancing rules may mean they  miss out on carers’ visits, and people with visual and hearing impairments may not receive important government messages if they are not available in accessible formats.

Sightsavers staff around India are working hard to make sure that during the pandemic, nobody is excluded because of disability or gender. We meet two of the inspiring women who are ensuring people with disabilities get the support they need during this challenging time.

Neha

Neha is leader of a disabled people’s organisation (DPO) from Hazaribag district, which receives many calls for support from people with disabilities. She has found that many women with disabilities are experiencing lots of problems due to social distancing. Some are dependent on a caretaker for daily activities and personal care and lack food support as they have no work and no income. This leads to a lot of stress and fear.

Neha was given leadership training through Sightsavers’ social inclusion programmes and now, at 26 years old, leads the Hazaribag DPO. In response to the lockdown, Neha started a digital platform and created a group on WhatsApp to connect people with disabilities so they can share their problems and emotions. Through the group, Neha has been able to convey specific needs to local authorities. She has also used the platform to provide regular government updates and health information on COVID-19, and has ensured that people with disabilities can access rations, support funds and cooked food.

Neha has also been doing continuous advocacy work with the district administration and is now a member of the Hazaribag District Voluntary Committee on COVID-19 response. And on top of all of this, she is actively involved in educating people with disabilities by doing skills assessments and social media engagement.

Savita

Savita, who’s 24, was born with a physical disability and grew up in poverty in a remote village in Chhattisgarh, India. During her childhood, Savita struggled to understand why she was different from other children, but as the years passed, she decided to live life on her own terms and dictate her own future. She had ambitions to study, and having accomplished this – graduating without any support from her family members – Savita turned her focus towards working for the rights of people with disabilities. She joined the local DPO and was elected as its president in 2019.

Savita’s efforts during the COVID-19 crisis have been admirable. She has been making cloth masks for people in need, and she donated one month of her disability pension to the state COVID-19 relief fund. She has been working with other DPO leaders to provide financial assistance to people with serious and multiple disabilities in the region during the lockdown period. Under Savita’s leadership the DPO members have also helped the local administration in identifying people who need support (particularly people with disabilities) and distributing relief supplies.

“My contribution may seem small [compared to] large amounts being donated by others,” Savita says. “But I am hopeful that my donation will definitely contribute to fulfilling someone’s needs.” She adds that for as long as possible, she will continue to work for people in need, and she wants to help spread awareness about COVID-19 prevention among other people with disabilities.