It is estimated that there are 93 million children with disabilities around the world. Youth with disabilities are marginalized and are often not given the chance to be contributing members of society.
Education for all
Global Education Monitoring Report: Inclusion and Education (UNESCO 2020), which translates to higher rates of poverty later in life. The inclusive education approach ensures that students with disabilities are given the opportunity to attend school with their peers in a supportive environment with resources and trained teachers.
While primary completion rates have improved for all children, they have risen more slowly for children with disabilities, widening gaps for boys with disabilities to 17.6 points below their peers, and for girls 15.4 points below their peers, according to The Price of Exclusion: Disability and Education
The perception of children with disabilities is also very important to change. Often, they are considered unable to learn, even with aid, and are kept out of school. Not only children with disabilities, but also migratory populations and communities that speak a different language than that of the country they live in, are excluded from classrooms; all of these groups have to be included.
Inclusive Education and Early Childhood Community of Practice
GCE-US and Light for the World have created a partnership to establish a Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP focuses on knowledge sharing and advocacy for funding of disability inclusive education and early childhood. The CoP meets bi-monthly, with guest speakers presenting to the community regarding topics related to inclusive education and early childhood – especially for children with disabilities. If you are interested in joining the CoP please see here.
Resources
Leave No Child Behind: Invest in the Early Years Report Summary, Light for the World, Open Society Foundations, International Disability and Development Consortium, Early Childhood Development Action Network, Global Campaign for Education, and Global Campaign for Education-US, 2019
IDA Inclusive Education Global Report: What an Inclusive Equitable, Quality Education Means to Us, International Disability Alliance and DFID, 2020
The Bedrock of Inclusion report, NORAD, ActionAid, Education International, and Light for the World, 2020
Disability Inclusive Education Policy, Light for the World, 2019
Global education monitoring report, 2020: Inclusion and education: all means all, UNESCO, 2020
How can we best support the education of children with disabilities in low and middle income countries?, Center for Inclusive Policy, 2021