The DEJ Working Group advances disability equity and disability inclusion within the G20 leaders’ commitments, thereby furthering the Agenda 2030 to leave no one behind. Our emphasis is to bring forward the voices of persons with disabilities, 1.3 billion people or 16% of the global population—the majority of whom live in G20 countries. The population of people living with disabilities, moreover, is rising, due to wars, conflicts, disasters, and aging.
To this end, in line with G20 leaders’ commitments and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the DEJ Working Group brought together experiences and expertise of disabled and non-disabled civil society to advance a practical vision of economic development that is accessible, just, sustainable, and inclusive. We will emphasize equity and justice for all persons across disabilities and strata of society.
Attaining equity and justice requires persons with disabilities to have equal access to education, employment, livelihoods, and nation building. Accessible and affordable assistive devices and technologies and access to physical, digital, and financial infrastructure is important to their productivity. Lessons learnt from the pandemic include building a robust health infrastructure and inclusive response mechanisms that meet the needs of persons with disabilities.
It is imperative for the G20 countries to tackle barriers rooted in stigma and systemic inaccessibility. Research shows that lack of meaningful participation and inclusion among persons with disabilities costs countries up to 7% of their GDP. Women with disabilities and others facing multiple forms of discrimination are at greater risk of violence and exclusion that undermines their meaningful participation in economic, social, and political arenas. This working group developed and compiled recommendations into - Policy Brief and White Paper - with relevance across disabilities to advance disability equity and inclusion through inclusive and accessible planning, implementation, and systems change.
Thematic areas
- Education
- Employment and livelihoods
- Health
- Environment, climate sustainability and disaster responses
- Sustainable development, social protection and poverty
- Inclusive societies and cultures
For any further questions on the DEJ please email: disability.equity.justice@risingflame.org
Working group leaders
Lead Coordinator: Ms. Nidhi Ashok Goyal, Rising Flame, India (nidhi@risingflame.org)
International Coordinator: Ms Risnawati Utami, OHANA, Indonesia (risnautami@gmail.com)
Completed Policy Consultations
Policy Consultation on Health and Disability
We organised our first day-long policy consultation on 'Health and Disability' in New Delhi + virtual mode on April 27, 2023. This consultation was organised in collaboration with International Planned Parenthood Federation, India Working Group, and Mariwala Health Initiative. We had a total of 36 in person participants and 395 virtual participants who were disabled as well as non disabled. Over 80 organisations participated who represented diverse disabilities and chronic conditions. The consultation had four panels: Rare conditions, invisible disabilities and communicable diseases, Universal access and inclusion: Health infrastructure, health finance and pandemic response, Access to education and information – Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Menstrual and Maternal health. Read more about the consultation here.
Policy consultation on Women with Disabilities
We organised our second policy consultation on Women with Disabilities in Ahemdabad + virtual mode in collaboration with the Blind People’s Association Ahmedabad, US consulate General Mumbai, and Mariwala Health Initiative. The half-day consultation was organised on May 9, 2023. We had a total of 35 in person participants and 156 virtual participants who were disabled as well as non-disabled. We received registrations from more than 12 countries for the event with many global participants joining us virtually. Excerpts from our panel can be found here. Read about the consultation here.
Policy consultation on Employment and Disability
We organised our third policy consultation on ‘Employment and Disability’ in Goa + virtual mode with the Office of the State Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai and Mariwala Health Initiative. The day-long consultation was organised on May 11. We had a total of 52 in person participants and 170 virtual participants who were disabled as well as non-disabled. The consultation had panels that addressed: Employment, Livelihoods and Inclusion, Entrepreneurship and Future of Work, and Workplace Mental Health and Safety.
More about the consultation here.
Policy consultation on Education and Disability
Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC), St. Xavier's College, in collaboration with Mariwala Health Initiative, organised a policy consultation on ‘Education and Disability’ in Mumbai and virtually on May 23, 2023 from 2pm to 5pm Indian Standard Time. We had a total of 30 in-person participants and 122 virtual participants who were disabled as well as non-disabled. You can read the excerpts from Best Practicespresentations and Panel discussion. Read more about the consultation here.
Policy consultation Urban 20-DEJ
On May 25th, a round table was organised in New Delhi with Urban20 and the Disability, Equity, Justice Working Group (C20 India). The round table focussed on ‘Reimagining Urban Frameworks from the Lens of Gender and Disability Inclusion’. The session, which was organised collaboratively by UN India, Urban20, and Disability Equity Justice working group C20, saw a participation of 40 persons.
International conference of Disability, Equity, Justice
On 29th May 2023, we organised a day-long International Conference at The Lalit, New Delhi with multiple plenary and breakout sessions. There were over 350 participants in person from 10 countries and 1000 participants from 22 countries who joined the conference virtually.
The day-long conference provided a centre stage to organisations of persons with disabilities across disabilities, genders and geographical areas (urban and rural), people working for disability inclusion, policymakers, and other stakeholders across the G20+ countries, to ensure that we make robust policy recommendations as an outcome. Through 3 plenary sessions and 4 breakout rooms, we focussed on inclusive economies, digital economies, skilling for the future, women with disabilities-led development, building inclusive societies, elderly care and disability, and better preparedness for disasters and climate change. Read more about the International Conference here.
Policy consultation on Women with Disabilities in the Workforce in collaboration with G20 Empower
We organised a round table on women with disabilities and the workforce in collaboration with G20 Empower. The half-day consultation focussed on women with disabilities' leadership, inclusive policies and skilling for employment and livelihoods. The round table was organised collaboratively by G20 Empower, FICCI, Rising Flame and The Lalit Group where the total in-person participants were 40. Read excerpts from the consultationhere.
Policy consultation on Inclusive Societies for Women with Disabilities
We organised a policy consultation on Inclusive Societies for women with disabilities in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate Mumbai and Mariwala Health Initiative. The consultation was organised on June 22, 2023 in Mumbai where we had 65 in-person participants. You can read the excerpts from the event here. You can also see our media coverage from the event here.
Policy consultation on Women with Disabilities
We organised a policy consultation on women with disabilities in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate Mumbai and Mariwala Health Initiative in Bhopal. We had a total of 51 in-person participants. You can read the excerpts from the event here.
Policy consultation on financial inclusion and social security by NHRC-DEJ
The consultation on social security and financial inclusion was organised collaboratively by the National Human Rights Commission and DEJ working group. The half-day consultation saw the participation of 63 persons online and offline. Chairperson and key members of NHRC were present at the event.