Advocacy and Projects

RI and its members are involved in a global range of advocacy efforts and projects to promote the RI goal of achieving full rights and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. RI also works closely with a number of partners to support our work, including UN agencies and institutions, international and regional organizations and experts on disability issues.

Inline with RI’s mission to promote the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities RI has identified four main areas of focus:

1. Social Inclusion ( Rehabilitation/ Habilitation)

2. Implementation of the UN CRD

3. Poverty reduction

4. Disaster management

Taking those broad areas over the next 2 years RI will concentrate its programming on:

1. Disseminating information about CRPD and continuing our Global  Advocacy Campaign aimed at bring about ratification and implementation of the CRPD and the rights it guarantees.

2. Working to close the unemployment gap for persons with disabilities by assisting with the transition from education to employment.

3. Disseminating effective models CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) especially in developing countries to enable the potential of disabled people and address the poverty gap

4. Accessibility – Disseminating best practice in accessibility as a tool in achieving the same opportunities as others and avoiding the impacts of both natural and man made disasters.

5. Review the WHO ICF (International Classification of Functioning) to move it to a rights based paradigm

RI projects include:

• Our Global Advocacy Campaigned for the ratification, implementation, and dissemination of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We are currently working internationally including at the UN, and have national project occurring in Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, and Argentina. This project has been made possible as a result of the generous support of the Foundation to Promote Open Society. More Information
• Training of professionals, policymakers, NGOs and persons with disabilities on disability issues, such as the inclusion of persons with disabilities into mainstream development and human rights issues.
• Programs specifically for women with disabilities and young people with disabilities including the prevention of gender based violence and HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
• Advocacy on and dissemination of information about disability rights and programs at international forums including meetings at the UN and internationally on the UN MDGs, access to microfinancing for persons with disabilities, inclusion of persons with disabilities into the mainstream human rights agenda, reduction of poverty and world health risks, as well as many others.
• Development of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programs
• Promotion of accessibility and assistive technology production and availability
• Opportunities to increase work and employment for persons with disabilities

If you or your organization is interested in partnering with RI on a project or campaign, please send proposals and ideas to ri@riglobal.org