The month of December marked another important milestone for children living with disabilities around the world. The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), launched their Disability Framework (PDF) publicly announcing the government’s commitment to strengthen disability inclusion in their funded policies and programs. In the document DFID is starting dialogue with the international community by showing their full commitment and outlining areas of focus in the next 12 months. The framework is not meant to be a blueprint, but a practical ‘living document’ stating concrete actions for 2014 and 2015 which will form  the foundations of future work.

More focus on children with disabilities

This framework was launched in the Houses of Parliament on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  Baroness Northove, Under-Secretary of State at DFID, declared in her speech that “DFID’s is raising its ambition”.

This powerful commitment to “leaving no one behind” is remarkable because it comes from one of the world’s largest bilateral donors and one of the largest donors to the Global Partnership for Education.

On the same day, Julia Gillard, Board Chair at the Global Partnership for Education confirmed in a statement “We cannot continue leaving children with disabilities behind,”.

Along with the statement came a lovely photo that immediately transported me to one of Cambodian’s primary schools where I met the young boy in the center of the picture – showing off his bright smile. I took this photo during one of my missions in support of a GPE-funded disability screening survey implemented in Cambodia.

Helping disabled children to reach their potential

Because he was born with cerebral palsy, a condition caused by damage to the motor control centers of the developing brain, he is unable to walk and speak clearly.  In spite of his disability, his mother brings him to school every day pushing his stroller down unpaved roads to the local school.

His teacher did not know how to include him in learning, but his protective younger sister (pictured with the pink backpack) makes sure he is part of the class by interpreting his often unclear speech gestures only familiar to her. She is the one who makes sure that the teacher lets him have his turn when the children are practicing reading out loud. She is also the one who helps him eat his snack during break.  

When I talked to his teacher, she admitted that when he first started coming to school, she did not think that he could respond to learning, but was surprised at how engaged and eager he was to be part of the class. That inspired her to move the stroller to the front of the classroom making it easier for him to see and feel included.

His story is not uncommon. Many children with disabilities are being left behind and do not have access to learning. If they make it to school, it is because of the efforts and determination of their parents and with the support of siblings.

But things are changing. And as we are approaching the end of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015, more and more country governments and development partners are showing their commitment to make disability inclusive in the post-2015 development agenda. It’s both promising and encouraging, but a lot of work lies ahead.

Let us all work together to make sure that we, as a global community, leave no one behind.