At the age of five Yetnebersh Nigussie went blind. But her family made sure she receive an education; she became one of the first blind, female lawyers in Ethiopia. Nigussie now works for the NGO Light for the World on international advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. Her story is extremely unusual.
For most children with disabilities who live in poorer countries, the chance to go to school or of a quality education is very slim. The barriers for girls with disabilities are even tougher because of their gender. The scale and the severity of the exclusion of children with disabilities in developing countries is shocking, yet the issue rarely gets the attention it deserves. GPE's replenishment conference in February and the Global Disability Summit in London in July are two key moments for governments to demonstrate their commitment to disability-inclusive education.