Today is 3rd December, the International Day of People with Disabilities, and RESULTS UK is heading to Westminster to celebrate with DFID, donors, the private sector and others.  A year ago, DFID launched its first disability framework: a huge win for the many that have been fighting for so long to put disability on the development agenda. Today, DFID is launching its updated disability framework.  This time round, the Secretary of State, Justine Greening, has written the foreword for the framework, showing just how far disability has risen in DFID’s priorities.

The Disability Framework 2015 steps up both the internal and external commitments made last year.  A particular emphasis has been placed on data collection, which includes asking all DFID funded partners to look at disaggregating the data they collect (on the people they reach) by disability. There is some room for improvement, but it is still a major step forward.

This move will enable DFID to begin understanding just how many people with disabilities they are reaching.  It’s also perhaps worth pointing out that DFID has decided to review the framework less frequently in the future. In doing so, the department will be able to focus more attention on ensuring that all of its development work is disability inclusive.

At lunchtime today, the Bond Disability and Development Group (Bond DDG), of which I am one of the co-chairs, is holding a parliamentary reception.  Lord Low, a great friend of RESULTS and disability advocate from the House of Lords will be chairing the event for us. Lorraine Wapling, an independent consultant in disability and development, will be talking about what disability inclusive development actually means, and both Baroness Verma and Justine Greening will be speaking to officially launch the updated framework.

In the afternoon, DFID is hosting the inaugural meeting of a brand new donor group, which has been set up to explore how best we can fund disability and development.  As one of the co-chairs of the Bond DDG, I will be attending the meeting as an observer.  The creation of this group is an exciting step in the right direction, a step towards a new kind of development, a disability inclusive development.

I look forward to sharing with you all any news in the coming days!