In a move aimed at fundamentally transforming the way disability issues are addressed in the Arab region, ESCWA has launched a policy brief calling for an end to the traditional medical approach that isolates persons with disabilities and treats them as “problems to be fixed."
The brief, titled "Community-based Inclusive Development (CBID) for Persons with Disabilities: A National Policy and Community-Based Programs", advocates for the adoption of an inclusive community development approach that focuses on removing the barriers that hinder their participation and integration in society.
To date, most of the funding continues to be directed towards conventional institutions that isolate individuals from their environment and only provide services to a limited number. Therefore, ESCWA calls for the reallocation of resources towards CBID programmes, and the development of inclusive local services in education, employment, and health, led by persons with disabilities themselves—thereby promoting their full participation in their communities.
