Research
National Council on Disability Report on Disability and Foreign Affairs
Lead research team for the National Council on Disability’s 2017 Progress and Promise
A report examining the inclusion of persons with disabilities in U.S. Foreign Policy: IDP created a transdisciplinary team in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Boston’s School for Global Inclusion and Social Development to serve as lead researchers for the 2017 report. The research concluded with a briefing for relevant U.S. agencies and the results were transmitted to both Senate and the President of the United States. This report provided a current assessment of the application of federal disability laws in U.S. foreign aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Peace Corps. The report details the extent to which these agencies have developed new planning or programs to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities and removed the barriers to access to people with disabilities identified in NCD’s prior reports. It also examines the policies and practices of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. NCD’s study found that despite the potential for mainstreamed inclusion of disability in development programs, people with disabilities are still too often left behind in U.S. foreign aid programs.
United Nations Baseline Study on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
Research team for the United Nations Secretary-General and the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability
IDP was engaged by the United Nations to work with a transdisciplinary group of legal scholars, policy experts, and civil society groups to assess the inclusion of persons with disabilities across all UN programs and policies. This research report will serve as the basis to inform and assist key stakeholders and decision-makers within the UN system to improve the capacity of the UN System to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from a disability rights perspective.
World Bank Tracking of Persons with Disabilities Report
IDP: Creators of an innovative method for tracking disability inclusive investment at the World Bank and the UK Department of International Development (DFID)
The team at IDP developed and piloted a comprehensive methodology to track disability inclusion within both bi- and multi-lateral development agencies. The team aligned codes with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development and reviewed 2,576 active projects. Through an iterative review and coding process, researchers found that disability inclusive projects make up only a small percentage of the overall active World Bank portfolio (2.0 percent) with an investment focus in several areas, such as social protection systems and measures, technical assistance and partnerships, education, health, and affordable housing. In addition to conducting the study, IDP shared their knowledge and advocated for the inclusion of persons with disabilities via multiple platforms, including: presentations to World Bank leadership, including the Bank’s Global Disability Advisor and senior members of policy and project teams and co-hosting a side event on the importance of tracking disability inclusion at the United Nations Conference of States Parties. This study also resulted in two scholarly publications, contributing to the body of literature on disability inclusive development and social protections.
Investing in Early Childhood Development
Content Researchers for Light for the World on increasing disability-inclusive investment in Early Childhood Development
This work focuses on identifying how international bi-lateral and multilateral donors are investing in disability-inclusive investment in Early Childhood Development. This research will result in clear policy recommendations for improving both the quantity and quality of overseas development assistance in support of scaling up quality ECD programs in developing countries.