bdi joins the Steering Committee of the Global Action on Disability Group (GLAD)

Communiqué following GLAD meeting on 17 June 2016, UN Headquarters, New York

business disability international (bdi) has joined the Steering Group of The Global Action on Disability (GLAD) a new network of international aid organisations including governments, multilateral organisations, foundations, philanthropic organisations and the private sector, which is focused on investing in “disability-inclusive development”

The network was created in late 2015 by a group who recognise that to realise the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ‘to leave no one behind’, and to further the principles underpinning the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the donor community needs to work together to share expertise, coordinate actions, and raise the profile of disability across a broader range of organisations contributing to international development efforts.

bdi’s membership on the Steering body reflects a growing awareness of the potential for global business to play a vital role by ensuring that their investments and activity in the developing world enhance the life chances of every citizen, including and particularly people with disabilities.

 bdi will help GLAD to map where and how the private sector is now working towards the SDGs and to ask – “What could global business do differently which would drive the economic and social inclusion of hundreds of millions now needlessly excluded due to their disability? How could business collaborate with the international aid sector so as to build the leadership capacity of people with disabilities and their organisations in the developing world?”

GLAD is co-chaired by a permanent co-chair, the International Disability Alliance (IDA), and a rotating co-chair, currently the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and is guided by the Steering Committee. Persons with disabilities and their representative organisations in the developing world, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will naturally be invited to every meeting. UN representation is to be agreed.

Click to Tweet: Proud to join Steering Committee of Global Action on Disability Group with @DFID_UK @WorldBank @USAID @UN @IDA_CRPD_Forum #Leavenoonebehind

Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Steering Committee Members include:

  1. International Disability Alliance               Vladimir Cuk Co-chair
  2. DFAT (Australia)                                          Mika Kontainen Co-chair
  3. DFID (UK)
  4. SIDA (Sweden)
  5. FORMIN (Finland)
  6. NORAD (Norway)
  7. USAID (USA)
  8. State Department (USA)
  9. GIZ (Germany)
  10. JICA (Japan)
  11. World Bank
  12. business disability international
  13. Disability Rights Fund/Disability Rights Advocacy Fund
  14. Abilis Foundation
  15. Wellspring Advisors
  16. International Disability and Development Consortium
  17. UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
  18. Pacific Disability Forum (Developing country/region DPO)