Research News

A new DFID-funded research programme seeks to provide evidence on how disability interacts with other factors influencing poverty. The Crosscutting Disability Research Programme looks specifically to mainstream disability into research on a range of different topics to ensure the social and economic inclusion of disabled people in development thinking. The programme also seeks to explore how the uptake of knowledge on disability by developing country policy makers and international organisations can be improved.

The programme is led by the Leonard Cheshire Disability and Inclusive Development Centre based at University College London. Dr Raymond Lang of the Centre spoke at the recent Development Studies Association Annual Conference on the potential impact of the global economic crisis upon disabled people in developing countries. He focused on the poverty, health, employment and livelihood implications of the crisis, highlighting the need to urge bilateral and multilateral donor agencies not to further decrease funding for disability and development initiatives.

This point is reinforced by the prediction that 400 million disabled people living in poverty in developing countries are surviving on less than $1 a day. The World Bank estimates that around 20% of the world’s poorest people are disabled. In effect, it is highly unlikely that the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved if the relationship between poverty and disability is not addressed and understood better. This makes the new research programme strategically vital in the fight against global poverty, and it will be incredibly interesting to follow their progress over the next five years.