COVID 19 and the disability movement

Screen-grab from the social protection video on COVID19

What can social protection do for persons with disabilities in the current COVID19 crisis? Why is it important to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure equal access to services? Our colleagues at the Center for Inclusive Policy have put together this informative video. Watch the video through Youtube.

Disclaimer: The following documents, resources and links included below are not from the International Disability Alliance and are provided for informational and advocacy purposes only. They do not constitute endorsement of or an approval by the International Disability Alliance of any of the products, services, or opinions of the corporation, organization, or individual. The International Disability Alliance bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the documents.

We are constantly updating this webpage, so please feel free to send in your resources for inclusion on the web page. Please send your resources directly to eyoussefian [at] ida-secretariat.org. 

Disability Rights During the Coronavirus Pandemic: COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor

The International Disability Alliance, along with a number of partners, has launched a COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor. Governments, organisations of persons with disabilities and all relevant stakeholders are invited to complete a survey to highlight issues faced by persons with disabilities in the midst of the COVID19 Pandemic.

Image reads: COVID19: Leaving No-One behind in the Disability-Inclusive Response

In the light of the COVID19 pandemic and with the aim to support a disability-inclusive response to the crisis, International Disability Alliance (IDA) has launched this hub-page to share the most recent updates and resources as they become available. 

If you have any updates on how COVID 19 is affecting persons with disabilities in your area of work, or want to share any good practices or lessons learnt, contact IDA's inclusive humanitarian adviser, Elham Youssefian via eyoussefian [at] ida-secretariat.org.

International Disability Alliance Key Recommendations toward a Disability-Inclusive COVID19 Response

Read and download our key recommendations:

Our key recommendations include: 

  1. Persons with disabilities must receive information about infection mitigating tips, public restriction plans, and the services offered, in a diversity of accessible formats with use of accessible technologies
  2. Additional protective measures must be taken for people with certain types of impairment
  3. Rapid awareness raising and training of personnel involved in the response are essential
  4. All preparedness and response plans must be inclusive of and accessible to women with disabilities
  5. No disability-based institutionalization and abandonment is acceptable
  6. During quarantine, support services, personal assistance, physical and communication accessibility must be ensured
  7. Measures of public restrictions must consider persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others
  8. Persons with disabilities in need of health services due to COVID19 cannot be deprioritized on the ground of their disability
  9. OPDs can and should play a key role in raising awareness of persons with disabilities and their families.
  10. OPDs can and should play a key role in advocating for disability-inclusive response to the COVID19 crisis.

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