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Children with disabilities

Some 93 million children ─ or 1 in 20 of those aged 14 or younger ─ live with a moderate or severe disability of some kind. Most societies are inaccessible for children with disabilities. Prejudices, negative attitudes, traditions and inadequate knowledge and poor resourcing present obstacles for children with disabilities in accessing their rights.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) is the foundation for Save the Children work. UN CRC states that children with disability have the same rights as other children. This means that they have the right to grow up in an environment that supports their development, that they have the right to express their opinions, to be heard and that they are entitled to education. The rights of children with disabilities are reinforced in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). States which have signed these conventions are responsible for promoting and fulfilling the rights of all children including children with disabilities.

Article 2 of the UN CRC, which is one of four fundamental principles, prescribes that no one should be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex or disability. However, discrimination and exclusion are common for the majority of people with disability, particularly children. They are often an invisible group in important policies and plans. National policies and plans on education seldom have enough focus on children with disability and their inclusion. Another challenge is that children with disability are often considered as victims and that they lack the capacity to influence their own situation. 

Save the Children advocates for the realization of the rights of children with disability and to ensure that they have the same opportunities, receive proper support and education and that they are empowered to influence their own situation.

Documents (275)

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  1. Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the right to Liberty and Security

    In her report, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities provides an overview of the activities undertaken in 2018 and a thematic study on disability-specific forms of deprivation of liberty, in the light of the standards set forth

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): United Nations General Assembly Author(s): Devandas-Aguilar, Catalina

  2. Leaving No One Behind: A Nordic movement for change

    The Nordic countries have a long and proud tradition of cooperation, shared visions and inclusive societies. This is often evident in the international development arena. After the Global Disability Summit in London, July 2018, Nordic disability organisat

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): The Atlas Alliance, Norway | DPOD, Disabled Persons Alliance | ... Author(s): Kroglund, Andrew P.

  3. Empowered!: En rapport om funktionshinder, inkludering, och rättigheter

    Human rights are for all, yet people with disabilities are often unable to practice their full rights. Discrimination, unavailability, prejudice, ignorance, and a lack of resources result in many people with disabilities living in poverty with little pros

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): MyRight - Empowering People with Disabilities Author(s): Göller, Charlotta

  4. Shaping Health Systems to Include People with Disabilities

    The Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities demands a shift in health system responses to chronic disease and disability, from the medical management and cure of disability to strengthenin

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): K4D, Knowledge, Evidence, and Learning for Development Author(s): Dean, Laura | Millington, Kerry A. | Thomson, Rachael | Tolhurst, Rachel

  5. Supporting Children with Disabilities in Family-Based Care

    In this two-part video, you’ll hear from Children in Families ABLE project practitioners, Sorn Sreyny and Lisa Yunker, as they share their experience of making family-based care in Cambodia inclusive for children with disabilities.  In part one, Sreyny an

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): BCN, Better Care Network

  6. Take Us Seriously! Engaging Children with Disabilities in Decisions Affecting their Lives

    Despite one of the 9 basic requirements for meaningful and ethical child participation being that it is inclusive, children with disabilities often face barriers to participation in decision making. This might be because of negative attitudes of staff or

    Publication year: 2019 Publisher(s): UNICEF, United Nations Children's Fund

  7. Disability Inclusion in Psychosocial Support Programs in Lebanon: Guidance for psychosocial support facilitators

    Disability Inclusion in Psychosocial Support Programs in Lebanon: Guidance for Psychosocial Support Facilitators  is designed to support PSS Facilitators to strengthen inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities in a range of PSS activities, i

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): Women's Refugee Commission | UNICEF, United Nations Children's Fund

  8. Kabataang Aralin sa Lahat Ibahagi (KASALI) in the Philippines: A study of whether and how children with disabilities are being included in classrooms and early childhood centres

    Kabataang Aralin Sa Lahat Ibahagi (KASALI) Project, 2014 – 2018, has created an opportunity for Save the Children to advocate for (disability) inclusive education (IE) in partnership with the government, civil society, and community stakeholders. KASALI i

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): Save the Children Author(s): Nanwani, Sanjay K.

  9. Budgeting of Pre-school Education for Children with Disabilities in the Municipalities of Elbasan and Korça, Albania

    In 2012, the Ministry of Education and Sports approved the Law “On Pre-University Education” which paves the way for the implementation of inclusive education. Even though 6 years have elapsed since the law has been passed, children with disabilities stil

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): Save the Children Author(s): Kolpeja, Vilma

  10. Lessons Learned Disability Inclusion in Primary Education

    World Vision International in Lao PDR implemented activities supporting inclusive education for children with disabilities in 22 villages in the district of Xaybouathong, Khammouane province from August 2017- September 2018, under the umbrella of the BEQU

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): BNC, BEQUAL NGO Consortium | ChildFund Laos | Save the Children | ...

  11. Family Care for Children with Disabilities: Practical guidance for frontline workers in low- and middle-income countries

    This Guidance is a resource for people who work with children and families using a case management approach in middle-income and low-income countries. It contains information about how to work with children with disabilities and their families. Basic case

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): USAID, US Agency for International Development | World Learning | ... Author(s): Sammon, Elayn M. | Burchell, Gwen

  12. Inclusive and Special Education Approaches in Developing Countries

    The aim of this review was to present the recent evidence on the effectiveness of inclusive and special education approaches in improving learning and behavioural outcomes, with a focus on developing countries, particularly Ethiopia. One of the key diffic

    Publication year: 2018 Publisher(s): K4D, Knowledge, Evidence, and Learning for Development Author(s): Price, Roz

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