Economic inclusion
Economic inclusion and inclusive livelihoods encompasses a number of areas including work and employment, social protection, vocational training and access to credit, all of which are relevant for people with disabilities to create a sustainable life for themselves and their families. However, many people with disabilities experience various barriers, including experiencing discrimination when seeking and maintaining employment, having limited access to formal and informal training activities for employment, and may have experiences being considered untrustworthy by credit providers due to discriminatory financial policies. People with disabilities often have difficulty accessing information about their rights to welfare or financial support, or the processes needed to apply for these, particularly in accessible formats.
Resources provided in this section provide evidence, research, and guidance to achieve economic inclusion and inclusive livelihoods.
IFC (2024) ‘Investing for Inclusion: Exploring a Disability Lens. A Guide for Investors’
This is a beneficial resource for multi-lateral development banks and development finance institutions to explore the many entry points to address the inequalities faced by people with disabilities in leadership and employment.
Banks, L M and Polack, S (2014) The economic costs of exclusion and gains of inclusion of people with disabilities: evidence from low and middle income countries
This report presents the results of a systematic review on the association between disability and poverty in low and middle income countries, finding that 80 per cent of studies found a link between disability and poverty.
IFC (2022) Inclusive Banking: Emerging Practices to Advance the Economic Inclusion of Persons with Disabilites
This resource shares the emerging practices on disability inclusion in the banking sector that are required to achieve for people with disabilities.
Buckup, S (2009) ‘The Price of Exclusion: The economic consequences of excluding people with disabilities from the world of work’
This study highlights the economic consequences of excluding people with disabilities from participating in the employment sector.
Devandas-Aguilar C (2015) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities (regarding social protection)
This report provides guidance on the establishment of disability inclusive social protection systems consistent with the obligations set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
CBM, CDD, and DRRA (2020), Disability Inclusive Cash Transfer: Lessons from the humanitarian response to Cyclone Amphan
This learning document highlights good practices and lessons from this response and is intended to provide guidance to NGOs, state actors and OPDs to create inclusive responses and deliver equal outcomes through inclusive Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) in humanitarian action.
CBM Global (2021), Disability Inclusive Cash Assistance: Learnings from Practice in Humanitarian Response
This case study collection describes lessons learned from seven inclusive humanitarian cash transfer projects implemented from 2015-2020, and five ongoing projects from the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic responses.
World Vision (2014), Strengthening Community Resilience in the Gaza Strip Project (REVIEW link broken)
This eight minute video shows how small business courses for persons with disabilities have transformed lives in Gaza, by providing persons with disabilities the opportunity to set up a small business and gain financial security and independence.
European Disability Forum & CBM Global Disability Inclusion (2022), Key Principles and Recommendations for Inclusive Cash and Voucher Assistance in Ukraine
This technical brief provides guidance for humanitarian actors operating in Ukraine on how to implement Disability-Inclusive Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA).
UNICEF (2022), Budgeting and mobilizing resources for disability inclusion in humanitarian actions
This technical brief provides guidance to estimate the costs associated with including people with disabilities in humanitarian action. The brief is primarily concerned with response planning and resource mobilization, and provides tools and tips to support action.
