CBM’s Inclusion Advisory Group Helps to Promote Disability Inclusion Across Multi-Sectoral Aid Program in Timor-Leste
Stories | June 24, 2021
CBM’s Inclusion Advisory Group Helps to Promote Disability Inclusion Across Multi-Sectoral Aid Program in Timor-Leste
CBM’s Inclusion Advisory Group has been involved in promoting disability inclusion through the Australia-Timor-Leste Partnership for Human Development (PHD). The $120 million program (from 2016-21) has been the Australian Government’s main vehicle for delivering aid in Timor-Leste – in health, education, water, sanitation, nutrition, and social protection – under one consolidated, multi-sectoral program.
CBM has been influential in ensuring that disability issues are considered right across this program as well as getting disability onto the Timor Government’s agenda. Some of the activities have included:
- Supporting the Health Ministry to develop communication materials that help people with disability better access services.
- Increasing attention on how people with disability access pensions.
- Supporting teachers in inclusive education resource centres to develop plans for children with disabilities and to understand referral pathways.
- Developing voucher systems for people with disability to get social protection or apply for modified household toilets.
- Training health workers on how to better support people with disability.
- Ensuring water and sanitation services in rural areas are accessible to people with different disabilities.
CBM has helped direct this wide program and its implementing partners to ensure that disability is a component of every area of work; this has created a catalytic influence across the entire program, even in areas where CBM does not have direct involvement.
A recent evaluation found that the program “particularly valued the technical inputs that CBM has provided and the training materials and learning resources on disability inclusion that CBM have developed.”
It also stated that, “the high quality technical support is a major contributor that is helping disability partners have greater confidence and more skills to lead training on disability awareness, and on advocacy for the Disability Convention”.
CBM’s influence on a multi-sectoral donor program like this is important, because it can push for disability inclusion at many different levels with government and civil society in Timor-Leste. In addition, it set precedents for other donor-funded programs to take a similar approach and learn from the successes in Timor.
Click here for more information on CBM’s catalytic impact in Timor-Leste.
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/cbms-inclusion-advisory-group-helps-to-promote-disability-inclusion-across-multi-sectoral-aid-program-in-timor-leste