Training Manual for the Meaningful Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

Globally, there are over 1 billion persons with disabilities, 80 per cent of whom live in countries of the Global South. In the Caribbean alone, there are over 1 million persons living with some form of disability; this amounts to more than the population of certain countries in the region. Persons with disabilities across the Caribbean, face systemic and intersecting barriers that limit their participation in social, economic and political life and prevent them from realizing their full potential. These barriers to full participation in mainstream society are linked to lower levels of education, poorer health outcomes, high levels of unemployment and negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities. 

More and more countries across the region are working to dismantle these barriers and increase access through legislation and policies drawing on the International Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To fully protect the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their inclusion across society, public education must complement official measures. This training manual is designed to support the sensitisation process.  It has been developed for media professionals and practitioners, youth with disabilities and youth-led organisations in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.  It aims to expose these groups to the needs, potential and diverse voices of persons with disabilities.