Advocacy and Campaigning
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© IDDC / Hannah Nicholls
Mr. Murali Pradmanabhan, who works for CBM in India, presenting the IDDC and its approach to inclusive development to the European Parliament Committee on Development
Advocacy is a system of actions directed at changing attitudes, policies, positions and actual practices in society.
For CBM and its partners, this means actively advocating for prevention of disability, equal rights and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and their families in all societies worldwide.
How CBM advocacy works
Creating awareness
CBM works to raise awareness about disability with governments, donor agencies and other NGOs, advocating that the fight against poverty has to include people with disabilities.
CBM also tries to create understanding about the barriers faced by people with disabilities living in the poorest communities.
Sharing knowledge
CBM has experienced specialists in community based rehabilitation (CBR), health care, and education. We also conduct studies to identify the most cost effective interventions to prevent, treat and support disability.
CBM makes this expertise available through publications, workshops and training programmes to share knowledge with partners and other agencies.
Networking
CBM works with like-minded organisations to put disability on the international agenda.
One example is the International Disability and Development Consortium, a group of 19 Disabled People's Organisations and development organisations committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities in the developing world.
Through networking with IDDC partners, a study has been conducted demonstrating the necessity of including people with disabilities in development interventions.
Other examples of organisations that CBM cooperates with are Concord Europe, The UN, One World, Disabled Peoples International and Disability Awareness in Action.
Lobbying
CBM aims to ensure that major international development processes and frameworks include the rights of people with disabilities. In certain situations, CBM will take a proactive approach to guide donor agencies to include disability in their own policies.
This requires CBM to stay informed on developmental policies and programs of donor governments, and to take specific targeted actions to promote the inclusion of disability issues. We do this by meeting directly with policy makers and disseminating policy papers to explain our viewpoint.
Partnership
CBM strives to support our partners in their advocacy work.
Many local community organisations, parents' associations, Disabled People's Organisations, and faith-based organisations with whom we work in partnership promote the rights of people with disabilities within their own governments.
