Ten years ago, on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a core part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its promise to “leave no one behind”. Five years from the 2030 deadline, it is plain to see that progress has been uneven—and for persons with disabilities, far too slow. A recent UN report makes it clear: without the full inclusion of persons with disabilities, the SDGs cannot be achieved.
At CBM, we believe that Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) is the most practical and powerful way to make that promise real. CBID starts where life happens—in communities. It equips persons with disabilities and their representative organisations to organise, claim their rights, and participate in the decisions shaping their futures. It ensures that local plans and budgets respond to real needs, and that inclusion gives way to voice, confidence, and participation.
In Zambia, Georgina’s story shows this in action. For years, she told us, she and other persons with disabilities “would just confine ourselves to our homes,” unseen and unheard in community life. However, through rights training delivered by our partner Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), with support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), she worked with others to form a self-help group. Together, they now attend community meetings and press for change. “When they see you as a group,” she explains, “they see that you are advocating for something important.”
This is the essence of CBID. It is a set of deliberate steps: forming groups, building skills, ensuring accessibility, linking people to healthcare and livelihoods, improving access to social protection, and securing a place at the table in local decision-making. Each step translates into SDG progress—whether through poverty reduction, inclusive education, decent work, or resilient and inclusive communities.
The stories and results captured in this CBID Report 2025 highlight how our partners are putting these principles into practice across different countries and contexts. They also remind us that while progress is possible, it is not automatic. It requires investment, persistence, and above all, the leadership of persons with disabilities themselves.
As we look ahead, CBM remains committed to strengthening CBID as our fundamental approach to achieving the SDGs. With our partners, donors, and the communities we serve, we have a clear pathway: practical inclusion at the community level, scaled for systemic change. Only then can the SDGs deliver on their promise to “leave no one behind.”
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