Make development inclusive: how to include the perspectives of persons with disabilities in the project cycle management guidelines of the EC

Although one in five of the world’s poorest people are disabled, disability itself has not been included in world leaders’ plans to meet the millennium development goals. This manual is designed to be used during the project management process. It is divided into three parts: an overview of concepts and guiding principles to take into account, how to incorporate a disability perspective into each phase of the project management process and a set of downloadable tools such as fact sheets, check lists and case studies.

Part 1 outlines the overall purpose of the manual and provides on overview of concepts including: 

• a working definition of disability and why a disability perspective should be included in poverty reduction projects 
  
• a look at whether disability inclusion is relevant to your project and different degrees of disability inclusion 
  
• a look at the legal and policy framework for disability inclusion, particularly as it relates to EC development cooperation 
  
• identifying stakeholders and providing them with support 
  
• combining disability inclusion with the twin track approach, which includes specific support and empowerment of people with disabilities.

In Part 2, for each phase of the project cycle – programming, identification and formulation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation – the authors present: 

• what the phase is about and the purpose of including a disability perspective 
  
• expected results of including a disability perspective 
  
• difficulties often encountered and the keys to success 
  
• possible costs implications of including a disability perspective 
  
• case studies and practical tools.

Part 3 is an online toolbox providing both online and downloadable tools (as Word documents and PDFs). These have been divided into: 

• disability-inclusive project planning and management tools for general use 
  
• disability-inclusive project management tools based on EC guidelines 
  
• case studies 
  
• tools for including a disability perspective, listed by sector.

For links to the PDFs of Part 1 and 2, please check further information on the right-hand side.

Please note: this publication was funded by DG Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission.