Disability and Development Partners

29/10/2025

"I have no doubt that democracy and disability rights are deeply interrelated. Where democracy is damaged by political forces, disability rights will be damaged, too."

Read the article by Gabor Petri, disability studies researcher at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, in Disability Debrief:

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Lessons on how backsliding democracy curtails disability rights

09/10/2025

The latest Disability Debrief covers barriers to assistance dogs, the 'campaign of disablement' in Gaza - and some positive news from elsewhere in the world. https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/debrief/working-like-a-dog/

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Barriers for assistance dogs, and curated disability news from 41 countries

07/10/2025

DDP and Fwdn Nepal will be taking part in Disability Week at the University of East Anglia, with a session on Disability, Gender and International Partnership, on Thursday 16 October at 10am - and 3pm in Nepal!

For (free!) tickets: https://www.ueasu.org/ents/event/32892/

This is a week of talks, workshops, stalls, bands, film, theatre, guide dogs, and info on...
- accessing support
- lived experience of specific conditions
- allyship, stigma, ableism, intersectionality, caring and much more.

25/09/2025

On the eve of the Dashain festival, it's great to hear from our colleagues at Fwdn Nepal (Federation of Women with Disability, Nepal) that work is well underway to form five new self-help groups (SHGs) in Kathmandu.

With the support of their groups, the members - disabled people and their families - will develop small businesses to bring them greater financial security, independence and resilience.

The SHGs will gradually become self-sustaining, and the members’ livelihood activities will continue beyond the lifetime of our project.

Please share this link with anyone who might like to support this work with a donation, however modest: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/inclusion-livelihoods-and-self-advocacy-in-nepal Dhanyavad! Thank you!

Empowering disabled people and their families, through women-led self-help groups, training, livelihoods, and community media self-advocacy.

06/09/2025

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/06/disabled-man-arrested-palestine-action-protest-police

Mike Higgins, who is 62, blind and uses a wheelchair, was one of 532 arrested at largest demo since group proscribed

08/08/2025

https://ddpuk.org/summer-newsletter-2025/

Updates from DDP and our partners in August 2025.

31/07/2025

The latest Disability Debrief bulletin curates disability news from 37 countries, including the apocalyptic conditions in Gaza. https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/debrief/they-burned-my-heart/

See here how to sign up and support Disability Debrief's excellent service: https://www.disabilitydebrief.org/support/

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25/07/2025

🐣 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 🕊

"They called me a ‘burden’, a ‘witch’ but I proved I’m not that at all. With support, I found strength. With skills, I found purpose. I earn, I speak, I dream this is my life and I’m living it with pride." - Manju Chaudhary

Read more: https://koshish.org.np/stories/readmore/The-Knot-That-Did-Not-Heal

13/06/2025

An interesting article on professionalization and the disability movement, relevant to many other areas of life and action:

The risks professionalisation poses to an authentic disability movement

29/05/2025

On 22 May we (Adam, Ebinipere, Dave and Ayoola) had an atypical evening out: at the Innovation and Impact Awards ceremony, held in the University of East Anglia's Enterprise Centre.

Our documentary Made for More - starring Dave as himself, expertly filmed by Ayoola and produced by Ebi and DDP - had been nominated, then shortlisted for one of the awards.

The film addresses challenges faced by disabled people in the workplace: discrimination, accessibility barriers, and the need for inclusive environments.

Dave explores these issues with reference to his own journey: from a life-changing accident in his native Zimbabwe, via difficult employment experiences in London, development studies at UEA, self-employment and charity work in Norfolk, where he is Chair of Inclusive Norwich and a much-valued DDP trustee.

We didn't win our category, but were kindly provided with a finalist's trophy, very fancy certificates, bowls of delicious tofu, and high-quality photos of a memorable occasion.

15/05/2025

At just 12, Zeyneba lost both her parents in interethnic conflict in Ethiopia's Oromia region. With her siblings, she walked for days—hungry, scared and grieving—until they found refuge in the Amhara region.

Life at the Mekane-Eyesus IDP camp was hard. Illness struck, and the doctor linked it to trauma and mental stress. But things began to change when our partner Berhan Lehetsanat (BL) stepped in.

With psychosocial support, equipment for school, food assistance and medical care, Zeyneba gradually regained her health, stability and hope for the future. “With the support I received, I’m back in school - and I want to become a doctor,” she says.

We would like to express our gratitude to the Educational Opportunity Foundation for funding this two-year DDP/BL project.

15/05/2025

It's worrying to think how much more death, disabling injury, distress and indifference is coming for migrant workers and their families.

The opportunity to make money in the Gulf attracts thousands of men from Nepal’s poorest regions, but for the families of those who die in workplace accidents, compensation can be hard to come by