Supporting local leadership

Engaging and supporting OPDs to lead is a pillar that we sustained effectively throughout the Inclusive Futures programme. “Nothing About Us Without Us” wasn’t just a slogan, we applied this across the programme. Our partnerships with OPDs provided continuity even during uncertainties triggered by the COVID-19 global pandemic, for example. These relationships ensured that disability inclusion didn’t disappear from conversations, even when governments had competing demands.

During a monitoring visit to one of our inclusive education projects in Tanzania, I saw the power of these partnerships in action. I witnessed our local OPD partners taking on leadership roles and making disability inclusion visible and actionable. Some of the OPD members who were also teachers, had strong links with village leaders and participated in disability committees, parent support groups and school management committees. Their dual roles as OPD members and teachers gave them a unique understanding of the challenges experienced by children with disabilities in their school and in their wider community. Drawing on this perspective and connection within their community networks, they worked alongside leaders, local education authorities and parents. They led grassroots campaigns, advocating for children with disabilities to have equal access to education, and challenged disability stigma and discrimination within their communities.

Making disability inclusion intentional

For any programme to be disability inclusive, it needs to be intentional. We applied this principle consistently across our programme delivery. One of the approaches we used to put this principle into practice was by providing flexible and tailored support to project participants.

One memorable moment that has stuck with me is from a monitoring trip to Bangladesh. I, along with my colleagues, visited the home of a child receiving support through our home‑based education intervention, one of the approaches from our Shober Jonno Shikha (Education for All) project. The child’s grandmother proudly showed us how she was learning and preparing to eventually transition into formal schooling, something that would have been impossible without this tailored support. Four years later, there are increasing numbers of parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, particularly of children with complex disabilities and high support needs, who are prioritising and investing in their education. This was rare before the project began in 2022.

Embedding change in local systems

Throughout the duration of the programme, we witnessed shifts in the political and economic landscape, triggered by events such as the COVID-19 global pandemic, youth protests, conflicts and natural disasters related with climate change and extreme weather.  For example, in Nepal, when a protest led by Generation-Z in 2025 forced schools participating in our inclusive education project to close, it also risked delaying the government’s ongoing commitment to invest in inclusive education. The protests have resulted in the resignation of the Nepali prime minister, the election of a new leader, and continue to shape national policies and priorities.

In a promising sign that our project will continue to have a sustainable impact, however, the Nepali government has maintained its commitment to allocating 10 million Nepali rupees (approx. GBP 58,800) to support a group of pilot municipalities to develop and implement inclusive education guidelines. The government’s willingness to integrate inclusion into routine education practice, using existing structures and budgets, is a powerful indication that these changes are more likely to be sustained once the programme has ended.

The ripple effects of inclusion

Looking back at the seven years of work, the ripple effects of the Inclusive Futures programme are evident at multiple levels:

• Families have gained confidence to advocate for their children’s education within their neighbourhoods and communities
• Communities recognise the value of including people with disabilities in social and economic life
• Governments have integrated inclusive principles into local and national plans and policies
• OPDs have grown their visibility and are recognised as leaders and advocates for people with disabilities

Perhaps the most meaningful change for me, is to see the shift in attitudes at an individual and community level. Parents and caregivers of children with disabilities who once did not prioritise their children’s education and learning are now proudly championing it. This is not a small change. It is a shift in deeply rooted attitudes and behaviours that will continue long beyond the programme’s end.

The world is becoming more unpredictable and there is a real risk that disability inclusion could fall off the political agenda, further exposing and deepening the vulnerabilities and inequalities faced by people with disabilities. However, I am hopeful and optimistic. What the last seven years have shown me is that, even in uncertainty, disability inclusion can be prioritised and sustained when it is anchored in the leadership of OPDs, embedded in communities and supported by national and international investment. The seed planted by our programme will continue to grow – and that, above all, is what makes me hopeful for the future of disability-inclusive development.