Third Report - FCDO and disability-inclusive development

Globally, the UK has been at the forefront of advancing disability inclusion across development programmes. However, as equality impact assessments published in recent years confirm, the FCDO knew that Official Development Assistance cuts would significantly harm people with disabilities. (Paragraph 12) Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy 2022–30

The Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy provides an excellent framework for improving the disability-inclusivity of the FCDO’s development portfolio. However, major shortcomings have become apparent in the application of the strategy, which are set out in later chapters of this Report.

The Department should publish the delivery plan alongside its response to this Report, with all subsequent iterations published on completion.

The Department should include in future iterations of the delivery plan, and any update to the Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities definition of disability, to ensure that stakeholders are clear on who the Department is targeting development spending towards, and why. (Paragraph 25) Mainstreaming

Despite Government commitments, disability inclusion has not been sufficiently integrated into the FCDO’s policy-making procedures: the Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy receives little to no mention across other departmental strategies, suggesting that disability inclusion is not at the forefront of departmental thinking.

ODA spending on disability inclusion, as measured by the OECD-DAC markers, falls short of our expectations. Whereas efforts to improve gender equality across the Department’s development programmes are assessed against measurable spending targets, disability inclusion does not receive the same focus.

The FCDO must introduce Department-wide targets on disability inclusion, as measured by the OECD-DAC markers, by March 2025, reporting progress to this Committee by September 2025. (Paragraph 38) Data collection

The FCDO acknowledges the importance of disaggregated data collection, and has in the past made repeated commitments to disaggregate data by disability. However, as acknowledged by the Second Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCDO, Nick Dyer, this has not been undertaken. We fail to understand how the FCDO and disability-inclusive development 29 Department can properly target resources or develop and disseminate best practice across development programmes if it does not know who it is helping and where.

We recommend that the FCDO includes specific, measurable data disaggregation policies, guided by the UNCRPD definition of disability, in the upcoming iteration of the Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy delivery plan, which it should then share with stakeholders and delivery partners. All bilateral ODA projects should include these targets from now on. (Paragraph 44) Safeguarding

People with disabilities are significantly more at risk of sexual exploitation, as well as other forms of exploitation, highlighting the importance of their appropriate safeguarding. However, we are not convinced that the FCDO is doing all it can to properly safeguard people with disabilities in its programming.

We have heard worrying indications that mass institutionalising of people with disabilities can have negative impacts. The FCDO should consider this in its programming, and to ensure that none of its programming perpetuates the negative impact of mass institutionalisation.

The FCDO should review its approach to securing value for money in development programmes, to ensure that these considerations do not impact on the ability of programmes to effectively safeguard people with disabilities, reporting progress to the Committee within one year of publication of this Report.

In its response to this Report, the FCDO should set out what steps it has taken to end the mass institutionalising of children with disabilities, as well as sharing with the Committee the metrics by which the Department measures its performance in this area. (Paragraph 61) Engagement with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities

The FCDO is not adequately fulfilling its commitment to the “Nothing about us without us” campaign for engagement with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), which risks undermining support and buy-in for its development programmes from people with disabilities and OPDs.

The next iteration of the DIRS delivery plan should be amended to ensure that Organisations of Persons with Disabilities are consulted on any policies that may affect them. (Paragraph 68) Humanitarian response and climate change

Despite the increasing importance of climate change adaption, as well as the constant threat of conflict, disability-inclusive programming is not sufficiently mandated across FCDO policy documents, risking persons with disabilities being overlooked at times of crisis. (Paragraph 83) 30 FCDO and disability-inclusive development

Led by its Gender & Equalities Department and Disability Inclusion Team, the FCDO should lead Government efforts to review all humanitarian response and climate change adaption policies, ensuring that each includes stronger commitments on ensuring that disability inclusion is properly considered and funded. (Paragraph 84) FCDO and disability-inclusive development 31