Inclusion is a human right

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V.

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is committed to promoting inclusive concepts worldwide in order to break down barriers and facilitate access to (civic) education for people with disabilities.

The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung takes its social mission seriously and breaks down barriers. People with disabilities are most welcome to enrich our educational seminars through their participation. The dignity and worth of the individual human being does not depend on physical or mental limitations. This attitude is reflected in our mission statement, which was jointly developed by the staff of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. It states: “We are guided by the Christian view of humanity”. Addressing each person in their uniqueness and enabling participation is our mission. It is about Civic Education for all.

Inclusion is a big word - we want to make it tangible in our everyday educational work, worldwide. That is why our international work specifically includes the concerns of people with disabilities. More than one billion people worldwide are affected by disability. Developing and emerging countries account for more than 80 per cent of them. Many of them are subject to discrimination and are excluded from political life.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, our Multilateral Dialogue Geneva took a closer look at the status of ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities worldwide:

Inclusion strengthens cohesion and democracy

In an inclusive society, all people can contribute, regardless of their individual circumstances. Those who have to overcome barriers feel, justifiably, excluded. But those who belong are also prepared to take responsibility - and help shape their environment for the better. Democracy needs inclusion. It thrives on the participation of many different people, bringing their different perspectives and experiences. Inclusion also aims to ensure that not only the loud and the strong are heard.

Here are some examples from our work of what this looks like in practice: Under the theme ‘Inclusion as a driver of innovation’, our Shanghai office, together with Shanghai New York University (NYU), held a workshop with around thirty students and experts from the fields of education and design on how to consistently think in inclusive terms in urban development and planning; the Beijing office is in exchange with the Shijingshan Association of people with disabilities. Our Namibia/Angola office donated two Braille typewriters to the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired to promote the political participation of visually impaired people and improve their access to public information, such as the Namibian Constitution.

Empowering young people with disabilities

Simultaneous interpretation into Brazilian sign language is now standard at our traditional “Forte de Copacabana” conference on international security policy in Brazil. And our office in Mongolia has been running the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Community Advocacy Programme (KASCAP) for several years, empowering young people with disabilities to advocate for their own interests. Meanwhile, an alumni reunion of the programme has been established.

Furthermore, our European and International Cooperation Department has a series of publications called “Country Reports with a Difference”. In these reports, our overseas staff examine the question of access to education in their respective countries: To what extent do people with disabilities have the same access opportunities as non-disabled people? What difficulties do they face? Which hurdles have to be overcome? And how can we, as the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, contribute to giving people with disabilities equal access to (civic) education and to our programmes? Brazil and Canada, Israel and Thailand, Morocco and Belarus are some of the countries we examine to address these questions. We wish you an informative reading!

Further links:

• BMZ Strategy Paper “Inclusion of persons with disabilities in German development cooperation” (only in German)
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (only in German)
• Agenda 2030 with its guiding principle “Leave no one behind” (only in German)