Publication: Disability Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Path To Sustainable Development
Other Files
565 downloads
81 downloads
111 downloads
Date
2021-12-01
ISSN
Published
2021-12-01
Author(s)
Garcia Mora, Maria Elena
Schwartz Orellana, Steven
Freire, German
Abstract
About 85 million persons with
disabilities live in Latin America and the Caribbean today.
They comprise a highly heterogeneous population, but share a
common history of invisibility and exclusion. In the last
decades, persons with disabilities have improved their
situation in terms of statistical visibility, poverty
reduction, access to schools, and increased recognition and
participation in public and private spaces. Yet, they are
more likely to live in households that are poor, are
overrepresented amongst the vulnerable, continue to face
unequal opportunities in the labor market, have lower
accumulation of human capital, and have limited voice and
agency to have their aspirations of development included in
decision making. The report offers a snapshot of the drivers
behind the persistent exclusion of persons with disabilities
and proposes a framework to build an actionable agenda
building on promising practices available in the region. The
COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the urgent need to build
more inclusive and resilient societies. The region has shown
its resilience in recovering from many crises in the past.
Today, we are at a crucial flection point where it is clear
that universal policies and economic growth alone are
insufficient to eradicate the remaining pockets of
exclusion. A disability-inclusive recovery should be at the
core of the region’s rebuilding strategy. This matters in
its own right but is also of utmost importance for the
sustainability of the region.
Citation
“Garcia Mora, Maria Elena; Schwartz Orellana, Steven; Freire, German. 2021. Disability Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean : A Path To Sustainable Development. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36628 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”