From the moment they are born, children with disabilities in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region have two potential journeys in life. One is a journey towards exclusion, characterized by barriers that combine to deny them their rights from their earliest years of life. This pathway leads to greater dependency on the care and support of the State, with costs for society that are both financial and social, adding to isolation and inequality. The other leads towards inclusion, with the right support at the right time sweeping away these barriers so that children can reach their full potential. This pathway leads to greater independence, with tangible benefits for the economy and for society, including the strengthening of social cohesion and democratization.
There has been some progress for children with disabilities in the region in recent years, with governments’ commitments to the inclusion of people with disabilities translating into strategies, policies and reforms. Yet there are gaps in implementation, and many children with disabilities still face discrimination and gaps in support that disrupt their journey towards inclusion.
While deinstitutionalized policies have reduced the overall number of children living in residential institutions, for example, children with disabilities have been left behind. Compared to their peers, they are far more likely to grow up in institutions where they are deprived of nurturing care and are vulnerable to neglect and violence. Similarly, inclusive education is expanding and more children with disabilities are now attending regular schools. Yet they remain more likely to be out of school, or to be sent to specialized schools, including boarding schools, that do not provide the education – or social inclusion – they need. In addition, children with disabilities are still more likely to experience multi-dimensional poverty, as well as violence and abuse at home.
The support available to them often follows a medical approach to disability, which shapes how children with disabilities are perceived and how services are provided. This is one of the root causes of the stigma that they face, with attention and resources focused on efforts to ‘fix’ children, rather than on adapting their environment to ensure their inclusion in their communities.
This summary draws on the work of the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) with and for children with disabilities to develop pathways for their full inclusion in their communities. Section 2 outlines key barriers faced by children with disabilities in the region. Section 3 describes five priority areas for UNICEF across the region, together with milestones for the mobilization of DIPAS 2024-2030 to support a journey towards inclusion. Section 4 sets out key principles and cross-cutting issues. A final section outlines our commitments to ensure that UNICEF itself is fully inclusive and summarizes the investment case for our work in this area.
