Accessibility and Design

Overview

Jamaica

“Ramp up di access... show that you care” Jamaica celebrates its Labour Day spirit of volunteerism with activities to make public spaces more inclusive. (May, Caribbean National Weekly) See for example initiatives from Jamaica Urban Transport Company and the Prime Minister's statement.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai's journey towards accessibility excellence An uncritical “look at the city's bold transformation, pioneering global standards in disability inclusivity and accessibility” (May, Khaleej Times)

Housing

United Kingdom

Disabled high-rise residents ‘still at risk’ seven years after Grenfell fire, after the government's failure to implement evacuation plans. (Jun, the Guardian)

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Assistive Technology

International News

Assistive Products Market Report 2024 Findings include:

• “Of the billions of people who need eyeglasses, just 36 percent can access them.”
• “Hearing aids are available to just 20 percent of the hundreds of millions of people with hearing loss.”
• “Wheelchairs are available for just 5 to 35 percent of the 80 million people who need them.” (Jun, ATscale)

United Kingdom

Getting to grips with an extra thumb “An emerging area of future technology is motor augmentation – using motorised wearable devices such as exoskeletons or extra robotic body parts to advance our motor capabilities beyond current biological limitations.” (May, University of Cambridge)

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Black Lives Matter and Racial justice

United States

Gun Violence Touches Nearly 60 Percent of Black Americans – and Predicts Disability:

“Survey data from 3,015 Black Americans linked specific disabilities ranging from trouble concentrating to difficulty dressing or bathing with exposure to various types of gun violence: being shot, being threatened with a firearm, knowing a shooting victim, and witnessing a shooting or hearing of one nearby.” (May, Rutgers)

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COVID-19

Living with COVID-19

United Kingdom

‘A 30-second walk would exhaust me beyond reason’: Natacha’s life with long Covid. (Jun, the Guardian)

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Civil Society and Community

Argentina

The demands behind the march of people with disabilities protesting deregulation that would make health benefits precarious or unaffordable. (In Spanish, May, Clarín)

Australia

By us, for us: A disability messaging guide:

“advocates have an important window of opportunity to reframe conversations about the NDIS and disability supports in ways that centre the strengths of the disability community, demonstrate practical concepts of self determination, create shared values, and share a vision for the future where people with disability live fulfilling and independent lives. The guide provides disability advocates and allies with the narrative tools to advocate for these crucial changes. ” (Apr, Disability Access Network Australia (DANA); Centre for Australian Progress)

China

The Formation of the Deaf Community in China, 1887-1945 (Jan) See comment on the Debrief.

India

Church Not Doing Enough To Promote Disability Inclusion according to Nagaland State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. (May, Eastern Mirror)

Nigeria

‘They wanted her to confess to witchcraft’: ending the chilling effects of dementia stigma. (Jun, the Guardian)

Uganda

Empowering Voices: The Journey of an OPD Interview with Disability People's Forum Uganda (Jun, Inklusion leben)

United States

MacKenzie Scott’s Open Call Awards Give Disability-Focused Nonprofits Breathing Space. (May, Inside Philanthropy)

The Hardest Thing to Carry: On Disability and Grief “It’s a terrible and beautiful contradiction that the disabilities that bonded us in life, that put us on the path to even meet, are the same ones that snatched my friends from me too soon.” (May, The Squeaky Wheelchair)

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Climate Crisis and Environment

Nigeria

Stakeholders Canvass Inclusion Of Women With Disabilities In Climate Change Policies (May, News Agency of Nigeria)

United States

Disabled Ecologies: Lessons from a Wounded Desert. a book by Sunaura Taylor:

“What we live with in the present, and will for decades to come, even under the best-case scenarios, is mass ecological disablement of the more-than-human world. Arriving in Tucson in the summer of 2017 to research the pollution I had long understood to have caused my own disability, I recognized intimately just how utterly entangled this mass disablement of nature is with the disablement of human beings” (May, University of California Press)

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Communication and Language

Overview

United States

Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Alice Wong on how using AAC tech changed her relationships:

“As I tried to adjust to my new body. I had to adjust to the way I presented myself to the world as a nonspeaking person. I had a new disability identity and was part of a new segment of the disability community. It was a bit intimidating being an outsider who is slowly easing into a new way of being while still mourning my voice, which expressed so much of my personality. I entered a world where time has slowed down. Conversations are now stilted, extended in a way that gives me anxiety and pressure to keep up with normative speaking speeds and patterns.” (May, Teen Vogue)

Sign Languages

International News

More than Signs: International Sign as Distributed Practice:

“This article makes a case for understanding International Sign (IS) as a distributed practice. IS, a translingual practice, arose from interactions among individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds, integrating signs from multiple national sign languages and leveraging iconic and transparent features of sign language lexicons and grammars. At the heart of IS is the principle of calibration, an adaptive process aimed at aligning signs to foster mutual understanding.” (Signs and Society)

Bangladesh

New Bangla sign language makes debut at Dhaka disability theatre fest (May, Times of India)

Canada

Possible Beings: Deaf children and linguistic justice:

“The paper first discusses the linguistic justice framework in relation to deaf children’s right to sign language, then analyses legal documents from the case for what they reveal about patterns of inaction on the part of senior educational administrators and deficiency views of American Sign Language (ASL) that are pervasive in Canadian early intervention and education systems for deaf children.” (Apr, Deafness & Education International)

Mexico

All the silence: a Mexican film about disability in Mexican Sign Language. (In Spanish, Jun, Yo También)

Philippines

Commission on the Filipino Language (CFL) slammed “over its plan to dissolve its Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Unit, which would effectively retrench its deaf personnel.” Apparently staff would be dismissed after demanding the timely release of their salaries. (Jun, Philstar) Disabled people protested the plans.

South Sudan

CEPO to inaugurate first sign language learning center in Juba (May, Sudans Post)

Uganda

​​Verifying news for the deaf community in Uganda. An initiative training sign language interpreters has wider benefits:

“The WhatsApp group has grown into a community of 400 sign language interpreters, deaf individuals, and their hearing family members. Members share suspicious information they encounter and the sign language interpreters help debunk it.” (May, Reframing Disability)

Braille

New Zealand

New Zealand Opera to provide braille surtitles for live performances

“NZ Opera’s general director, Brad Cohen, developed the technology alongside his company contexts.live. It sends braille surtitles to a user’s personal braille-reading machine at the same time as the sighted audience is reading the translations on screen.” (Jun, the Guardian)

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Conflict and Peace

Overview

International News

Resolution on Disability Rights, Peace and Conflict, 2024 “The European Disability Forum wishes to bring attention again to humanitarian crises around the world and their continued disproportionate impact on persons with disabilities.” (May, EDF)

Iran

Fetishization of the Disabled War Veterans

“I indicate how the state has managed to use the disabled bodies of the injured survivors as a way to guarantee its survival by portraying them as an ideological construct called “living martyrs,” as opposed to disabled humans in need of physical and affective care.” (Jan, Review of Disability Studies)

Syria

Disabilities in northwest Syria: Stories of resilience amid hardship. (May, The New Arab)

Ukraine

People with disabilities face some of the most brutal conditions during war. We need urgent change. (May, The Independent)

Israel-Palestine Conflict

Canada

How one Gazan mother’s tragedy has fuelled a sit-in action. (Jun, Disability Visibility Project)

Europe

Statement of ENIL on the situation of Disabled People in Gaza “We are particularly alarmed about the humanitarian condition of disabled people in Gaza, who are disproportionately affected by the conflict escalation in the past few months, resulting in aid blockages and military attacks on civilian populations.” (May, ENIL)

Israel

Disability rights groups campaign against UN unequal care of Israelis In a message to the UN conference of states parties on disability from Israeli NGO Beit Issie Shapiro (video):

“Much is said about the displaced with disabilities in Gaza. What about those from Israel? Tens of thousands of children and adults with disabilities have been forced to evacuate their homes. How are you promoting, protecting, and ensuring THEIR full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms?” (Jun, The Jerusalem Post)

Palestine

“In Gaza, we have been left behind” a blog from Haitham Saqqa on his experience of the war, and working with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP):

“I am a person with a disability, I believe in the rights of people with disabilities, and promote this belief through education and training. However, I now decline offers to speak to media or other organisations, not because I do not believe in my cause but because I feel words are empty.

“Between January and March, there were no wheelchairs in Gaza. No one knows how the stocked wheelchairs were distributed, and people were using any available wheelchairs to transport water. This lack of wheelchairs made many people with disabilities unable to move around, so it was hard for organisations like MAP to assess their humanitarian needs or make any available services accessible to them. Even if wheelchairs were available, the scale of Israeli military violence has caused so much destruction that the streets are almost impossible to navigate on a wheelchair.” (Jun, Medical Aid for Palestinians)

My House Will Always Be Open - Stories from the Gaza Siege. The story of a disabled child and an older woman. “My mother put me in a wheelchair and pushed me for more than 10 kilometers amidst Israeli tanks and military vehicles,” (Jun, Palestine Chronicle)

Israel targets disabled Palestinian children’s futures “Israeli forces have critically injured thousands of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip, creating lifelong disabilities” (Jun, Defense for Children International - Palestine)

Data and resources on the situation in Gaza for Persons with Disabilities a compilaton of data and challenges faced by persons with disabilities. (Jun, Breaking the silence on Gaza)

HI mourns tragic death of staff member in Gaza (Jun, Humanity and Inclusion)

What it means to be Deaf and Palestinian in Gaza (Jun, Overland)

Worsening suffering of people with disabilities especially the deaf and mute. (Short video, in Arabic, May, Al Jazeera)

Palestinians with disabilities fear being killed first statement from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (May, OHCHR)

United Kingdom

Cops arrest disabled pro-Palestine activist and force him to walk without his mobility aid. “Reports vary, but between eight to ten police violently arrested the protester as he was moving off the road”. (Jun, Canary)

United States

Disabled veteran files lawsuit alleging UC Davis pro-Palestinian encampment blocks pathway. “Encampment representative claims this is a ‘lawfare’ tactic to silence students”. (May, Daily Democrat)

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Culture, Entertainment and Media

Overview

International News

Alt Text Selfies a beautiful collection of self-descriptions. (Alt Text Selfies)

Congo-Kinshasa

Congolese Rapper MC Baba Is Mute and Can't Sing, Rap or Hear?

“MC Baba claims fame through his ability to produce rhythmic sounds and mouth movements, despite reportedly being unable to hear or speak. His performances do not involve traditional singing or rapping with words, but rather, mouth sounds that align with backing tracks.” (Jun, Snopes)

Egypt

‘Empty Rooms’ Art Exhibit is a Reflection on Disability & Unorthodoxy “Egyptian artist WeirDo deals with the isolation, reclusion and loneliness experienced by people with disabilities.” (Jun, Cairo Scene)

India

This museum is a blueprint for disability inclusion. “The Bangalore-based Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) is one of the first museums in India to introduce cross-disability inclusion into its foundations.” (May, Devdiscourse)

Rapunzel reimagined: the women retelling fairytales to challenge notions of perfection. Review of “And They Lived … Ever After”. (Apr, the Guardian)

Italy

Shape Arts Wants You to ‘Look Up to the Power of Crip’ The exuberant history of resistance by the Disability Arts Movement gets a historic review in Venice. (Apr, Frieze)

Mexico

Profile of Juan Carlos wheelchair-using rapper and dance teacher dreaming of equality for new generations. (In Spanish, Jun, Yo También)

New Zealand

New Zealand Opera to provide braille surtitles for live performances

“NZ Opera’s general director, Brad Cohen, developed the technology alongside his company contexts.live. It sends braille surtitles to a user’s personal braille-reading machine at the same time as the sighted audience is reading the translations on screen.” (Jun, the Guardian)

Senegal

Book Review: My Name is Yedia “shines a much-needed spotlight on women and girls with disabilities in Senegal” (Jun, Memria)

United Kingdom

Accessible Marketing Guide “We’ve gathered all of our best tips to help arts organisations make their marketing more accessible”. (May, Unlimited)

‘The level of hate was dangerous’: Michelle Terry on the backlash to her casting as Richard III: “Artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe says much of the anger about a non-disabled actor playing the role has been misogynistic”. (May, the Guardian)

United States

Wish You Were Here A roundtable on how to create radically welcoming access at the theatre. (Jun, American Theatre)

What if the Disabled Characters Were Just Going About Their Day? ‘Madison Ferris and Danny J. Gomez star in the meet-cute “All of Me” — proof that depictions of disability onstage don’t have to be “a buzz kill,” as Ferris puts it.’ (May, New York Times)

The monsters that made me: Growing up as a disabled horror movie fan:

“From a young age, I subconsciously related to monsters, madmen, and every combination thereof. Many even taught me to frame disability in a positive fashion. The archetypal antagonists from the golden age of horror cinema — the Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster — all underwent a transformation to be imbued with extraordinary, otherworldly gifts. Their differences were a source of power, inverting the traditional view of disability as a hindrance, a burden.” (May, Polygon)

TV and Film

Mexico

All the silence: a Mexican film about disability in Mexican Sign Language. (In Spanish, Jun, Yo También)

New Zealand

Clickbait & Crutches: A fiercely disabled web series. “A new web series about disability and the internet came out of a desire to tell our own stories about who we are and how we connect online.” (May, The D*List)

United States

"To Film with Your Ears": Reinventing Cinematic Language with The Tuba Thieves. A profile of Alison O’Daniel. (May, PBS)

Media

Uganda

​​Verifying news for the deaf community in Uganda. An initiative training sign language interpreters has wider benefits:

“The WhatsApp group has grown into a community of 400 sign language interpreters, deaf individuals, and their hearing family members. Members share suspicious information they encounter and the sign language interpreters help debunk it.” (May, Reframing Disability)

Clothing and Fashion

Australia

Paralympic uniform featuring accessibility modifications launched at Australian Fashion Week (May, ABC News)

United States

Adaptive fashion’s inclusivity problem a critical exploration of current initiatives and their limitations. (Jun, Fashion Dive)

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Data and Research

Overview

International News

UN Flagship Report On Disability And Development 2024 (Jun, UN)

Canada

Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2023: “the employment rate held steady among persons with a disability (47.1%)”. (Jun, Statistics Canada)

A demographic, employment and income profile of persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over in Canada, 2022. Canadian Disability Survey finds that the disability rate for persons aged 15 years and over in Canada was 27%, 30% of women, 24% of men. (May, Statistics Canada)

India

Prevalence of functional difficulty among school-aged children and effect on school enrolment in rural southern India: A cross-sectional analysis:

“This study shows that at least one in a hundred children in this region have severe functional difficulties and nearly half of these children are not enrolled in school, highlighting the need for further efforts and evidence-based interventions to increase school enrolment among these groups.” (Apr, Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health)

United States

Annual Disability Statistics Collection gathering disability statistics from many federal agencies. (Center for Research On Disability)

Research

Australia

Strengthening Research Capacity National Disability Research Partnership plan to strengthen disability research capacity. (Apr, NDRP)

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Digital Accessibility and Technology

Overview

International News

Alt Text Selfies a beautiful collection of self-descriptions. (Alt Text Selfies)

Artificial Intelligence

Europe

Jamie and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on persons with disabilities. (A short animation, Jun, EDF)

United Kingdom

How to write text descriptions (alt text) in news articles guidance for BBC News staff. (May, BBC)

Online Accessibility

International News

Accessible and ‘a pleasure to read’: how Apple’s podcast transcriptions came to be. (Jun, the Guardian)

United States

Google Accused of Collecting California Disabled Drivers’ Data: “Google LLC was hit with a proposed class action alleging the tech giant collected and monetized personal information about users’ disabilities via the California Department of Motor Vehicles website.” (May, Bloomberg Law)

Technology

International News

Apple announces new accessibility features “including Eye Tracking, Music Haptics, and Vocal Shortcuts”. (May, Apple)

Social Media

Australia

Short statured Australians are facing increased online abuse. They're asking for the public's help to stop it.

“Three times in the last few weeks, Samantha Lilly has stumbled across pictures of herself online that she didn't know had been taken. The photos had been posted alongside derogatory captions, attracting dozens of comments from people laughing along and mocking her appearance.” (May, ABC News)

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Economics and Social Protection

Overview

India

The Direct Costs of Disability to Families in Tamil Nadu A study report on the goods and services required by persons with disabilities in Tamil Nadu for full & effective participation (Jun, Center for Inclusive Policy)

Iran

Iran warns sanctions taking toll on disabled people:

“sanctions imposed by the United States and many Western countries on the Islamic Republic of Iran have significantly increased the prime costs of rehabilitation items and specialized services, and affected the economic capabilities of individuals receiving such services.” (Jun, Mehr News Agency)

Social Protection

Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador launching disability benefit to top up federal program and create basic income. (Jun, Toronto Star)

New Zealand

What happens when disabled people lose flexible funding “An announcement, then the fallout” (Jun, The Spinoff)

Oman

Oman unveils platform to offer services for disabled persons (Jun, Muscat Daily)

United Kingdom

I did ‘fit for work’ tests for the Department of Work and Pensions. “Many times my decision was that the person was fit for work on DWP criteria, but privately I would not dream of employing them myself.” (May, the Guardian)

Almost no cases of disability benefit fraud despite DWP crackdown “The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new statistics showing that fraud in the disability benefits system is a 'non-issue'” (May, Big Issue)

United States

They rely on Social Security. But the agency took their much-needed benefits away because of a $2,000 asset limit. (Jun, NPR)

Couples say they can't get married because of the outdated rules of Social Security's Supplemental Security Income program. (Jun, NPR)

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Education and Childhood

Overview

International News

How to finance disability inclusion in education to transform systems and leave no one behind. “Reflections and recommendations to enable financing of inclusive education in lower-income countries.” (May, Global Partnership on Education)

Equitable access to play critical for children with disabilities:

“Access to age–appropriate play and recreation is an often neglected but critical aspect of improving the wellbeing of children with disabilities.” (Mar, Diplomatic Courier)

Addressing stigma and discrimination toward children and youth through social and behaviour change: a disability toolkit. (UNICEF)

Armenia

Transforming lives of children with special needs in Armenia

“As of recent reports, approximately 4,000 children with disabilities are enrolled in special education institutions, while around 2,000 are integrated into mainstream schools with varying levels of support.” (May, Civilnet)

India

Prevalence of functional difficulty among school-aged children and effect on school enrolment in rural southern India: A cross-sectional analysis:

“This study shows that at least one in a hundred children in this region have severe functional difficulties and nearly half of these children are not enrolled in school, highlighting the need for further efforts and evidence-based interventions to increase school enrolment among these groups.” (Apr, Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health)

Indonesia

Challenges on Inclusive Primary Education in Indonesia

“However, despite many positive steps taken, inclusive schools face several significant challenges. Funding limitations often hinder the provision of complete facilities and adequate adaptive technology, especially in remote areas. Additionally, not all teachers have adequate training to teach in inclusive environments, feeling unprepared to handle the special needs of students. Social stigma also remains a significant barrier, both within the community and within the schools themselves, towards students with special needs. In many remote areas, school infrastructure such as buildings and basic facilities is still severely lacking, making the implementation of inclusive education more difficult. The lack of educational materials that support inclusive learning also poses a significant obstacle in implementing this policy.” (May, Modern Diplomacy)

Myanmar

"We wish for both of our sons to be educated" The hard choices a family is making for their child living with disability in eastern Myanmar. (Jun, UNICEF)

South Sudan

‘Difficult choices’: The particular vulnerability of children with disabilities and others who have fled from Sudan. (May, The Irish Times)

United Kingdom

Children mocked and bullied by staff at special needs school.

“An undercover reporter spent almost seven weeks at Life Wirral in Wallasey and witnessed staff using offensive language to mock pupils for their neurodiversity or learning disabilities, as well as manhandling them into dangerous headlocks.” (Jun, BBC)

United States

Autistic Students at Shrub Oak School Have Suffered Without Oversight

“This School for Autistic Youth Can Cost $573,200 a Year. It Operates With Little Oversight, and Students Have Suffered.” (May, Pro Publica)

Higher Education

United States

Department of Education Could Improve Information on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

“Students with disabilities face several challenges while transitioning to and attending college, according to college disability services staff and students GAO spoke with. For example, some students are unaware of or unprepared for the self-advocacy necessary to request accommodations without help from their parents, who can play a pivotal role in obtaining academic supports in high school. In addition, some students experience reluctance from faculty to provide accommodations. To help mitigate these challenges, college staff reported holding orientation sessions for students on how to request accommodations and training faculty on how to make their courses accessible, among other steps.” (Apr, US Government Accountability Office)

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Employment, Business and Work

International News

How to Make Job Interviews More Accessible (Jun, Harvard Business Review)

Disability over-confident Commitments to inclusion not being put into practice. (Jun, Disability Debrief)

Canada

Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2023: “the employment rate held steady among persons with a disability (47.1%)”. (Jun, Statistics Canada)

Europe

Reasonable accommodation at work - Guidelines and good practices for employers. (Jun, European Commission) See also comment from EDF.

Iraq

Iraqis with Disabilities Excluded from Jobs Persistent Failure to Ensure Right to Work; Quotas Unfilled. See also a short video.

“Legal promises to employ people with disabilities in Iraq are not translating into real job opportunities,” said Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The gap between law and practice leaves hundreds of thousands of Iraqis with disabilities struggling to earn a living.” (Jun, Human Rights Watch)

Morocco

Moroccan enterprises give jobs, hope to people with disabilities. “The Mohammed VI National Centre for People with Disabilities (CNMH) initiated in 2010 a programme to assist people with mental disabilities, who are most affected by unemployment.” (May, France 24) See also a brief video feature from WION.

New Zealand

Debate reignites over how much disabled workers are paid:

“Through a wage exemption scheme, disabled workers can be paid as low as $2 an hour. The current minimum wage is $23.15 per hour.” (Jun, 1 News)

Timor Leste

Building a More Inclusive Society: Disability and Work in Timor-Leste, an interview with Kim Bulkeley. (Podcast, no transcript, May, New Books Network)

United Kingdom

I did ‘fit for work’ tests for the Department of Work and Pensions. “Many times my decision was that the person was fit for work on DWP criteria, but privately I would not dream of employing them myself.” (May, the Guardian)

Vietnam

Advancing Inclusive TVET in Vietnam (Jun, Inklusion leben)

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Gender Equality and Women with Disabilities

Dominican Republic

Women with disabilities: physical and social barriers. (In Spanish, Jun, Acento)

Europe

Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit 2024 (2019, EDF)

Senegal

Book Review: My Name is Yedia “shines a much-needed spotlight on women and girls with disabilities in Senegal” (Jun, Memria)

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Health

Overview

International News

HIV knowledge and access to testing for people with and without disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: evidence from 37 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys:

“Men and women with disabilities have lower overall HIV knowledge and in particular women with disabilities also indicate lower testing rates.” (Apr, Journal of the International Aids Society)

Chile

Inclusive health for people with disabilities in Chile: a national health system assessment:

“The Chilean health system was assessed to have a low progress towards disability-inclusive health. Among system-level components, intermediate progress has been made in governance, health financing, and data and evidence. However, progress in leadership on disability seems low. Among service delivery components, the accessibility of health facilities and rehabilitation and assistive technology showed the best results. However, there were notable gaps in the autonomy and awareness and ability to afford care by people with disabilities, and the capacity of human resources to support this group.” (May, BMC Health Research Policy and Systems)

Food Security and Nutrition

United Kingdom

The Nutrition D-List “An alternative nutrition newsletter about realistic healthy living for diverse bodies.” (Dina Hassan)

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History and Memorial

International News

Early Modern Neurodiversity Studies: A Crowd-Sourced Bibliography (Jun, Bradley Irish)

Brazil

In memory of Flávia Diniz a leader in the Black Lives with Disabilities Matter Movement (VNDI). (In Portuguese, Jan, Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship)

Egypt

Tomorrow is Yesterday: Disability in Ancient Egypt:

“Contrary to popular tropes, my research on Egypt has shown that whilst it was not a utopia, disabled people existed, thrived, and were incorporated into society.” (May, History Workshop)

Hungary

Marking the legacy of Gábor Gombos “To mark the second anniversary of Gábor’s passing, we are pleased to present a previously unseen interview with him about the right to legal capacity.” (Jun, Validity)

India

Honouring Dr. Bhargavi V. a page gathering tributes. (Jun, TCI Global) See also tributes from Mad in America.

Remembering Dr. Bhargavi Davar Executive Director of TCI Global. “We will honour Bhargavi’s important legacy by continuing our advocacy in the spirit of tireless and fearless activism which she embodied.” (May, IDA)

United Kingdom

Testimonies from the past Debrief feature looking at disabled people's life writing shows how their stories challenge official histories:

“All too often it is only the powerful who get to tell stories. This profoundly shapes how we see the world. But writing history without the testimony of ordinary disabled people is just smoke and mirrors.” (Jun, Disability Debrief)

United States

Losing Connie a tribute to Connie Rim, who shared publicly her journey with her Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spinal leak.

“What else can I do but try and transmute my rage and my grief about Connie's death and the unfairness of it all into something that can move the needle on all of this mess?” (May, Jodi Ettenberg)

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Humanitarian, Migrants and Refugees

Overview

Bangladesh

Robi’s journey a young boy with disability's daily life in the refugee camps and experience at a Norwegian Refugee Council learning centre. (May, European Commission)

Myanmar

Disability and women and girls in displacement from Myanmar: A factsheet on refugees and asylum seekers. (May, Relief Web)

South Sudan

‘Difficult choices’: The particular vulnerability of children with disabilities and others who have fled from Sudan. (May, The Irish Times)

Migration

Europe

Persons with Disabilities in Asylum and Reception Systems (Jan, European Union Agency for Asylum)

United Kingdom

Home Office in threat to deport disabled man to Nigeria after 38 years in UK. (May, the Guardian)

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Independent Living and Deinstitutionalization

Overview

Germany

Bye Bye Disabled Home: This Bremen couple wants to live independently. (In German, May, Buten un binnen)

United Kingdom

From closing down institutions to opening up communities

“[Today] the majority of adults with a learning disability or autism live with their parents (increasing numbers of who are over 70 reflecting improvements in life expectancy among adults with learning disabilities or autism). Living in a registered care home forms the next most common living arrangement. A minority own or rent their own home. The remainder are in ‘Supported living’ arrangements.” (Feb, Making rights make sense)

Conditions in Institutions

Bulgaria

“Poor her, for having dreams.” Monitoring report on torture and ill-treatment of persons with disabilities:

“The findings of this report show that although Bulgarian institutional settings vary in size and name, institutional culture prevails in all types of institutions, including small group homes” (Apr, Validity Foundation)

Germany

Attack on Lebenshilfe residential home in Mönchengladbach a right-wing extremist attack on a residential home for people with disabilities. (In German, May, WDR)

United States

Autistic Students at Shrub Oak School Have Suffered Without Oversight

“This School for Autistic Youth Can Cost $573,200 a Year. It Operates With Little Oversight, and Students Have Suffered.” (May, Pro Publica)

Uzbekistan

A woman with mental disabilities was bullied and abused in Syrdarya

“The unnamed woman with a mental disability lives in a women’s specialised boarding house for people with disabilities in Syrdarya. Such special boarding schools for disabled people are closed institutions, and it is difficult to get any information from there. But these days it’s so easy for videos to go viral in social media.” (May, Dilmurad Yusupov)

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Indigenous People and Minority Communities

Nepal

Profile of Pratima Gurung “Gurung shares her love for books growing up, the exclusion of marginalised and indigenous narratives in the curriculum, and the rights of indigenous and disabled communities.” (May, Kathmandu Post)

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International Cooperation

International News

UN Flagship Report On Disability And Development 2024 (Jun, UN)

Mary Keogh new chair of the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) (May, CBM Global)

Pact for the future: Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities calls for specific references to disability. (Mar, IDA)

Kyrgyzstan

Young champions with disabilities put their human rights training into practice (May, OHCHR)

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Justice Systems and Legal Capacity

Tanzania

Tanzania’s Criminal Justice System Fails People With Intellectual Disability “Its treatment of Limi, a mother with proven intellectual disability who has been in jail for over a decade after being accused of killing her child, reflects a disturbing disregard for humanity and the right to a fair trial.” (Mar, The Chanzo)

United States

This Judge Is Blind. He Wishes Our Justice System Were, Too. “In a new memoir, David S. Tatel recounts a remarkable career as a civil rights lawyer and federal judge, and the challenges of contending with the disease that took his vision.” (Jun, New York Times)

New York prisons are illegally subjecting disabled people to solitary (May, Prism)

Disability Justice and the Coalition to Stop Cop City (May, Narrative Initiative)

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Lived Experience and Opinion

Montenegro

Marijeta Mojasevic's journey from stroke survivor to disability rights activist

“I lost most of my friends because of the stigma and prejudice surrounding disability. I acquired new ones, the treasure of my life. As a youth counselor, I try to explain to young people why they should not be afraid of diversity, and disability is one of them,” (May, Global Voices)

New Zealand

Eat, pray, love and medicate: A chronically-ill backpacker's odyssey:

“It’s okay that I am better acquainted with the bathroom floor than the sights of Berlin. There is no checklist for the dreamy European summer.” (Jun, The D*List)

United States

The monsters that made me: Growing up as a disabled horror movie fan:

“From a young age, I subconsciously related to monsters, madmen, and every combination thereof. Many even taught me to frame disability in a positive fashion. The archetypal antagonists from the golden age of horror cinema — the Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster — all underwent a transformation to be imbued with extraordinary, otherworldly gifts. Their differences were a source of power, inverting the traditional view of disability as a hindrance, a burden.” (May, Polygon)

I'm More than My Disability, I'm Also a Huge Bitch. (May, The Squeaky Wheel)

Disability Worlds by Faye Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, who: “chronicle and theorize two decades of immersion in New York City’s wide-ranging disability worlds as parents, activists, anthropologists, and disability studies scholars.” (Apr, Combined Academic Publishers)

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Mental Health

Australia

Australia is getting a new digital mental health service. Will it help? Here’s what the evidence says:

“Low-intensity psychological interventions can work in Australia, but they can’t replace the bigger, more urgent reform our mental health system needs. More care for some people isn’t enough; we need better mental health for everyone.” (May, The Conversation)

Kenya

‘They said my bipolar was a curse from God for leaving priesthood’ (May, Nation)

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Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism

Overview

Canada

Only 3 Toronto beaches are accessible. Advocates want better. (May, CBC)

United Kingdom

Making Accessible Transport a Priority election manifesto. (Jun, Transport For All)

United States

When Driving Is Not an Option a book from Anna Leticia Zivarts on steering away from car dependency. (May, Island Press)

Air Travel

Costa Rica

Canadian Travel blogger highlights 'terrifying' wheelchair ordeal. “Tori Hunter, 26, posted a video of her disembarking the flight with the help of staff at an airport in Costa Rica.” (May, BBC)

Kenya

Kenya Airways Celebrates Inclusion by welcoming its first cabin crew member with albinism. (Jun, The Kenya Times) See also a video feature from Kenya Airways.

United States

​Collins unveils narrowbody wheelchair integration concept (May, Flight Global)

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Policy and Rights

Overview

International News

17th Session Of The Conference Of States Parties To The CRPD (COSP17). Agenda and videos of meetings. (Jun, UN)

Disability over-confident Commitments to inclusion not being put into practice. (Jun, Disability Debrief)

Africa

ECOWAS Now Has a Regional Action Plan for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in West Africa for the 2022-2030 Period. (Jun, ECOWAS)

Tanzania

UN Committee condemns Tanzania's lack of action on ritual killings and mutilations of people with albinism:

“We call on the State party to urgently and unambiguously condemn any attacks against people with albinism and to investigate any such attacks promptly and effectively,” said Committee member Amalia Gamio Ríos. “Failure to do so sends a message that ritual killings and mutilations are condoned, which amounts to serious violations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” (Apr, OHCHR)

Assisted Dying and Euthanasia

Canada

Canadians with disabilities remain locked in ‘legislated poverty,’ and many want to die. (Jun, Ricochet)

Father of Calgary woman starving herself to death abandons court fight 14 days after she stopped eating and drinking. (Jun, CBC)

New Canadian Bill Would Kill More Disabled Patients in Euthanasia “Amending Canada’s federal euthanasia law based on Bill C-390 would expand euthanasia enabling it to be decided by an advanced request, by causing federal legislation to be changed when a Province changes it’s provincial legislation.” (May, LifeNews)

The people lifting the lid on Canada's euthanasia regime. (May, Gript)

Netherlands

Cathelijne Verboeket-Crul wants the end of life to be more bearable. (In Dutch, Jun, NRC)

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Politics and Elections

India

Democracy Denied Disabled Voters Face Barriers in India’s Polling Process (May, Disability Justice Project)

Mexico

The first-reelected legislators with disabilities. Two women with disabilities reelected to their positions. (In Spanish, Jun, Yo También)

United Kingdom

There should be over 100 disabled MPs, but there are barely any. UK politics has a huge accessibility problem. “Disabled candidates at all levels of politics report overt and implicit discrimination from their parties, other politicians and the public.” (Jun, the Guardian)

General Election campaign fails to be accessible for Disabled people. (Jun, Disability Rights UK)

Discrimination is holding disabled politicians back – and I’ve seen it first hand

‘The long-serving MP for Harlow, Rob Halfon, who is himself disabled and standing down at this election, said “parliament is probably the worst place to work in the world if you have a disability”.’ (Jun, Big Issue)

Making Accessible Transport a Priority election manifesto. (Jun, Transport For All)

MP Craig Mackinlay returns to Commons after having hands and feet amputated (May, the Guardian)

United States

Disability Advocates Are Winning the Right to Plain Language Voting on proposed ballot measures. (Jun, Mother Jones)

Texas disabled advocates hold vigil at Governor's Mansion:

“For eight years, members of the disability rights group ADAPT of Texas and their sister organization, the Personal Attendant Coalition of Texas, have been trying to get a meeting with Abbott, who uses a wheelchair. Their chief concern is the pitifully low pay for caregivers, which leaves some disabled Texans without the in-home care they need to prepare meals, use the bathroom, shower and handle other daily tasks so they can safely live at home.” (May, Austin American Statesman)

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Relationships, Sex and Reproductive Rights

International News

Comprehensive sexuality education is currently failing persons with disabilities (Jun, Impel Consultancy)

United States

Today, ‘disability justice is reproductive justice’ — but that hasn’t always been the case. “The new Disability Reproductive Equity Act marks a new chapter in disability history, where more organizations are willing to work together on reproductive rights and justice issues.” (May, the 19th)

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Sport and Paralympics

Australia

Paralympic uniform featuring accessibility modifications launched at Australian Fashion Week (May, ABC News)

New Zealand

Bonding over battle: How wheelchair rugby is more than just a sport. (Jun, D*List)

United Kingdom

A new start after 60: “I was partially paralysed by a stroke – and it felt like hell. Then I found a new sport, family and future.” (Jun, the Guardian)

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Violence and Harassment

Hungary

Dis-connected: reported on disability-based connected facilities and programmes for prevention of violence against women and children in Hungary. (Apr, Validity)

Tanzania

Fear Grips Albino Community in Tanzania As Pressure Mounts on Authorities to Ensure Its Members’ Safety As Elections Near. “It cannot continue like this where people are killed like mice,” (Jun)

Child's father, Priest among nine arrested in murder of girl with albinism. Two-year old Asimwe Novath was abducted at the end of May and her body was found a bit over two weeks later. (Jun, The Citizen) See more about the search.

UN Committee condemns Tanzania's lack of action on ritual killings and mutilations of people with albinism:

“We call on the State party to urgently and unambiguously condemn any attacks against people with albinism and to investigate any such attacks promptly and effectively,” said Committee member Amalia Gamio Ríos. “Failure to do so sends a message that ritual killings and mutilations are condoned, which amounts to serious violations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” (Apr, OHCHR)

United States

Gun Violence Touches Nearly 60 Percent of Black Americans – and Predicts Disability:

“Survey data from 3,015 Black Americans linked specific disabilities ranging from trouble concentrating to difficulty dressing or bathing with exposure to various types of gun violence: being shot, being threatened with a firearm, knowing a shooting victim, and witnessing a shooting or hearing of one nearby.” (May, Rutgers)

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War in Ukraine

Evacuating or Leaving Ukraine

Europe

Displaced Ukrainians with Disabilities Seeking Temporary Protection in Europe situational update. (Jan, European Union Agency for Asylum)

Situation in Ukraine

Ukraine

A Resilient Picture: Experiences of Persons with Disabilities (Jun, SeeD, UNDP et al)

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