联合国（UN）：与残疾人一道为残疾人实现包容性发展

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UnitedNations

GeneralAssemblyDistr.:General20July2022

Original:English

Seventy-seventhsession

Item25(b)oftheprovisionalagenda*

Socialdevelopment:socialdevelopment,includingquestions

relatingtotheworldsocialsituationandtoyouth,ageing,

personswithdisabilitiesandthefamily

InclusivedevelopmentforandwithpersonswithdisabilitiesReportoftheSecretary-General

Summary

InresponsetoGeneralAssemblyresolution

75/154,

thepresentreportaddressesthesituationofpersonswithdisabilitiesandinclusivedevelopment,includinginthecontextoftheongoingeffortsbytheinternationalcommunitytoadvancedisabilityinclusionintherecoveryfromthecoronavirusdisease(COVID-19)pandemicandtobuildbackbettertowardaninclusive,accessibleandsustainableworld.Buildingonthepreviousreport

(A/75/187)

,thepresentreportprovidesasummaryofavailableinformationonsucheffortsandinitiativesbyMemberStates,UnitedNationsentitiesandcivilsocietyorganizations,aswellasotherrelevantstakeholders.Itconcludeswithrecommendationsforactiontofurtherpromotetheinclusionofpersonswithdisabilities,inlinewiththe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentandtheConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities.

*

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I.Introduction

1.TheGeneralAssembly,initsresolution

75/154,

reaffirmeditscommitmenttotherealizationoftheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsforandwithpersonswithdisabilities,inalignmentwiththeConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities,recognizingtheprogressmadeandtheremainingchallengestointegratingtherights,participation,perspectivesandneedsofpersonswithdisabilitiesintodevelopmentpoliciesandprogrammes,inparticularintotheimplementationofthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment.

2.Theunprecedentedcrisistriggeredbythecoronavirusdisease(COVID-19)pandemichasoffsetprogressindisability-inclusivedevelopmentandhashighlightedthedepthofthemarginalizationthatpersonswithdisabilitiesfaceeventoday.Theglobalrecessionstemmingfromthepandemichasalsoexacerbatedpovertyforpopulationswithvulnerabilities,includingpersonswithdisabilities.Inaddition,ithasaugmentedorcreatednewbarrierstogainingaccesstoemployment,socialprotection,education,healthcare,informationandcommunicationstechnology(ICT)andassistivetechnology.Furthermore,recenthumanitarianemergencieshavedemonstratedthattheneedsandperspectivesofpersonswithdisabilitiesremainlargelyoverlookedintermsofpreparednessforandresponsetoarmedconflict,naturaldisastersandotherhumanitariansituations.

3.However,thecurrentprocesstobuildbackbetterpresentsopportunitiestosetnewnorms,standardsandguidelines,forgepartnershipsandstrengtheninstitutionstobuildsafeguardsagainstthedevastatingimpactofcurrentandfuturecrises.

4.The2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentconstitutesaglobaldevelopmentagendaforinclusive,equitableandsustainabledevelopmentandpledgestoleavenoonebehind,includingpersonswithdisabilities.Reachingthe17SustainableDevelopmentGoalsrequiresacceleratedactionsinthelightoftheCOVID-19pandemicandeffortstobuildbackbettertowardamoreinclusive,accessibleandsustainablepost-COVID-19world.

5.TheoutcomedocumentoftheHigh-levelMeetingontherealizationoftheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals,entitled“Thewayforward,adisability-inclusivedevelopmentagendatowards2015andbeyond”,1underlinedtheneedforurgentactionbyallstakeholderstowardsmoreambitiousdisability-inclusivenationaldevelopmentstrategiesanddisability-targetedmeasures,backedbyincreasedinternationalcooperationandsupport,inlinewiththeConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities.Ithasservedtoplacedisabilityattheheartoftheglobalagendaandidentifiedpersonswithdisabilitiesandtheirrepresentativeorganizationsasessentialpartnersinintegratingthedisabilityperspectiveandanalyticallensininclusiveglobaldevelopment,includingtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoalsframeworkandtheirinclusioninthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopment.

6.ThereportoftheSecretary-Generalentitled“OurCommonAgenda”2putforth12keyproposals,includingonleavingnoonebehind,protectingourplanet,promotingpeaceandpreventingconflicts,improvingdigitalcooperation,buildingtrustandboostingpartnershipsandplacingwomenandgirlsatthecentreofeffortstorealizetheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsby2030,whiledirectingCOVID-19responseandrecoverytowardourglobalgoals.

1

A/68/95.

2See

/en/content/common-agenda-report/.

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II.SituationofpersonswithdisabilitiesinthecontextoftheCOVID-19pandemic

A.Povertyeradicationandhungeralleviation

7.Globally,personswithdisabilitiesaremorelikelytoliveinpoverty,beunemployed,workintheinformalsectororinprecariousemploymentandbedeprivedoflabourrights,decentworkingconditions,andsocialprotection.Veryfewcountriespublishofficialstatisticsonhungerandpovertydisaggregatedbydisability.However,thereisincreasingevidencethatpersonswithdisabilitiesandtheirhouseholdsaremorelikelytoexperiencehungerandpovertygiventhatpersonswithdisabilitiesfrequentlyexperiencelowerearningsandextraexpensesassociatedwithhealthcare,transportation,personalassistance,housingmodificationsandmore.3

8.Personswithdisabilitiesmakeupalargerproportionofadultsinpoverty,rangingfrom44to57percent,dependingontheirfunctionaldifficulty.4Insomecountries,theproportionofpersonswithdisabilitieslivinginpovertyisdoublethatofpersonswithoutdisabilities.Thisproportionishigherforwomenwhoresideinruralareas,middle-agedwomenandwomenwithdifficultiesinhearingandcommunicating.Disproportionatelylowereducationalattainment,sanitationandstandardoflivingindicatorsdrivethisresult.

9.Furthermore,evidencefrom51countriessuggeststhattheriskoffoodinsecurityisdisproportionatelylargerforpersonswithdisabilities.5

10.TheCOVID-19pandemichasledtoanincreaseinhouseholdfoodinsecurityandpoverty.6TheWorldFoodProgrammepredictedthatthenumberofacutelyfood-insecurepeopleinlow-andmiddle-incomecountrieswouldnearlydoublefrom2019to2020.7TheWorldBankestimatesthatthepandemiccaused100millionpeopletofallbackintoextremepoverty.8

11.However,itisdifficulttoassesstheimpactofCOVID-19-inducedpovertyandfoodinsecurityonpersonswithdisabilitiesowingtoalackofrecentofficialstatistics.Someevidencefromstudiesinseveralcountriespointstothegreatervulnerabilityofpersonswithdisabilitiestofoodinsecurityandpovertyduringthepandemic.InSriLanka,aqualitativestudypointstoaworseningeconomicsituationforpersonswithvisualdisabilities.9IntheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland,peoplewithdisabilitiesweremorelikelythantheirpeerswithoutdisabilitiestoreporthigherlevelsoffinancialstressduringthefirstthreemonthsofthe

3S.MitraandJ.Yap“TheDisabilityDataReport2021”(DisabilityDataInitiativeandFordhamResearchConsortiumonDisability,NewYork,2021).

4Ibid.

5UnitedNations,Disabilityanddevelopmentreport(NewYork,2019).Availableat

/publications/UN-Flagship-Report-Disability-Final.pdf.

6N.Lustigetal,“TheImpactofCOVID-19LockdownsandExpandedSocialAssistanceon

Inequality,PovertyandMobilityinArgentina,Brazil,ColombiaandMexico”,CenterforGlobal

DevelopmentworkingpaperNo.556(Washington,D.C.,2020).Availableat

/publication/impact-covid-19-lockdowns-and-expanded-social-assistance-

inequality-poverty-and-mobility.

7See

/news/covid-19-will-double-number-people-facing-food-crises-unless-swift-

action-taken.

8WorldBank,GlobalEconomicProspectsreport(Washington,D.C.,June2021),p.24.

9T.Suraweeraetal,“Anightmareina‘darker’world:personswithblindnessunderthe

SriLanka’sCOVID-19shutdown”,Disability&Society,vol.36,iss.7(2021),pp.1192–1196.

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COVID-19shutdown.10ForpersonswithdisabilitiesintheUnitedStatesofAmerica,thepercentageofworking-agepeoplewhoexperiencedfoodsecurityfellbysixpercentagepointsbetweenMarchandSeptember2020(59to53percent).11Personswithdisabilitiesareoftennotinvolvedinthedesignandplanningofpovertyalleviationmeasures,andmanysuchmeasuresaredesignedwithoutconsideringaccessibilityandtheperspectivesofpersonswithdisabilities.12

12.MemberStateshaveimplementedimmediatemeasurestobringaboutreliefandimprovethesocioeconomiclivesofpersonswithdisabilities,andsomesuchmeasureshavealreadyproventheireffectiveness.Toexpandaccessibilityprogrammesandservicesforpersonswithdisabilities,MemberStateshavebeenworkingtocreateinclusivecitiesandcommunities.

B.Inclusiveemploymentanddecentwork

13.Despitethelackofinternationallycomparableofficialstatisticsonpersonswithdisabilitiesinworkandbusiness,sufficientevidencerevealstheexistenceofgapsthatimpedetherealizationoftherighttoworkforpersonswithdisabilities.Theseincludealackofaccessibleenvironmentsandinformation,shortcomingsindisabilityinclusionpolicy,inadequateemployercapacityandstigma.

14.PriortotheCOVID-19pandemic,therehadbeenconsistentevidenceacrosscountriesthatpersonswithdisabilitieswerelesslikelytobeemployed.Accordingtodatafrom91countriesandterritoriesgatheredin2017,only36percentofworking-agepersonswithdisabilitieswereemployed,comparedwith60percentofpersonswithoutdisabilities.13Personswithdisabilitiesarealsomorelikelytodoinformalwork14andmorelikelytoearnlessthantheircounterpartswithoutdisabilities.Womenandgirls,personswithintellectualandpsychosocialdisabilityandolderpeopleallfacegreaterbarrierstofullemployment.InNorthernAfricaandWesternAsia,womenwithdisabilitiesarefivetimeslesslikelytobeemployedthanmenwithoutdisabilities,andinEuropetheyaretwotimeslesslikely.15Personswithintellectualandpsychosocialdisabilitiesfaceincreasedstigmaanddiscrimination;lackappropriatecapacitybuildingandjob-orientedtransitionsupportandhavedifficultyretainingpositionsduetoperiodsofforcedhospitalizationorinstitutionalization.Furthermore,personsovertheageof60withadisabilityarelessthanhalfaslikelytoworkthantheirpeerswithoutdisabilities.16

15.TheCOVID-19pandemicandtheglobalrecessionhaveledtoadeclineinworkinghoursforthosewhocontinuedtoworkandariseinjoblosses,reflectedinincreasedunemploymentandinactivityrates.Accordingtoestimates,globallabourincomedeclinedby8.3percentin2020,whichamountsto$3.7trillion,or4.4percentoftheworld’sgrossdomesticproduct.17

10M.Gignacetal,“ImpactsoftheCOVID-19pandemiconhealth,financialworries,andperceivedorganizationalsupportamongpeoplelivingwithdisabilitiesinCanada”,DisabilityandHealth

Journal,vol.14,iss.4(October2021);availableat

/10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101161.

11D.L.Bruckeretal,“Foodsufficiencyandtheutilizationoffreefoodresourcesforworking-ageAmericanswithdisabilitiesduringtheCOVID-19pandemic”,DisabilityandHealthJournal,

vol.15(3)(2022).

12UnitedNations,Disabilityanddevelopmentreport.

13Ibid.

14MitraandYap,“TheDisabilityDataReport”.

15UnitedNations,Disabilityanddevelopmentreport.

16WorldHealthOrganization(WHO)andWorldBank,WorldReportonDisability(Geneva,2011),p.238.

17ILO“ILOMonitor:COVID-19andtheworldofwork.Seventhedition”(Geneva,2021).

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16.Duringcrisisandrecoveryperiods,personswithdisabilitiesaresignificantlyaffectedbylabourmarketcontractions.Evidencefromtherecessionof2007to2008indicatesthatpersonswithdisabilitiesweremorelikelytolosetheirjobsintheUnitedStates,18andthenumberofpersonswithdisabilitiesinemploymentdecreasedmorethanthatofpersonswithoutdisabilities.19WorkerswithdisabilitiesintheUnitedKingdomweredisproportionallyaffectedbyrecession-inducedchangestoworkload,workstructureorganization,salariesandaccesstotraining.20Onestudyfoundthatanestimated40percentofpersonswithdisabilitiesinaLatinAmericancountryhadlosttheirjobsafterthestartoftheCOVID-19-relatedquarantine,withsignificantimpactsonhouseholdincomes,despiteadearthofspecificdataontheeffectsoftheCOVID-19pandemicontheemploymentofpersonswithdisabilities.21Inaddition,aUnitedKingdomsurveyshowedthatrespondentswithdisabilitiesweremorelikelytobeworkingfewerhoursthanthosewithoutdisabilitiesduringthethreemonthsoftheCOVID-19lockdown.22Furthermore,researchconductedin2020in37nationsfoundthat83percentofparentsandcaregiversofchildrenwithdisabilitieshadlostmorethanhalfoftheirincomesincetheonsetoftheCOVID-19pandemic,comparedwith66percentofthosewithoutdisabilities.23

17.Althoughtheevidencesofarcoversfewcountriesoronlyparticularsubsetsofpersonswithdisabilities,itisreasonabletoexpectthatpersonswithdisabilities,overallandglobally,havebeendisproportionatelyhitbythelabourmarketcrisisassociatedwiththeCOVID-19pandemic.Furthermore,despitehopesforastrongeconomicrecoveryin2021and2022withtheroll-outoftheCOVID-19vaccine,thedataonitspreciseimpactisstillunclear,andthereisstillagreatdealofuncertaintyregardingtheglobaleconomy.

18.WomenandgirlswithdisabilitieshavebeenmoregreatlyaffectedbyincomelossesduringtheCOVID-19pandemicthanmenwithdisabilities.Whilesimilarproportionsofmenandwomenwithdisabilitiesreportedincomelosses(81percentcomparedwith78percent,respectively),intermsofthelossofallormostofincome,womenwithdisabilitiesweremuchmoreaffected:69percentoffemaleparents/caregiverswithdisabilitieslostallormostoftheirincome,comparedwith55percentofmaleparents/caregiverswithdisabilities.24Theincreaseindemandforcareworkinthecontextofthepandemichasdeepenedexistinginequalitiesinthegenderdivisionoflabour.Targetedinterventionsareneededtoclosethisgendergap.

19.Inapositivedevelopment,COVID-19gaveanopportunitytomanyemployerstorethinktheirworkplaceandmakeitmoreinclusive.InasurveyconductedbytheInternationalLabourOrganization(ILO)inMayandJune2022amongbusinessesaroundtheworldthatarecommittedtodisabilityinclusion,70percentofthebusinessesreportedmakingchangestobusinessoperationsorservicedeliverythat

18H.S.Kayeetal“Whydon’temployershireandretainworkerswithdisabilities?”Journalofoccupationalrehabilitation,21(4)(2011),pp.526-536.

19G.A.LivermoreandT.C.Honeycutt“EmploymentandEconomicWell-BeingofPeopleWithandWithoutDisabilitiesBeforeandAftertheGreatRecession”,JournalofDisabilityPolicyStudies,vol.26,iss.2(2015),pp.70-79.

20Kayeetal“Whydon’temployers”.

21EconomicCommissionforLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean,“Personswithdisabilitiesand

coronavirusdisease(COVID-19)inLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean:statusandguidelines”

(April2020).Availableat

/bitstream/handle/11362/45492/1/

S2000299_en.pdf.

22Z.Aitkenetal,“TheImpactofDisabilityonEmploymentandFinancialSecurityFollowingtheOutbreakofthe2020COVID-19PandemicintheUK”,JournalofPublicHealth,vol.43,iss.3(September2021),pp.472–478.Availableat

/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa270.

23SavetheChildren,“ThehiddenimpactofCOVID-19onchildrenandfamilieswithdisabilities”

(London,2020).

24Ibid.

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wereinclusiveofpersonswithdisabilities,and37percentofthemconsultedorganizationsofandforpersonswithdisabilitiesontheirCOVID-19responses.AmongbusinessesthatreceivedpublicfundstomitigatetheimpactofCOVID-19ontheircompanies,63percentusedthefundstosafeguardtheemploymentofpersonswithdisabilities,forexamplethroughsubsidiesforworkplaceadjustmentsandwagesubsidies.Despitetheseopportunities,thebusinessesstillreportedchallengestomaintainingtheircommitmenttodisabilityinclusion.Inparticular,32percentreportedthatmorecapacityinprovidingworkplaceadjustmentsforinclusiveremoteworkwasneeded.25

C.Socialprotectionandservices

20.Duetoheightenedlevelsofpovertyandunemployment,personswithdisabilitieshavesignificantneedsforsupportthatremainunmetbyinadequateorinaccessiblesocialprotectionsystems.In2019,only27.8percentofpersonswithseveredisabilitiesworldwidereceivedadisabilitybenefit.26Inhigh-incomecountries,whereformalsupportservicesareavailable,suchsupportisofteninsufficient.Forexample,intheUnitedStates,over700,000personswithdisabilitieswaitanaverageof30monthsonwaitinglistsforlong-termservicesandsupportprovidedthroughState-fundedhealthinsurance.27Accesstosocialprotectionprogrammes,evendisability-targetedones,hasbeenshowntoberestrictedbyavarietyofbarriers,suchasnotknowinghowtoapply,absenceofdocumentation,accessibilityofgrantoffices,lackofclarityinthedisabilityevaluationprocessandprejudicebystaffatgrantofficestowardscertaindisabilities,inparticularpersonswithpsychosocialdisabilities.28Inlow-andmiddle-incomecountries,thissupport,ifprovided,isoftenwithinthecontextofcommunity-basedrehabilitation.

21.Personswithdisabilitieswhocannotgainaccesstosupportservicesareatanincreasedriskofpoverty,experiencingviolenceandneglectandbeingdeprivedoflegalcapacity.Intheabsenceofgovernmentaid,familiesareexpectedtobethemain,ifnotonly,sourceofsupport.Thishassignificantimplicationsforthesocioeconomicstatusofthefamily,asboththepersonwithadisabilityandthefamilymembers,usuallywomen,areforcedtoforgoeducationandemploymentopportunities.29

22.Inaddition,manypersonswithdisabilitieswithneedsforsupportareisolatedininstitutionalcareinstitutions,includingtwomillionchildrenworldwide30andthosewithmentalhealthconditionsin60countries.31Overthepasttwodecades,theUnited

25UnitedNations,Disabilityanddevelopmentreport.

26ILO,WorldSocialProtectionReport2017–2019:UniversalSocialProtectiontoAchievetheSustainableDevelopmentGoals(Geneva,2017).

27J.Skatssoon,“Homecarewaitlistdrops-butnotenough”(CommunityCareReview,2021).

Availableat

.au/2021/03/30/home-care-wait-list-drops-but-not-

enough/.

28L.M.Banksetal“Povertyanddisabilityinlow-andmiddle-incomecountries:Asystematicreview”,PLoSONE,(December2017).

29A.Vasquez,“Howcanwebestprovidecommunitysupportsinlow-andmiddle-income

countries?”(2021).Availableat

/forum/how-can-we-best-provide-

community-supports-in-low-and-middle-income-countries/.

30UNICEFandTransformativeMonitoringforEnhancedEquity,“ChildreninResidentialCare”database(2018).Availableat

/database/.

31HumanRightsWatch,LivinginChains:ShacklingofPeoplewithPsychosocialDisabilities

Worldwide(2020).Availablefrom

/report/2020/10/06/living-chains/shackling-

people-psychosocial-disabilities-worldwide.

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Nations,32theWorldHealthOrganization(WHO),33HumanRightsWatch,34DisabilityRightsInternationalandothercivilsocietyorganizationshavedocumentedsignificanthumanrightsabusesintheseinstitutions.

23.AlargeproportionofhouseholdswithpersonswithdisabilitieshavealsolosttheirusualcashtransfersorremittanceflowssincethestartoftheCOVID-19pandemic,includingthosefromtheGovernment,friendsorfamily.Forexample,in2020,49percentofparents/caregiverswithdisabilitiesfromhouseholdsthathadreceivedgovernmentbenefitsandsocialsafetynetsbeforeCOVID-19reportedthehouseholdhadlostthemsinceCOVID-19,comparedwith31percentofparents/caregiverswithoutdisabilities35.However,severalcountriesimplementedinterventionstoaddresstheeconomicimpactsofCOVID-19explicitlytargetedtowardspersonswithdisabilities.36Forexample,inSouthAfrica,thecashamountofdisabilitybenefitsincreasedduringthepandemic.37

24.SupportmeasuresinresponsetoCOVID-19needtogobeyondworkerswhoholdformalsectorjobsandincludeinformal,part-timeandseasonalworkers,mostofwhomarewomen.As80-90percentofpersonswithdisabilitiesliveintheinformaleconomy,formalizingwillhaveagreatimpactonthispopulation.

D.Inclusiveeducationanddistancelearning

25.Asignificantcontributortodisproportionatepovertyamongpersonswithdisabilitiesisalackofaccesstoeducation.Althoughthedataonout-of-schoolchildrenremainsimprecise,a2020estimatesuggeststhatchildrenwithdisabilitiesmakeupone-third,oraround19million,ofthe58millionout-of-schoolchildrenattheprimarylevel.38Exclusionbecomesevenmoresevereathigherlevelsofeducation.Whilethereisalackoffirmestimatesinrecenthigh-levelreportsowingtoinconsistentdata,multiplesourcesindicatethatbetweenonequarterandonehalfofchildrenwithadisabilityarenotinschool,comparedwithjust13percentoftheirpeerswithoutdisabilities.39Thesechildrenfacemultiplebarrierstoaccessibleeducation,includingprejudiceanddiscriminationagainstthosewithdisabilities,alackofqualifiedteacherstoaccommodatetheneedsoflearnerswithdisabilitiesandtheinaccessibilityofschoolfacilitiesandeducationalmaterials.

26.Inmostcountries,womenwithdisabilitiestendtobeworseoffintermsofeducationaloutcomescomparedwithwomenwithoutdisabilities.Forexample,dependingontheirfunctionaldifficulty,theproportionofwomenwithdisabilitieswithlessthanaprimary-schooleducationrangesfrom35to44percent.

27.Attendancegapsareonlythefirststepinmeasuringtheimpactofdisabilityorothercharacteristicsoneducation.Thereisalsoalackofaccesstoinformation,

32OfficeoftheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforHumanRights,“Deprivationoflibertyfor

peoplewithdisabilitiesamassiveglobalrightsviolation,saysUNexpert”(Geneva,2019).Availableat

/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24262&LangID=E.

33WHO“NewWHOguidanceseekstoputanendtohumanrightsviolationsinmentalhealthcare”

(Geneva,2021).Availableat

/news/item/10-06-2021-new-who-guidance-seeks-to-

put-an-end-to-human-rights-violations-in-mental-health-care.

34HumanRightsWatch,LivinginChains.

35SavetheChildren,“ThehiddenimpactofCOVID-19”.

36InternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)“PolicyResponsestoCOVID-19”(2020).Availableat

/en/Topics/imf-and-covid19/Policy-Responses-to-COVID-19.

37GovernmentofSouthAfricaGazette,vol.659,No.43300(9May2020).

38UnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization(UNESCO).GlobalEducation

MonitoringReport2020:InclusionandEducation:AllMeansAll(Paris,2020).

39UNICEF,“ChildrenwithDisabilities”(2021).Availableat

/eca/children-

disabilities.

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inclusiveeducation,job-orientedvocationalskillstrainingandschool-to-worktransitionsupportforyoungpeoplewithdisabilities.

28.Thelimitedavailabledatashowsthatchildrenwithdisabilitieshavepoorerlearningoutcomesthantheirpeerswithoutdisabilities.Childrenwithdisabilitiesarelesslikelytoachieveage-appropriateskillsinreadingthantheirpeerswithoutdisabilities.40However,beinginschooldoeshaveapositiveimpactonchildrenwithdisabilities’learningand,onecouldargue,well-being,andtheyaremorelikelytostayenrolledwhenprovidedwithameaningful,quality,relevanteducation.41

29.Priortothepandemic,somecountriesweremakingprogresstowarddevelopinginclusiveeducationsystems,butsignificantchallengespersist.Theseincludedifferentunderstandingsoftheword“inclusion”,alackofteachersupport,anabsenceofdataonthoseexcludedfromeducation,inappropriateinfrastructure,thepersistenceofparallelsystemsandspecialschools,alackofpoliticalwillandcommunitysupport,untargetedfinance,anduncoordinatedgovernance.Furthermore,hungerandpovertymaymakeitdifficultforsomechildrentostayinschool.

30.TheCOVID-19pandemichasmagnifiededucationalinequalitiesowingtothedisproportionateimpactsofschoolclosuresonlearnerswithdisabilitiesandthechallengesposedbydistancelearning.Inastudyindevelopingcountries,17percentofrespondentswithdisabilitieswhowereineducationbeforethepandemicreporteddroppingoutduringthepandemic.42Thelonginterruptioninschoolinghashadsignificantconsequencesforallchildren’slearning,developmentandwell-being,but