On Monday 22 July, the somali Disability network organized a two-day inclusion for persons with disabilities advocacy, which started on 22 July and ended on 23 July 2024. The workshop aims to strengthen mainstreaming for persons with disabilities in all stages of project development (design, implementation, need assessments, and monitoring). to get meaningful participation for persons with disabilities and address social challenges and also remove all the barriers to ensure that persons with disabilities are ‘not left behind’ at all levels (policy planning, project programming, implementation, and monitoring). The Advocacy Inclusion Workshop was held in Primo Palace in Mogadishu -Somalia, the workshop participated 29 persons from public institutions, private institutions, CSOs, DPOs, and persons with disabilities.
the season started with questions and consultation towards mainstreaming Disability in all phases of programs and also discussed the main challenges faced by people with disabilities and how to overcome these challenges, Among the questions discussed were:
- Do your organizations work with or hire people who have disabilities?
- When planning projects, do you engage organizations of persons with disabilities?
- What data tools do you apply while collecting disability Data?
- Do your organizations identify the obstacles that prevent persons with disabilities from participating meaningfully in society?
These questions provided more complications. Some organizations attempted to defend their organizations, while others from CSOs, stated that this question is critical for including and mainstreaming people with disabilities in all levels of programs (planning, implementation, and monitoring evaluations). One of the participants said  We encourage the SDN Team not to give up advocacy for disability inclusion and integration for people with disabilities.  SDN team said persons with disabilities and DPOs should participate in project planning meetings, act as implementers rather than just beneficiaries, and participate in the data collection process as nominators when applying for a need assessment. They should also be included in monitoring and evaluation processes.
objective of the workshop
- To reduce or remove barriers and risks faced by persons with disabilities and promote meaningful participation for PWDs in all their diversity.
- To strengthen the social inclusion of people with disabilities and make sure that persons with disabilities receive quality health services to achieve health and well-being.
- Strengthening mainstreaming and inclusion for persons with disabilities at all stages of humanitarian development response (design, implementation, including need assessments and monitoring).
