People with disabilities represent approximately 15% of the world’s population. Of these, eight out of ten live in countries in the southern hemisphere. Italy, long committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of society, further reinforced its dedication following the signing and ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. In accordance with the provisions of the Convention, in 2013 the Italian Cooperation adopted the “Italian Cooperation Action Plan on Disability,” the result of a participatory process involving representatives of civil society, regions, local authorities, businesses, and Italian institutions.
The drafting and implementation of the Plan involved collaboration with the Italian Disability and Development Network (RIDS). The Plan was included in the “Two-Year Action Program for the Promotion of the Rights and Integration of Persons with Disabilities” developed by the members of the National Observatory. Since 2013, numerous activities have been carried out through technical working groups set up to follow up on the actions of the plan.
As part of the actions envisaged in the Plan, on November 18, 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the international conference “Including Disability in Development Cooperation: experiences of collaboration between Governments, NGOs, and DPOs,” jointly promoted by the DGCS and the RIDS. The conference was attended by Italian and international representatives of institutions and civil society working to include the disability dimension in development programs and policies.
Documents produced by technical working groups:
Handbook on humanitarian aid and disability ;
Inclusive education and development cooperation
Guidelines on accessibility standards for buildings financed by Italian Cooperation;
In 2018, the first guidelines in the sector were adopted: “Guidelines for disability and social inclusion in cooperation interventions.”
In 2022, a MOOC (Massive Online Open Courses) on “inclusive design” was created using an advanced digital platform (Federica Web Learning), developed by the University of Naples Federico II in collaboration with the International Cooperation Group of the National Observatory on the Condition of Persons with Disabilities, of which AICS is co-coordinator. The training will strengthen the skills of all staff in institutions, associations, public and private organizations (including MAECI and AICS) for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all international cooperation projects, actions, and initiatives in a mainstreaming approach.
During Italy’s presidency of the G7, the Solfagnano Charter was adopted, the result of the first G7 ministerial meeting specifically dedicated to the issues of inclusion and disability. This meeting established a shared commitment by governments to ensure the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all areas of social life. The Declaration promotes the integration of disability into sustainable development policies, both nationally and internationally, and recognizes the fundamental role of civil society and third sector organizations (TSOs) in the inclusion process.
In September 2024, Italy presented a Declaration on the Cultural Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the United Nations, which received broad international support with approximately 150 countries signing up. The Declaration recognizes the right of persons with disabilities to participate fully in cultural life, preserving their identity and promoting universal access, including through accessible digital tools. The initiative aims to strengthen national policies and integrate cultural rights into education systems and public strategies.
Among the specific actions carried out by the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation is the three-year agreement (renewed from 2021) with the Filippide Association, which promotes sport and the inclusion of people with disabilities by organizing sporting events and solidarity initiatives such as the Rome Marathon dedicated to people on the autism spectrum (RUN FOR AUTISM).