Disability In International Health And Development

Providing an overview and discussion of disability in an international context, this book offers insights relevant not only to policy-makers and practitioners, but also to students of international health and development. An estimated 500 million men, women and children live with some form of disability. Worldwide they are among the poorest and most marginalized of all citizens but, despite the size of this group and the magnitude of their needs, they are rarely included in international health and development initiatives. All too often, disability is still defined primarily as a medical issue, and placed at the bottom of a long list of competing priorities. The book argues that shifting policies and priorities in order to include individuals with disabilities brings benefits to all members of society, and sets out to show how this can and should become an important component in broad international health and development planning.