New report on rehabilitation for human rights and SDGs

Humanity & Inclusion and the Global Rehabilitation Alliance recently published the Report “Rehabilitation for the realisation of human rights and inclusive development,” which places rehabilitation and disability within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The report highlights that rehabilitation plays a key role in enacting both the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the SDGs. Understanding the links between these instruments has the potential to support substantial progress towards the realisation of the SDGs, using disability-inclusion as a framework for action.

Fifty per cent of people with disabilities in many developing countries have unmet needs for rehabilitation, which constitutes a failure to uphold their human right to health and wellbeing.

ILEP Members will be most interested to read the conclusion as it provides sets of specific recommendations for different stakeholders (states, donors and civil society, including disabled people’s organisations), which have the potential to strengthen rehabilitation services and improve the health and wellbeing of millions around the world.

Systematic integration of rehabilitation into health systems, development of sustainable funding mechanisms aiming at UHC, and support to Community-Based Rehabilitation have been identified as crucial elements to make much-needed progress.