Addressing the Drivers of Digital Technology for Disability-Inclusive Development

2021 ◽  
pp. 32-57
Author(s):  
Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo ◽  
Deepti Samant Raja

Digital technologies represent the fastest, broadest, and deepest technical change experienced in international development, affecting every sector. Inclusive and accessible technology increases access by persons with disabilities to markets, spaces, and services. This has raised opportunities as well as the stakes, to ensure that technology-driven development is inclusive of the diverse needs of persons with disabilities. Digital ecosystems can evolve to advance toward the social inclusion, economic self-sufficiency, and resilience of persons with disabilities. There are success stories, but also continuing inequities and gaps in access, affordability, and usage of technology by persons with disabilities. Ultimately, investments in infrastructure, skills, regulation, and institutions are necessary to ensure accessible and inclusive digital development.

Author(s):  
Karen Lyons ◽  
Nathalie Huegler

The term social exclusion achieved widespread use in Europe from the late twentieth century. Its value as a concept that is different from poverty, with universal relevance, has since been debated. It is used in Western literature about international development, and some authors have linked it to the notion of capabilities. However, it is not widely used in the social work vocabulary. Conversely, the notion of social inclusion has gained in usage and application. This links with values that underlie promotion of empowerment and participation, whether of individuals, groups, or communities. Both terms are inextricably linked to the realities of inequalities within and between societies and to the principles of human rights and social justice that feature in the international definition of social work.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Embiricos

Abstract The years following the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ of 2015 saw unprecedented efforts to promote the social and economic inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers. Entrepreneurship has been praised as a promising route to refugee self-reliance, but its viability remains contested and under-researched in developed economies such as Germany. Limited literature on the topic suggests entrepreneurship is a useful route to self-sufficiency, although refugees face more barriers than other immigrant entrepreneurs, such as language barriers and bureaucratic processes. This article uses semi-structured interviews with refugee entrepreneurs, civil society, social enterprises and the public sector to identify the main challenges for refugee entrepreneurs and to examine whether entrepreneurship is effective for achieving self-reliance in one of the most important centres for creating innovative projects supporting refugee inclusion and entrepreneurship, namely Berlin. Though it is too early to demonstrate whether entrepreneurship has long-term economic gains, this research shows that entrepreneurship is not a ‘fast track’ to economic self-reliance, but has several benefits for social inclusion. It also demonstrates the importance of holistic support systems for refugee entrepreneurs and the difficulty of refugee entrepreneurial success even in the most developed economies.


2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-100
Author(s):  
Kwon Huck Ju

Development strategies based on neoliberal theories and good governance have failed to achieved clear outcomes. This paper examines the Saemaul Undong movement in Korea with the contention that it can provide a missing link between market- and state-oriented development policy. Saemaul Undong contributed to social and economic development in Korea not only as a self-help community movement but also as a mechanism of social inclusion. Its success was based on a social structure that was made more open to upward mobility by the land reform of the 1950s. A negative aspect of Saemaul Undong is that it was promoted by the government to mobilize political support for authoritarian President Park Chung Hee. In order to draw policy implications from Saemaul Undong for international development, it is necessary to consider the social and political context of the developing countries under consideration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-34
Author(s):  
Emese Balázs-Földi ◽  
Miklós Villás

The equal opportunities approach of the second half of the 20th century emphasizes the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups, including persons with disabilities. Education and employment play a key role in achieving integration. Nevertheless, other fields such as leisure time and sporting activities also contribute positively to the social involvement of persons with disabilities. At present nearly 7,000 persons with disabilities are registered in Hungary who pursue sports competitively, of whom approximately 5,000 persons with intellectual disabilities (Regényi et.al, 2017). The study discloses the partial results of a research aimed at revealing the awareness of the Hungarian population regarding the sport of people with disabilities. As such research has never been carried out in Hungary before, it can fill in a niche. The results of our exploratory research may be the starting point for further investigations. The importance of the topic is given by the fact that thanks to the sport the focus is on the outstanding performance of the social group concerned rather than on their limitations and deficiencies, which therefore reinforces the positive and accepting attitude of citizens. Previous research findings have highlighted that the nature of disability-related knowledge influences the way the members of society think about persons with disabilities, i.e. when it is possible to provide information and gain experience focusing on the existing abilities and strengths of the above -mentioned group, attitudes become more positive as well.  The findings of the research reveal that respondents consider it important to pursue sport within an integrated framework, at the same time they feel it is justified to do segregated sports with a view to persons with disabilities. Based on the results we can state that the media coverage of achievements in sports competitions of persons with disabilities is perceived as low level, but apparently it is not considered to be a key area in the lives of persons with disabilities.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1521-1545
Author(s):  
Danilo Piaggesi ◽  
Walter Castelnovo ◽  
Linamara Rizzo Battistella

In this chapter, the authors discuss a Knowledge Economy-based approach to the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwD). The approach, different from the traditional assistance model, considers PwD as active and valuable members of the present Knowledge Society, to be included in the active workforce. This is discussed with reference to a specific operational case study concerning the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Technology and Innovation in Favor of Persons with Disabilities (CETI-D) conceived by Fondazione Rosselli Americas and being implemented by the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil. At the beginning of the chapter, the authors discuss the problem of the inclusion of PwD as a further aspect of the digital divide phenomenon. Then, the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are presented—some international best practices concerning the social inclusion of PwD are also introduced. Later, the authors discuss the CETI-D initiative, with the aim of showing how ICT can represent a powerful tool for social and economic inclusion. Finally, the authors discuss the conditions under which the experience of the CETI-D can be replicated in other countries, with a specific focus on less developed countries.


Author(s):  
Shaun Grech

The need to focus on disability in the Global South as an academic and practice endeavor has garnered some support in recent years, often backed by frequent references to a disability and poverty relationship, and a consequent need to link disability and international development. Indeed, calls for disability mainstreaming, disability targeting, and emerging discourse on disability-inclusive development (DID) have stepped up, accompanied by policy developments and declarations such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the sustainable development goals (SDGS). Despite these shifts, disability remains marginalized in development research, policy, and programs. Overall, there is a lack of critical discussion on “disability and development,” and difficult questions, including those regarding the implications of development for disabled people, are often forsaken in favor of an approach that seeks to simplify and generalize. The result is that accounts on disability and development are not only partial and fragmented but also neocolonizing. Inspired by critical disability studies and decolonial theory, this chapter reflects critically on some of these concerns, addressing emerging issues that arise when Global North disability discourse and “development” confront complex and dynamic heterogeneous Southern spaces and disability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Venelin Terziev ◽  
Natalia Bekiarova ◽  
Marin Georgiev

In the last decade the concept of development and promotion of social economy and social entrepreneurship are part of EU policy to tackle the social exclusion of persons in a vulnerable position. Also, the model of social economy is one of the key instruments for achieving social objectives within the framework of the sustainable and inclusive growth. Social benefits are measured by integration and employment of disadvantaged people, the contribution to the process of social inclusion of other vulnerable people, and the economic indicator is expressed by saved public funds for social welfare, on the one hand, and the additional funds compensating the social costs of long-term unemployment. What is important to happen is to create suitable conditions for the development of social enterprises with the widest possible range - vulnerable groups themselves and their problems are diverse and different, and the "answer" to their needs must be flexible in order to be efficient and effective; "way to solutions" is not important (the path may be different, as are diverse and vast opportunities for economic initiatives) that leads to the result itself, the result is important - better integration and sustainable tackling of social exclusion.The Economic and Social Council of the Republic of Bulgaria (ESC) believes that social enterprises in Bulgaria are still an untapped business model. Current social enterprises are mainly non-governmental organizations by applying the relevant legislation creating social enterprises whose business is focused on the realization of the social purpose and mission of the organization. Social enterprises in Bulgaria operate in various sectors, the most serious part are in: the delivery of social services; providing jobs for people with disabilities; mediation in finding employment of unemployed persons; provision of health services; аctivities in the field of education and others.In realizing these activities the leading is not the end product but the achieved social effect on individuals themselves expressed in obtaining the necessary support to integrate into society. In this sense, there are three basic models of social enterprises: The most common model is the one that creates jobs and develops the workforce. By business jobs are created primarily for people with disabilities. Most often the social enterprise is the employer of people with disabilities in order to achieve the integration of persons with disabilities in the labor market and create conditions for a better life. Another popular model of a social enterprise is the one in which the enterprise produces goods and seeks markets, also engaging with their distribution. Most often social enterprises involve persons with disabilities in the form of occupational therapy involved in the production of certain goods. Existing social enterprises in Bulgaria within this model are engaged in the manufacture of certain products by persons who are unemployed or socially excluded. The aim is to enable them to work and improve their social inclusion. The third existing model in Bulgaria is related to the provision of social services generally through payment of external customers, while social enterprise provides social services to its members. Payment is under contract with the state or a municipality. Within this model, services are provided to different users paid directly to social enterprise for direct service.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 643-649
Author(s):  
Syeda Mahnaz Hassan ◽  
Aliya Khalid ◽  
Muhammad Arshad ◽  
Shajiah Qursam

This paper aims to explore the role of professional social workers in the social inclusion of disabled persons in Pakistan. This paper highlights the present scenario of social work practice with the disabled community and how professional social workers are bringing social inclusion of disabled persons by working effectively in the field. The data for this study was collected through qualitative approach. The semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data through in-depth interviews from thirteen professional social workers who are working for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Pakistani community. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The data revealed that social workers have enough abilities to create a bridge between disabled persons with their community. There are different sources present in the community which can be utilized by professional social workers to enable disabled persons to live a normal life. Unawareness of common people and government towards the roles of social workers has been observed in this study. Enhancement and encouragement of social work practice in the field of disability is particularly needed.


Author(s):  
Simone Zorzi ◽  
Gunars Strods

The cultural changes that have taken place and the social sciences contributions that have been published over the last few decades have inaugurated a new vision of people with disabilities that upholds the values of rights, equality, participation, and social inclusion. Although these changes have been widely supported through the ratification of important international treaties (for example, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) and by scientific evidence, however, they are still struggling to penetrate into the wider social and cultural system, or to become common practice in services directed at people with disabilities. Social inclusion for people with disabilities, and in particular intellectual disabilities, remains, in fact, a difficult objective to achieve. Above all, cultural barriers are still a hindering factor in social inclusion processes. This paper is a commentary on the research carried out within the two-year European project ESEC (Extending Social Educators Competences).


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