in English - Handicap International

2) Crosscutting and inclusive actions. It is essential that the needs of people with
disabilities—in both urban and rural zones—are included in development planning
(Global or National Development Plans), in public policies, and in the programs, projects
and actions derived from such policies.
This crosscutting inclusion should be present in the broadest range of programs, including
health, education and professional and technical training, employment, social
protection and poverty reduction, transportation, housing, information and communications,
tourism and culture, recreation and sports, etc. In addition, sustained State
actions are needed to guarantee accessibility to public infrastructure (remodeling or
constructing buildings that are accessible to all) and insuring that private buildings
where public services are provided are also accessible to all people.
There are some who argue that these crosscutting policies related to disabilities could
be counterproductive, since they could lead to the disappearance of more specific
and targeted programs before they are effectively replaced by programs that insure
the due inclusion of people with disabilities in national education programs, national
public health policies, employment and social security programs, etc. In other words,
if such crosscutting programs do not materialize immediately, people with disabilities
could be left completely on their own. It is important to heed this warning, to insure
that this does not occur, but it should not paralyze or postpone the promotion and
development of inclusive crosscutting policies.
3) Inclusive supervision. The State needs to supervise and guide private agencies
(foundations and charitable associations, or any other type) that offer services or
develop actions that benefit people with disabilities, so that they do so in ways that
promote development, respect for the dignity of disabled persons and for their rights,
and avoid all forms of segregation and exclusion.
4) Inclusive conditions and the sentinel approach. It is important that when multilateral
credit organizations like the World Bank (WB), the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB), the Central American Economic Integration Bank (BCIE) or any other international
institution award credit to countries (which all taxpayers end up paying
back through their taxes and other mechanisms), they include conditions in their
loans that guarantee accessibility to the goods and services generated by this credit.
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