Skip to main content U.S. flag
          An official website of the United States government
            Here’s how you know
          Here's how you know **The .gov means it’s official.**
                
                Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure
                you’re on a federal government site.
 **The site is secure.**
                
                The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
                information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.


NCD Logo
    
    NCD.gov
          National Council on Disability
        An independent federal agency committed to disability policy leadership since 1978
 Menu


close About the Council
              Misson
                
                Council Members
                
                Council Staff
                
                Email Directory
                
                Council Meetings
                
                Feedback
          
        
          
            
            
            Newsroom
            
        
          
            
            Policy Advice
              Letters
                
                Reports
                
                Testimony
                
                Toolkits
                
                Progress Reports
                
                Frameworks
                
                Fact Sheets
                
                Resources
                
                FAQ
          
        
          
            
            Policy Areas
              Civil Rights
                
                CRPD
                
                Cultural Diversity
                
                Education
                
                Emergency Management
                
                Employment
                
                Financial Assistance and Incentives
                
                Health Care
                
                Housing
                
                International
                
                Long Term Services and Support
                
                Technology
                
                Transportation
                
                Youth Perspectives Font Size:
 A
      Font Size Normal
 A
      Font Size Large
 twitter logoTwitter
 instagram logoInstagram
 linkedin logoLinkedIn
 facebook logoFacebook
 youtube logoYoutube
 Contact Us
          
          Accountability Search small
      Search


Latest NCD Study Shows U.S. Foreign Aid Programs Often Leave People with Disabilities Behind Thursday, March  8, 2018
 
 **F﻿or Immediate Release** March 8, 2018 **WASHINGTON—**The National Council on Disability (NCD) – an independent, nonpartisan federal agency that advises the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy – today released a study, *U.S. Foreign Policy and Disability: Progress and Promise 2017*, that reveals that the development programs of the Department of State (DOS), the Peace Corps, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Millenium Challenge Corporation often leave people with disabilities behind – despite their great potential for mainstreaming inclusion of disability and increasing the quality of life for people with disabilities in developing countries. Approximately 800 million people with disabilities living in developing countries stand to benefit tremendously from U.S. foreign aid funded projects and programs that increase access to education, promote justice, and improve social and economic outcomes. Many of these individuals are aware of the U.S.’s longstanding commitment to inclusion of people with disabilities in its own country. Despite some progress observed, NCD’s analysis of several agencies’ policies and practices showed that efforts to date often suffer from a “silo effect” and lack sustained and coordinated engagement as well as accountability and evaluation. “The United States invests billions of dollars each year into foreign assistance programs that foster international diplomacy and development directed toward improving the quality of life for people around the world,” said Joan Durocher, NCD’s General Counsel and Director of Policy. “The United States cannot effectively accomplish the goals of foreign assistance programs unless it undertakes measures to ensure that the programs are accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities.” NCD’s study follows-up on its previous studies by providing a detailed and current assessment of the application of federal disability laws (both statutory and case law) to U.S. foreign aid programs. It reviewed the policies and practices of DOS, USAID, and the Peace Corps, and details the extent to which the these agencies have (1) developed policies and/or or programs to ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as recipients of U.S. foreign assistance, and (2) removed the specific barriers to access by individuals with disabilities identified in NCD’s prior foreign policy reports. The study also examined the policies and practices of the Millenium Challenge Corporation to determine whether it applies U.S. disability laws and policies to its programs overseas. NCD’s report concludes with recommendations for each agency regarding future actions for improvement where weaknesses are identified. The full *U.S. Foreign Policy and Disability: Progress and Promise 2017* report is available for download at: https://ncd.gov/publications/2018/us-foreign-policy-and-disability-progress-2017. **# # #**


Budget and Performance Congressional Budget Justification
            
            Financial Audits
            
            Buy American Act
            
            Government Performance and Results Act
 Resources Bylaws
            
            Strategic Plan
            
            Authorizing Statute
 Agency Governance News
            
            FOIA
            
            Contact NCD
            
            Subscribe for NCD News
 Policies / Statements No FEAR Act Data
            
            Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
            
            View accessibility statement
            
            View Equity Action Plan


twitter logoTwitter
 instagram logoInstagram
 linkedin logoLinkedIn
 facebook logoFacebook
 youtube logoYoutube
 
 Phone


NCD.gov
        An official website of the
          National Council on Disability