‘Include us’: Commonwealth disabled people’s forum urges ahead of 2026 summit

Commonwealth governments were urged on Friday to make disability inclusion and accessibility a central focus of their agenda when leaders meet in Antigua next year, as advocates warned that more than 430 million disabled people across the 56-nation grouping of mostly former British colonies are still being denied equal access and opportunity.

The Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF), which represents people with disabilities across all 56 Commonwealth countries, issued the call for a Disability Inclusion Action Plan to be adopted by Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua in 2026.

“Our mission is to get full implementation of the rights contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which 55 of the 56 countries, including Barbados, have signed and ratified,” said the CDPF’s General Secretary Richard Rieser.

Rieser noted that while Barbados had made significant progress through the passage of its new Persons with Disabilities Act and related policies, many Caribbean countries were still lagging behind in establishing similar frameworks.

“The situation is not as developed in most of those countries,” he explained. “We are currently — both here in the Caribbean and across other regions of the Commonwealth — seeking to get a Disability Inclusion Action Plan agreed by the heads of government when they meet next year in Antigua, so that disability becomes a clear priority in the Commonwealth’s work. At the moment, it’s not even mentioned in the plan that goes forward for the next five years.”

The Antigua summit will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Yet more than 430 million disabled people in the Commonwealth are still being denied equal access and opportunity, Rieser said.

“They are entitled to protection from discrimination and to be treated equally in education, health, employment, housing, and all areas of life — exactly what governments committed to when they ratified the convention,” he said.

Rieser urged governments to “dust off the document they’ve signed and actually make it a reality by collaborating across the Commonwealth”, noting that experiences vary widely among developed, developing, and least developed member states.

He also stressed the importance of public awareness and education under Article 8 of the convention, to help change perceptions of disability. “We have to stop seeing disability as something to fear or pity,” he said.

Highlighting ongoing barriers such as excessive guardianship and workplace discrimination, Rieser commended businesses that have embraced inclusion. “Too often, if employers are given a choice between a disabled and a non-disabled person, they choose the non-disabled one — which is a mistake,” he said. “Disabled people who reach that level of qualification have already proven their capability, dedication, and determination. Employers will get better value by hiring them.”

He praised retailer Massy for making a deliberate effort to hire people with disabilities.

CDPF Vice-Chair Kerry-Ann Ifill called on all Commonwealth governments to show genuine leadership by committing to accessibility and inclusion at every level.

She recalled that during the 2022 CHOGM in Rwanda, persons with disabilities faced major challenges in participating. “There was no provision for persons with disabilities to actively take part in many of the programmes or discussions,” she said. “Even at the so-called forum for disability, there was no sign language interpreting unless you brought your own. The rooms weren’t accessible; they couldn’t even accommodate the number of wheelchairs.”

Ifill said the proposed Disability Inclusion Action Plan would help ensure such exclusion never happens again. “We want every Commonwealth country to commit to making its systems accessible — schools, workplaces, transportation, and government buildings. Inclusion is not charity; it is a right,” she said.

Rieser added that the regional youth leadership training recently held in Barbados, which brought together young advocates from 12 Commonwealth Caribbean countries, showed the power of inclusive participation.

“We have young advocates who now have the knowledge and appreciation to return to their territories and push their governments to support the Disability Inclusion Action Plan,” he said. “All UN agencies have, for more than a decade, taken disability seriously. We don’t think the Commonwealth has. They still treat us in a tokenistic way, and that’s not what we want. We want to be treated fairly.”

(LG)