(KPL) The recently launched Australian International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy aims to promote disability equity through Australia’s engagement with countries in the region.

This is the first international disability strategy released by the Government of Australia in nearly a decade, designed at advancing improvements for people with disability through its international development and humanitarian programs.

The new strategy sets a target for 60 per cent of all development programming to be performing effectively on disability equity by 2026 with a staged approach to reach 70 per cent by 2030.

Australia and Laos already have strong engagement on disability. For example, the Basic Education Quality and Access in  the Lao PDR program supports the Lao Ministry of Education and Sport to promote disability equality and rights through the new primary school curriculum. This is paving the way for a more equitable and accessible future for all Lao students. 

Under the new strategy, Australia will provide AUD 12 million for assistive technology in the Indo Pacific over four years, including hearing aids, wheelchairs and communication devices. Specific funding allocated to different countries is still being finalised.

Additionally, Australia will establish an annual International Disability Rights dialogue to ensure its international advocacy continues to evolve and improve, reflecting the perspectives and priorities of people with disability.

“Supporting the rights of people with disability reflects Australian values and helps advance our national interest in a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world, where human dignity is respected and no one is left behind,” stated Australia Embassy to Laos.

Some 1.3 billion people – roughly 16 per cent of the global population – have a disability, about 750 million of whom live in the Asia and the Pacific region. As of 2020, over 160,000 people lived with disability in Laos, with the highest rate reported in remote areas and among various ethnic groups.

KPL