The Australian Government is developing a new International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy (the Strategy) to ensure it remains a strong and consistent leader in advancing equity and rights for people with disability globally.

The new Strategy will:

• ensure disability equity and rights are central to Australia's development cooperation, humanitarian action and multilateral human rights engagement;
• identify priority areas where Australia can advance disability equity and rights, including through foreign policy and broader multilateral engagement (where appropriate and relevant); and
• identify performance measures by which the Australian Government will hold itself to account.

In addition to this Strategy, DFAT is developing a First Nations approach to foreign policy, an International Gender Equality Strategy, a Humanitarian Strategy and a human rights engagement strategy for LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion. DFAT will build clear connections between these new approaches and strategies, including through consultations with stakeholders and partners.

The Strategy will complement Australia's domestic disabilities policies, including Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-2031.

The Strategy will align with commitments to disability equity in the region including the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025 and the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2023-2032.

DFAT is committed to ensuring people with disability can meaningfully engage with and influence the Strategy.

Process

DFAT consulted widely to ensure organisations and people with diverse backgrounds, disabilities, and geographic locations could contribute.

DFAT established an External Reference Group (ERG) of disability leaders to guide the Strategy development process. The Terms of Reference and a list of ERG members are publicly available.

The Strategy is being informed by research, reports, data and evidence. DFAT is drawing on the views and priorities shared in public submissions provided to inform Australia's International Development Policy, the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy and the International Gender Equality Strategy.

DFAT invited all people and organisations within Australia, the region and internationally to have their say on the Strategy through a call for public submissions. DFAT particularly encouraged people with disability and their representative organisations to make a submission.

DFAT asked the following questions through the public submissions process:

1. What should Australia prioritise to advance disability equity and rights internationally?
2. What are the most effective approaches to progress these priorities?
3. How can DFAT support the role of, and partner with, organisations of persons with disabilities?
4. What are the biggest challenges to and opportunities for advancing disability equity and rights?

DFAT recognises that people with disability have a range of preferences for engaging with government processes. To accommodate this, DFAT accepted submissions via various methods including written submissions (email or post), video or audio recordings, or via WhatsApp.

Please contact disability.equity@dfat.gov.au if you have any questions about or suggestions for the new Strategy.

Related links

• Australia's assistance for disability-inclusive development
• Development for All 2015-2020: Strategy for strengthening disability-inclusive development in Australia's aid program (extended to 2021)
• Development for all: Evaluation of progress made in strengthening disability inclusion in Australian aid
• Unfinished business: Evaluation of Australian advocacy for disability-inclusive development
• Disability Development Cooperation Factsheet