The Australian Government has launched Australia's new International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy (the Strategy).

To support the development of this strategy, DFAT established an External Reference Group (ERG).

Terms of Reference for the ERG were as follows.

The purpose of this ERG is to provide strategic guidance and input to DFAT on the following:

• Strategic context and emerging issues in disability equity and rights in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and internationally
• Strategy priorities
• Strategy development process
• Inclusive and accessible consultations.

The ERG will be gender-balanced and diverse, including representatives from Pacific, ASEAN and global peak bodies of persons with disabilities; First Nations Australians; domestic stakeholders; under-represented groups of persons with disabilities; and a range of sectors.

The ERG will include people with various types of disabilities including physical, psychosocial, vision impaired, hearing impaired, and neurodiverse.

Members will have a disability and/or be active in the disability movement.

Members will serve in a voluntary and personal capacity.

Meetings will be virtual.

The ERG will meet approximately four times over the period September 2023 to April 2024.

Members are expected to attend all meetings. Proxies are permitted where agreed prior with DFAT.

The Australian Department of Social Services and DFAT's Disability Network will participate as observers.

The work of the ERG will be supported by DFAT's Disability Equity and Rights Section, including developing meeting agendas, collating and distributing meeting papers, and tracking agreed actions and inputs.