Disability and social policy: Global evidence and perspectives

Abstract

Introduction The term ‘disability’ is complex and elusive as individuals and cultures often have different understandings of disability (Goodley, 2016). As noted by Oliver (1986), if disability is considered within ‘a personal tragedy theory of disability’, it is then outside the realm of social policy. Similarly, if it is understood as a medical notion, its relevance is limited to health care policy. However, modern conceptualizations of disability frame disability as an interactional or relational notion, one that results from an individual with a health condition interacting with structural factors and resources (Goodley, 2016; Mitra, 2018). Structural factors, be they barriers in the physical environment, negative attitudes, discrimination or resources, may and should be addressed by social policies. The United Nations (UN) has adopted a human rights perspective on disability. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is a global human rights treaty adopted in 2006. The CRPD aims ‘to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity’. It has been ratified by 185 countries as of November 2022. There are two broad components to the implementation of the CRPD. The first consists in adopting laws and policies in line with the provisions of the CRPD and the second includes non-legal strategies toward advocacy and social change. Both aim to lead to the full participation of persons with disabilities in society by mainstreaming disability in development strategies (United Nations, 2019). Disability has received little attention in the field of global social policy. While there has been research on social protection policies targeting individuals with disability and their families, limited work has considered disability in other areas of global social policy such as education, health, healthcare, and employment. Guided by the human rights