As a disability rights organization based in the United States, DRI is committed to ensuring that US government foreign policy, international development, and humanitarian relief programs, advance the human rights of people with disabilities and address their needs in a fully inclusive manner.
An Urgent Call to Action: Defending the Rights, Contributions, and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
SEE SIGNATORIES AND SIGN THE LETTER
To the U.S. Government and all Governments Worldwide,
The United States has long been a pioneer in disability rights. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975 (IDEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 are landmark laws that inspired similar legislation across nations. Such leadership was not easily won - it has been built upon decades of American activism, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Today, American disability rights leadership constitutes not just a pledge to the world, but an American legacy - one that is at great risk of being lost.
If the U.S. retreats from its disability-related commitments, the impact will be catastrophic. Other nations look to America for guidance, and a meek retreat from leadership in disability rights will not only create a vacuum of power and influence for rogue global powers to claim but sends a dangerous message to governments worldwide: that the rights of 1.3 billion people with disabilities across the world are negotiable, rather than key to global prosperity. Stripping millions of their rights, dignity, and independence, blocking their considerable contributions to society, and slowing progress in nations striving to improve disability policies will only result in a world that is more cruel, unstable, and unsafe than before.
We - 1.3 billion disabled people worldwide, representing 16% of the global population - are not a small minority. We are diverse and we are many: a valuable facet of society. Disability is a universal human experience; no individual can assume they will never be part of this 16% simply because today they can walk, see, and hear, or because they do not experience chronic physical or mental health conditions, or learning, cognitive, or intellectual disabilities. In fact, at some point in life, whether through aging, injury, or illness, some form of physical, intellectual or emotional disability will become part of everyone's story.
The political statements and decisions of the United States today shape not only the rights and freedoms of Americans, but of people with disabilities across the world. The question is: Will they create a world where dignity and equal opportunity are the norm, or one where exclusion and institutionalization prevail?
Global leadership in disability rights is not just about funding; it is about values, stability, democracy, and economic progress. Abandoning leadership in disability rights would mean abandoning these very principles and jeopardizing decades of hard-won progress, not just in the U.S. but across the world.
In remarks following a 2012 U.S. Senate hearing on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), then-Senator, now U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "because of [my Papá, a polio survivor] I knew from a very early age the inherent dignity and beauty evident in the every disabled human being on earth, whether they were born with their disaiblity or devleoped it in the course of their lives. The landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, which enshrined into law many fundamental rights to help disabled people live life. As Americans, it should make us all proud because it is one reason the United States has set the gold standard in the world for disability rights. It has demonstrated to everyone else one more dimension of our exceptional people, ensuring that our disabled borthers and sisters have better opportunities to rise above their physical limitations to stake their claim on the American Dream."
Rubio went on to say, "the United States already promotes disability rights and better laws abroad through the State Department and our foreign embassies. The Americans with Disabilities Act (and subsequent improvements to it) should be the law upon which other countries base their own laws protecting their disabled people and aiming to make their lives better."
American leadership over more than 50 years has shown that protecting and advancing the rights and opportunities of all persons with disabilities has made the world - and America - safer, stronger and more prosperous. A truly "America First" policy on disability rights would continue to build the capacity of all people with disabilities to contribute to global leadership excellence.
Sustaining disability rights progress requires more than rhetoric. We call on the U.S., G20 nations, donors, and other global partners to take decisive action in the following ways:
1. Reaffirm Your Leadership in Disability Rights
Disability rights must remain a moral and strategic priority. Demonstrate commitment by visibly and consistently integrating persons with disabilities into all policies and programs.
2. Encourage National Governments to Take Financial Responsibility
Governments must prioritize sustainable funding mechanisms for disability organizations through state budgets, legislative measures, and public-private partnerships. Reliance on grants is not a successful long-term solution for any country. Support from the United States and other strong economies, as well as work in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should continue during this transition period, ensuring that disability organizations remain functional until national governments fully assume responsibility for funding.
3. Ensure that the Voices of Persons with Disabilities Are Heard
Support the independence, leadership and sustainability of Disabled Persons Organizations/Disability-Led Organizations/Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs/DLOs/OPDs) by providing stable funding and advocacy structures. Persons with disabilities must have a meaningful role in decision-making processes at all levels.
4. Lead by Example
Demonstrate that dignity, accessibility, and independent living are non-negotiable. Show the world that the prosperity of persons with disabilities is a cornerstone of democracy, human rights, and economic progress.
If global leaders fail to keep to their pledge to support disability rights, the negative consequences will not only affect persons with disabilities, but also society, economies, and the very foundations of democracy.
This not just about disability rights - it is about the kind of world we choose to build for all, including ourselves.
We urge the United States to reaffirm:
- Policies which ensure alignment with the principles of the ADA, the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and other international frameworks.
- Commitments to disability rights and the prosperity of persons with disabilities, ensuring that funding, accessibility and inclusion remain priorities throughout advocacy, voting, home and community services, education, employment, healthcare, technology, emergency management and all other elements of community living.
- Leadership and readiness to ensure a dignified life for persons with disabilities worldwide.
- The signatories of this letter are united in calling for action in every nation to prioritize disability rights. Together, we can build a future where disabled people live with dignity, independence, and full participation in society.
The time to act is now, before half a century of hard-won progress is lost.
SEE SIGNATORIES AND SIGN THE LETTER
US Foreign Policy and Funding Cuts: Understanding the Impact on the Global Disability Community
DRI and USICD organized a global community forum on February 13, 2025 to address fast moving developments in US government funding, hear about human rights policy from former US government officials, and share experiences from the US and global disability community.
Speakers:
Welcome and introduction:
- Isabel Hodge, U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD)
- Eric Rosenthal, Disability Rights International (DRI), moderator
Panel 1: Immediate Impact of new US policies and funding cuts
- Peter Fremlin, Disability Debrief
- Marcie Roth, World Institute on Disability
- Alison DeFranco, EurAsia Foundation
- Pamela Molina, World Federation of the Deaf, former OAS advisor on disability
- Silvia Quan, Colectivo Vida Independiente, Guatemala
- Halyna Kurylo, DRI-Ukraine
Panel 2: What to expect next? How can we best meet the challenge?
- Catherine Townsend, Ford Foundation
- Anne Hayes, Inclusive Development Partners
- Tim Gehring, Bridge Public Affairs
- Bama Athreya, Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID, Bureau of Inclusive Growth, Partnerships and Innovation
- Eric Jacobstein, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemispheric Affairs.
Summary
Disability Rights International (DRI) and the United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) hosted an international gathering on February 13, 2025, bringing together disability, human rights, and international development leaders to discuss the impact on people with disabilities of Trump Administration foreign policy changes and funding cuts. The organizers sought to strengthen networks and advocacy to preserve programs for people with disabilities and restore US engagement in advancing disability rights.
Panelists were asked to speak openly and frankly. At the request of some panelists, the event was not recorded, and organizers agreed that comments would not be made for attribution (using “Chatham House Rules”).
500 people registered for the webinar and 436 participated. DRI and USICD also circulated a survey asking for specific examples of the impact of cuts and changes in human rights policies.
Next Steps
- Collaborate and Organize: Join forces to strengthen our collective voice. Consider forming partnerships, fundraising collaborations, and strategic alliances with USICD and DRI. Please join USCID and support DRI (www.USICD.org and www.DRIadvocacy.org) as both organizations are committed to working to restore US funding and commitment to international disability rights.
- Document Impact: It is crucial to begin documenting the impact of USAID cuts and the weakening of the international human rights framework. Organizations should track any changes in language, such as the removal of terms like “disability” or “barriers,” in project reviews, applications, and other documents. This documentation will be essential for advocacy and accountability efforts. Complete the DRI/USCID survey. Detailed, concrete examples of the impact of cuts reported through this survey will greatly help activists and allies working to restore funds. If necessary, the survey may be completed anonymously.
- Engage with Media: Reach out to local and national media to highlight the impact of these cuts. Feel free to use the talking points and resources provided during the webinar; however, do not divulge any names or organizations. Sharing personal and organizational impact stories is crucial to raising awareness. The sooner these stories are shared, the more advocacy efforts can amplify them. Have talking points, research, stories, and images ready—media outlets want real-life examples.
- Support broader alliances working to restore USAID and international funding: Join Friends of USAID, which has a media outreach pod to place stories. They need more individuals willing to speak on camera about layoffs, service disruptions, and the impact of cuts. They have launched a petition with 77,000+ signatures—advocates are urged to sign and share. The Friends of USAID Instagram features short videos that should be circulated to highlight the importance of foreign assistance.
- Collaborate with allied interest groups, such as humanitarian groups serving children - For example, a representative of an international children’s organization spoke at the forum, asking for support for a broader alliance of children’s groups seeking a restoration of funding for children.
- Prepare for Legal Action: Be ready to support or initiate legal actions to challenge the unconstitutional termination of these critical programs. A federal judge partially granted a request for a temporary restraining order from a group of organizations that receive funding from USAID and other agencies.
- For activists abroad, contact the US embassy or US representatives in-country: It appears a lot of aid programs and funding may be moving into the State Department, so reaching out to Embassy contacts is highly recommended. For organizations that do have contacts in your Embassy, we recommend that you reach out to them.
- Monitor impact of deportations: DRI is documenting the impact of deporting people with disabilities to countries in Mexico and Central America. If you have information of people with disabilities at risk of deportation or people facing persecution or abuse after deportation, please contact DRI at [email protected].
- Learn from international movements and organizations: Across many countries of the world, disability and human rights activists have fought and continued to fight despite the limitations of freedom and democracy and the immediate threats that face them. We need to look outside of our borders to see how other civil societies have reacted in closing civil space when there's restrictions around language or funding to try to see what might be coming next and strategize.
- Raise these issues at the Global Disability Summit in Berlin: While the US government may not participate, US disability activists should do so. USICD has put in a request to the International Disability Alliance (IDA) to express solidarity with the global disability community and call for continued cooperation despite funding cuts. The US and international disability community must work together to restore programming and a US commitment to disability rights.
- Increased strategic communication efforts: Advocates are compiling activities across different networks and must share efforts to strengthen collaboration. Accessibility and inclusion should remain central to messaging, used boldly and consistently.
- Protect privacy and security of yourself and colleagues: One speaker highly recommended that sensitive communications be conducted only on secure platforms. Assessment of digital risks and the development of privacy and security strategies are encouraged among organizations and networks.
Seeking support and funding to protect families and avoid institutionalization around the world –
DRI has brought attention to a global gap in funding to support people with disabilities and families around the world to ensure that no family is forced to give up a child with a disability or place them in an orphanage or institution. DRI created a broad coalition of for than 100 US disability and children’s groups, as well as international development organizations to endorse the call for new legislation. At the request of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, DRI helped draft the International Children with Disabilities Protection Act, which was adopted by the United States Senate in July 2006 with bipartisan support. In September 2023, Reps Jake LaTurner (R-KS) and Dina Titus (D-NV), joined by Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagon (R-AS), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), James McGovern (D-MA) introduced the bill in the House. We thank our bi-partisan supporters in the Senate and House and call on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to markup the legislation during the 118th Congress.
Calling on the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to address the human rights of people with disabilities –
DRI monitors and works to hold US foreign assistance programs accountable to ensure that US government funds are fully accessible to people with disabilities and are not used to support institutions or group homes for children. In December 2013, DRI submitted detailed comments on the proposed new USAID disability policy calling for a stronger commitment to help governments worldwide end policies and practices of placing people with disabilities in institutions. In April 2023, DRI raised concerns about a US government funding program that would allow funding for group homes for children. We also called for a requirement that US-funding programs on childcare reform would support disability participation and require consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities. The Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization followed with an Open Letter to USAID Administrator Samantha Power.
Working with the US National Council on Disability to advance inclusive development policies –
DRI served as a consultant to the US National Council on Disability to research and public the influential report US Foreign Policy and Disability. This report led to the adoption of the first Congressional earmark for the disability program at the US Agency for International Development.
Leadership on the US International Council on Disability (USICD) –
DRI Executive Director Eric Rosenthal was elected to the Board of Directors of USICD in 2001. He served as Vice President of the Organization for many years and no longer serves as Chair of the USICD Policy Committee. The USICD Board brings together representatives of the United States disability rights movement and coordinates efforts to engage people with disabilities in the United States to advance inclusive US government disability policies.
Seeking US ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
As co-chair of the USICD Policy Committee then, DRI led efforts to gain US ratification of the CRPD. We obtained support from the Obama Administration which signed the CRPD on behalf of the United States on July 30, 2009, and we contributed to the analysis of the transmission package sent to the US Senate on May 17, 2012.