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.
NOTE: U.S. Disability Services are under attack. U.S. foreign assistance for persons with disabilities is almost completely terminated. Please also sign on to the following letter to save disability services while we still can: https://airtable.com/appRVvSrWZNbarnSB/pagRiGpHCs9JJcPLy/form