At the Inclusion International World Congress, our session Inclusive Education in a Changing World focused on one question: how do we keep inclusive education a priority when attention, funding, and policies are moving elsewhere?

Since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) came into effect in 2006, we have seen a lot of progress in recognising disability as a matter of human rights. 

This progress is at risk. Diane Richler, Co-Chair of the Catalyst for Inclusive Education, said it feels like “the best of times and the worst of times.”

Education funding is shrinking worldwide, and there is growing pushback against disability rights.

Because of these threats, families and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) must advocate fiercely to make sure all money spent on education actually supports inclusion.

A panel of presenters, including Diane Richler, Jody Carr, Paula Hunt, Daniel Mont, Fatma Wangare, Connie Laurin-Bowie, and Jose Viera, present at the World Congress.

We Need Real Leadership, Not Just Talk

The session revealed that we need to move beyond just talking about inclusion. 

Paula Hunt of the Catalyst for Inclusive Education pointed out that, except for systems in Portugal and New Brunswick, Canada, there is currently no implemented leadership for inclusive education.

Paula said we need leadership that plans and implements inclusion with the active involvement of children, families, and teachers. 

Leadership should be shared across government ministries, and teacher training must make inclusion a core part of education, not an add-on.

Jody Carr, former Minister of Education in Canada, added that we need to build broader alliances and “mobilise votes.” 

He called on organisations to connect with other movements, modernise education systems, and support champions for inclusion at every level. 

“When we’re alone, we feel like we’re a bother,” he said. “When we’re together, that bother moves us to change.”

However, without good data and direct funding, inclusion stays as talk instead of practice.

Data and Funding Must Reach People

Good data and funding are important for real inclusion.

Daniel Mont explained that disability data must include not only statistics about individuals but also the barriers and supports around them, such as teacher training, resources, and infrastructure.

When it comes to funding, we need a major change. Fatma Wangare of Inclusion Africa demanded a shift from “policy-ready” to “people-ready investments”. 

This ensures funding reaches communities and directly benefits children with disabilities and their families, rather than creating big projects that don’t help people on the ground.

Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are essential “partners of choice,” but they are often severely underfunded (with an average budget under $5,000 USD annually).

OPDs must strengthen their organisations, embrace partnership, and track how much funding for disability projects reaches them directly.

Inclusion is for All

Jamie Cooke, Inclusion International’s Executive Director, reminded attendees that our group is called a “catalyst” because a catalyst speeds up change without being used up itself.

There is a clear mandate for action:

  • The environment must be ready for children with disabilities from babyhood, not only when they start school. 
  • Education systems need to be rebuilt with input from both children and teachers about what learning should look like.
  • And globally, we must keep working together, sharing data, and raising our voices to build an education system that truly fits the 21st century.

As a strong network, we will continue discussing how these and other challenges and opportunities will change our efforts to promote inclusive education.