At Inclusion International’s World Congress in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, more than 90 family members from over 35 countries gathered together for the Families Summit.
The Families Summit was a space for family members of people with intellectual disabilities – parents, siblings, people with intellectual disabilities who are parents themselves, and other people with family ties to people with intellectual disabilities come together in solidarity to reflect on their experience as a family member, and to discuss how to advance the family movement.
You can read the reflections of a family member who attended the Families Summit here.
But while the Families Summit was rooted in solidarity and shared experience, it was also a space for reflection, strategising, and planning for a more inclusive future.
Outcomes of the Families Summit
Family members at the Summit looked back on the work of the family movement and considered how our changing world has impacted how families connect.
They reflected on the evolving understanding of family – which is helping us move towards being a more intergenerational family movement that better engages siblings and young families.
They reflected on technology – which has created new ways for families to connect, while also reminding us that face-to-face connections are irreplaceable.
They reflected on challenges the family movement faces, and how those challenges impact how families translate our vision for an inclusive world into action.
These big ideas and other reflections, key messages, and proposed strategies that emerged from the Families Summit are summarised in the Family Summit Outcome Report:
Outcomes of the Families Summit
The Families Summit identified five key action points for strengthening the international families movement:
- Strengthen connections among families through various platforms and support systems.
- Build partnerships with other equality-seeking groups to promote inclusion.
- Provide training on inclusion and advocacy for families and allies.
- Engage siblings in family support efforts and facilitate discussions on their roles.
- Help families share technical knowledge and lessons learned.
Inclusion International’s Families Taking Action for Inclusion programme and other mechanisms like the Families Discussion Group are a starting point for working towards these goals.
Family leaders within the inclusion movement will take forward this vision and these action points to continue working towards a strong and inclusive global family movement.