People with intellectual disabilities and their families are among the most likely to live in poverty and experience social exclusion in their communities due to discrimination and lack of support.

Hear Our Voices: A Global Report on Poverty and Exclusion is a global study on the poverty and exclusion experienced by people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

To create this report, self-advocates and families from more than 80 organizations around the world contributed their knowledge and experiences and came together to discuss the impact of poverty on their lives through surveys, focus groups, and regional forums.

A staggering 26 million people with intellectual disabilities live on less than $1 a day. Even
people with intellectual disabilities living in northern industrialized countries are hugely over-represented among the poorest in their countries.

Hear Our Voices: Global Report on Poverty and Exclusion

Key Findings

  • Poverty and exclusion impact people with intellectual disabilities in many parts of their life, including their access to education, healthcare, housing, employment, and participation in the community.
  • Some of the main barriers to inclusion that people with intellectual disabilities and their families face around the world are negative attitudes, lack of accessibility and accommodations, and inadequate support services.
  • Poverty and exclusion do not affect all groups equally – people with intellectual disabilities and their families who belong to marginalized groups, such as women, children, and those living in rural areas, are particularly affected.
  • To address poverty and exclusion, we need to invest promoting inclusive policies and programs, ensuring access to healthcare and education, providing support for families and caregivers, and strengthening advocacy and awareness-raising efforts.
  • To eliminate poverty and exclusion, the full and meaningful participation of people with intellectual disabilities in decision-making processes will be essential.

People with intellectual disabilities have the right to live without poverty and exclusion. We need to work together to create a world that is inclusive, accessible and supportive of our rights, so that we can participate fully in society and achieve our aspirations and goals.

Hear Our Voices: Global Report on Poverty and Exclusion

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