Building disability inclusion into partner programmes

News-iag | June 25, 2025

CBM Global’s Inclusion Advisory Group (IAG) welcomes opportunities to work with mainstream partners to embed disability inclusion across development and humanitarian programmes.

Working directly, or in consortia, we seek to embed disability inclusion from design through to implementation, evaluation and learning.

This approach, done in close partnership with the disability movement, helps strengthen local systems, build sustainable networks, and ensure programs are inclusive, responsive and adaptable as needs evolve.

A community meeting taking place outdoors in a rural area of Bangladesh, with men and women seated around a table under trees and surrounded by greenery. A man in a black suit and sunglasses stands at the centre, addressing the group. A banner behind the table reads “Monthly Self Help Group Meeting” and includes logos of CBM Global, the Government of Bangladesh, and partners, highlighting inclusive humanitarian action and access to rehabilitation services. — Image: Ahsan Sharker, Disability Rights Advocate, leading a self-help group meeting in the Rohingya camp host community.

In Bangladesh, we’ve been privileged to contribute to the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) Rohingya camps response by supporting consortium partners to reduce stigma and strengthen the meaningful participation of people with disabilities in their humanitarian programming. Over the past 30 months, we have supported Care, Oxfam, and Plan International (amongst others) to strengthen disability inclusion across education, WASH, protection, DRR, and livelihoods programming. Highlights include 28 accessibility audits, co-led sector trainings with Disability Inclusion Focal Points, successful advocacy with the Government of Bangladesh to expand access to services for persons with disabilities, and, support to local disability groups to strengthen their governance and advocacy.

Evidence based programming is key to our approach.

Our work in AHP IV has drawn on key learnings from earlier AHP activations, particularly the importance of strong leadership and accountability.

When disability inclusion targets were embedded into MEAL systems, progress across partner organizations accelerated.

Early and meaningful participation also proved critical: the establishment of Self-Help Groups and Disability Support Committees enabled people with disabilities to actively shape program design and implementation.

Some of our local consortia partners are applying lessons and networks from this work to strengthen disability inclusion practices across their wider programmes and organisations in Bangladesh.

As we explore another AHP activation in the Rohingya camps, and begin to support some consortia partners more broadly, we are focused on embedding inclusive practices, reinforcing leadership by persons with disabilities, and ensuring learning continues to inform future programming.

For more about our work in joint programming and AHP, please see the following:

The project page ‘AHP to increase resilience and self-reliance of Rohingya and host populations in Bangladesh’
Impact report: AHP Phase III Bangladesh Impact Report: An honest account
Lesson Learned report: Our Lessons: AHP III Bangladesh Inclusion matters
Website of Australian Humanitarian Partnership

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